Public comment sought on Joplin tourism, venue needs

Debby Woodin, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Feb. 14—Two meetings are in the offing this week for area residents to make comments that will be gathered as part of a study being conducted on behalf of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau on ways to increase tourism.

One part of the study is to determine how to increase the stops of group-travel providers, such as bus charters, in the Joplin area market. Additionally, the study is to assess what kind of venues would increase tourism business, and what funding sources might exist for providing new venues. In addition, the study will assess the impact of regional tourism.

Sessions for public comment on those topics will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex, 212 W. Seventh St., and 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the council chambers on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.

The convention bureau has contracted with a firm, Conventions, Sports & Leisure International, to conduct the study. The study and the firm, which has offices in Minneapolis and New York, was recommended by the bureau's advisory board, representatives of the Joplin Sports Authority's board, and the Southwest Missouri Lodging Association after requests for proposals to do the study were advertised. The study will cost $111,608 and be paid with bureau revenue.

The director of the visitors bureau, Patrick Tuttle, told the City Council in seeking approval for the study that this one is different from any others that have been done in the past.

Among the information to be provided by the assessment is a determination on how a higher number of tourism guests would contribute to room nights sold at local hotels as well as add to business at restaurants and retail stores.

The consultant will be expected to survey key stakeholders about how different venue concepts meet their needs. The survey should also poll stakeholders about support for various financing models for tourism needs including increasing the current hotel-motel tax.

Additionally, the study should prioritize the needs for any venues to serve tourism and should identify funding and the roles of the various groups involved in tourism marketing.

Part of the study will be to create a venue summary to assist in future marketing opportunities.

"The Joplin community recognizes many of our strengths and has great insight on what new amenities and offerings could enhance Joplin as a destination," Tuttle said in a statement. "We encourage everyone to attend one of the meetings and lend their voice to this effort to move Joplin forward."