Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us November 15, 2005 GUEST FORUM City’s economic picture (still) depends on tourism By Jim Nelson Blue Heron Gallery & Gifts Ashland I read with some dismay the article in Saturday’s Tidings “The City’s Fine.” While many will applaud the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce to bring more industry and high-paying jobs to Ashland, I believe that these efforts will likely be unproductive. We simply don’t have all that it takes to compete with the thousands of other cities wooing those same employers. Sure, we have a great climate, world-class theater, great shopping and wonderful restaurants, all the things that make a great tourist destination, but not necessarily the things a small business owner may be looking for. We have a poorly funded education system, strained water supply, mediocre air quality, high transportation costs, very high property and housing costs, one of the highest minimum wages in the country and, according to some, “unfriendly to business” zoning, environmental requirements, taxation and building restrictions. In spite of these many difficulties, many people will continue to move to Ashland, and some of them will be business owners who will relocate their business here in spite of the challenges. But to spend money marketing Ashland as a great place to do business is a just a waste of economic development dollars, as is marketing Ashland as a great place to live. Persuading people to move here certainly helps our largest economic segment (real estate sales and development), but I fear that strategy is doomed in the long term. Who will be able to move here when our house prices exceed those in California? Most people don’t really need to be told it’s great to live here. They usually find that out on their own. On the other hand, marketing Ashland as a great tourist destination makes a lot of sense. “Tourist” is not a dirty word. Like it or not, tourism is Ashland’s primary economic force, if not its largest. It is what makes it possible for real estate and property development to be such a huge economic factor. Most of our new residents have discovered Ashland as tourists, thanks in large part to the OSF. It is the engine that drives Ashland’s success. Without the festival, would we have 80 places to eat, 30+ galleries, and many fine boutiques? Probably not. But although it is a wonderful economic engine, it still only runs eight months of the year, and then only on a couple of its cylinders for three of those months. I hear people complain all the time about how crowded it is when the festival is on. But think about it: they sell about 380,000 tickets; the average play-goer sees 3.8 plays; that’s about 100,000 people spread out over eight months. That’s hardly a big crowd or a lot of traffic (especially when you consider many of them come two or three to a car or many in a bus). A big college football game or rock concert can draw 40,000+ people in a day. That’s a crowd. We have plenty of room for more tourists, and we need marketing in major travel magazines to attract them. There are also prospective visitors who might enjoy Ashland as a day-trip. Let’s help the businesses who have already made a significant investment in Ashland. We already have the restaurants and shops to compete with any shopping mall anywhere. We have one of the fastest growing cities in Oregon just 15 minutes away. Invite people from Medford and suburbs to come visit us to dine and shop. I’m not talking about creating another parade or brochure, but rather, developing a real multimedia marketing campaign the way Jacksonville, Brookings, Gold Beach and Grants Pass have done. We may think that people in the Rogue Valley know about Ashland already, but much of what they know is that “weird things happen in Ashland.” Protests, panhandlers and naked people: these are the things that get reported in the local news. We need some positive PR that shows Ashland as a friendly, not-so-snooty, safe, wholesome place to come shop and have lunch and dinner. And tell them that, even on our worst day, they can still find a place to park, closer to where they want to go, than they will at the mall. We should be proud of the businesses we have and not disparage them for offering low-paying retail and food service jobs. Here’s a thought ... maybe we could pay better wages if we were busier all year long! DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams