Each destination organization should consider their residents as their primary customers to ensure their role as a public good and a true priority in their communities.
Jack Johnson, Chief Advocacy Officer, Destinations International presented “The Community Shared Value Roadmap and Workbook” session July 15 at the Destinations International Annual Conference in Baltimore.
Johnson said the long-term effort to better understand its member organizations culminated in the development of the workbook, released by Destinations International during the session. Johnson provided a deep dive into the key values of a community shared value or public good and provided insight as to how to create a roadmap for organizations to follow.
When Destinations International observed organizations that have built a solid base of support in their community, as well as those who are less effective, a specific set of core industry values emerges that are either present or lacking:
· Awareness – a well-informed interest in the history, situation and people that is to be spread to and generated in others.
· Collaboration – working with customers and community stakeholders to reach our goals and help solve key problems.
· Engagement – informing and listening to groups within our destination to address issues affecting the wellbeing and promotion of the community.
· Inclusiveness – welcoming the entire community and visitors into the fold.
· Innovation – changing something established with new ideas and methods, and fresh perspectives.
· Passion – intense enthusiasm for our destination, our community and its people.
· Relevance – being closely connected to what is being done or considered in our destination.
· Stewardship – Balancing economic development, sustainable tourism, and quality of life.
· Transparency – proactively open to stakeholder and public scrutiny.
The community shared value roadmap then takes the application of assets of leadership, love, creative and trust that wind their way through the desired values destinations – the data, information, content, leadership, visitor and resident safety, master planning, economic development and quality of life each destination needs to develop to ensure their robust place in the workings of their communities.
“We found that destination organizations were doomed to periodic political attacks, unstable resources and potential failure, unless they focused on the ultimate customer: the residents of the destination,” Johnson said.
Saying the industry’s arguments no longer resonate, he said the civic and political ground on which we stand has shifted. “We talk to the public, to elected officials and to the media about industry performance measurements and return-on-investment that are often not understood or not believed … We often don’t have a response to ‘I don’t believe you.’” Johnson said there is a growing trend by those who seek to divert destination organization funding to undermine the credibility of a destination organization.
Johnson said destination organizations spend other people’s money, promoting other people’s property by articulating, protecting and promoting an abstract idea or brand that is owned collectively by all the people of a destination. “Each of these carries a fiduciary responsibility that must be acknowledged and fulfilled,” he said. But oftentimes, there is a disconnect between the destination organization and the community it claims to serve. There is no ownership of the destination organization or a narrative about the shared value it represents within the community.
The Cornerstone Statement in the new workbook emphasizes that every community has to compete for its share of the world’s attention, customers, and investments. The communities which fail to compete will be left behind.
The solution lies with the organizations themselves, he said.
“It means that the mission is not to put ‘heads in beds’ … Why are we the solution? It’s a no-brainer. It’s exactly what we do. We are the experts. We know how to create a brand.” Destination organizations can bring strategies to achieve awareness and positive impressions; management and communication; promotion, marketing, sales and visitor engagement, all for the common good of the community and its residents.
“The Community Shared Value Roadmap and Workbook” can be accessed online at https://destinationsinternational.org/community-shared-value. ■