Consultant assesses tourism in Lansing

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Main Street Lansing (MSL) Board, MSL Committees, Lansing residents, retailers, lodging and facility proprietors and managers of local tourist attractions met with a tourism consultant the week of July 28. The consultant, Donna Harris from Heritage Consulting, was provided by Main Street Iowa to assess Lansing’s tourism potential. MSL had requested help back in February from the Des Moines Main Street Iowa office to address the unique needs of a small town with little industry and no airport or major highways. Others attending  and participating in the “tech visit” were Jim Thompson and Terry Buschkamp from Main Street Iowa; Shawna Lode, Iowa State Tourism Manager; Carrie Koelker, Director of Eastern Iowa Tourism; and Laura Olson and Ardis Kuhse, Allamakee Economic Development and Tourism.
Harris spent three and a half days meeting with the various groups to understand the current conditions affecting tourism and then, using the methodology and principles of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, she will provide recommendations to expand the potential for Lansing to host more visitors.
The first of the principles is collaboration, Harris said, “Building partnerships is essential, not just because they help develop local support, but also because tourism depends on the active participation of political leaders, business leaders, operators of tourist sites, artists and craftspeople, hotel/motel operators and many other groups...”
MSL Board member Joe Papp said the program is meant to include not only Main Street businesses, but all attractions and services in the area, and that promoting tourism can appreciably increase city revenues and tax base; both will help reduce the tax burden on local residents.  Papp said he was impressed with Harris’ approach. “Her approach was refreshing and she did a good job of learning about Lansing by listening to the people of Lansing.”
Harris will return to Lansing later in August to report her findings and offer early action recommendations and implementation suggestions. All interested persons are encouraged to watch for an announcement of the date and time of her report and to participate in the program.