Birmingham Shopping District participates in county tourism initiative

BIRMINGHAM — The Birmingham Shopping District is a part of the Steering Committee for Oakland County’s Tourism and Attraction Strategic Plan.

The project is led by the Oakland County Department of Economic Development, and the steering committee consists of downtown managers, recreation asset managers, lodging and hospitality operators, cultural and historical asset operators, entertainment arts venue operators, a county commissioner, small businesses, local government officials, and destination marketing partners. A consultant team is made up of Tourism Economics, BLKDOG and Think Place Agency. The consultant’s contract has a not to exceed amount of $244,265.00

“The county is working to develop a comprehensive tourism and attraction strategic plan that will quantify the value and impact of tourism in the county, determine sustainable models for tourism development and management, identify options for cohesive branding and chart actionable strategies to attract visitors, businesses and employees and extend visitor stays by enhancing experiences, mobility and marketing,” BSD Executive Director Erika Bassett said.

Oakland County has 62 communities, each a little bit different, creating a large and diverse county.

“That’s going to be the challenge — to be able to put together a plan that’s comprehensive enough to help communities where they are right now and where they want to be going forward,” Ryan Dividock, Oakland County supervisor of planning, zoning and land use, said.

“The communities in Oakland County offer such a wide variety of attractions. We are all strengthened when we work together, and working at the county level allows us to leverage a variety of resources and expertise and build a cohesive message while celebrating each community and organization’s unique assets,” Bassett said.

In the project’s discovery phase, consultants visited the county’s communities and assets. In March and April, they hosted focus group meetings and one-on-one meetings with individuals from key assets in the county.

They are now developing a destination assessment report.

In the next phase, they will work to develop a brand and strategy. Following this, an action plan will be developed before they officially launch the brand.

Dividock said they plan to launch the plan sometime in September or October.

Oakland County may not be considered a tourism destination for the same reasons a beach town or somewhere warm year-round might, but it is home to many families that draw people to the area for visits. Dividock said the plan strives to provide assets to visitors that help them plan extended stays and explore the different opportunities offered within the county.

“The ultimate goal of the plan is to develop actionable strategies for tourist attraction, which not only has an impact on the local economy, but also a ripple effect in that it creates an environment where people want to continue to visit, do business and live,” Bassett said.

 

Upcoming webinar
A Tourism Diagnostic Webinar May 21 will focus on sharing results from the county’s recent “tourism product research, economic impact study and visitor survey.”

Questions on the webinar can be sent to planninggroup@oakgov.com.

For more information on the Tourism and Attraction Strategic Plan, visit visitoaklandcounty.com/strategic-plan.