Tourism in Tahlequah? Who benefits and how can I help?

Wait I benefit from tourism? 
Tourism is a broad spectrum and involves a lot of things. The textbook definition is “the commercial organization and operation of vacations and visits to places of interest.” Most people have probably heard of their local tourism department but might not know what they do.

You might see us out taking photos or videos, maybe interviewing a local business. All that we do is to further the progress of Tahlequah. In regards to tourism, some community members might wonder what part they play in the efforts of tourism. Some might be curious about how they can help. 

Everyone can benefit from tourism. Small businesses and community members alike. The question that needs to be answered, is how do we benefit? The goal of any town that wants to be successful is to keep business alive and economically grow. As community members, you want to see the town grow right? You want the new attraction or the nice chain restaurant to move in. Both of these things are possible! 

When a town’s traffic from tourism picks up, opportunities arise. The more people we can get into a town the better. This leads to better recognition, revenue for the city and small business, and opportunities to showcase the possibilities of residing in Tahlequah. We want people to see Tahlequah as a place of interest. Tourism feeds growth and that is what every town needs. What can I do to help local tourism? Here are some things that don’t require much effort but will make a big difference to folks at the tourism office. 

Share the local tourism page posts. It’s 2020, most of us have social media and spend a good amount of time on it. It takes a second to give a like or share. The second you take to like and share a post might be two hundred people more that can see that post. It’s often these little things we can do that make a huge difference when trying to reach the desired audience. 

Visit the local attractions
Visit the places that help attract tourism and understand why people want to visit your town. My whole time living in Tahlequah I had never visited a Cherokee museum. Some of you might identify with this and it's not your fault. Sometimes we can live in a town and not visit the main things that bring tourists to it! The lack of awareness is what If you want to contribute, try visiting a local museum or art shop. When you do that leave a review for them on their socials, yelp, or google. Doing this can help the business succeed and it will help others who are searching for fun things to do in the area find those things. 

Shop local 
The small businesses in a town are a crucial part of tourism. Especially the ones that have been around for a long time. In regards to Tahlequah, people love to see the unique shops that made a permanent mark in Tahlequah’s history and continue to do so. Supporting these businesses keeps them around which in turn will preserve the magic of our little town. 

Furthermore, these tasks may seem small but they are very beneficial and are highly valuable to the town and to us as at the Tourism office! You can follow us on our Facebook and our Instagram to keep up with our efforts! 

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Author: Tim Bradshaw

I enjoy coffee, writing, music and family.