There is strength in numbers, the saying goes.
That’s definitely true for representatives of local tourist attractions, who launched the Shreveport-Bossier Attractions Association three years ago and recently re-launched the association as a membership-based organization.
Designed to support the growth and success of local tourist attractions, the association assists its members with everything from marketing assistance to professional development.
The kinds of attractions that qualify for membership include festivals and annual events, museums and art galleries, nature centers and outdoor recreation, performing arts venues, tour guides and more. If you own, work for or represent such an attraction in Caddo or Bossier Parish, the association would love to hear from you. Membership is free but requires attractions complete a membership application and attend a minimum of two meetings annually.
This kind of organization represents, to me, something really special about Shreveport-Bossier City as a market.
When I first took my job at the tourist bureau, I was surprised at the extent to which businesses that are often in direct competition with one another — hotels, for instance — work together to help one another out. The Shreveport-Bossier Hotel and Lodging Association is a great example, as is the Attractions Association.
Julia Foley, Shreveport-Bossier Attractions Association board president and co-owner of Apex Events, LLC, says the association gives local attractions the opportunity to come together and network, share resources and voice concerns about what’s going on in their industry. There are also more tangible benefits of membership, such as access to cooperative advertising dollars, which she describes as “a huge incentive” for tourist attractions, which often operate on small budgets with limited staff and resources.
“Our goal all along has been to strengthen our area attractions with the ultimate goal of creating a more sellable Shreveport-Bossier,” Foley said. “If a destination only has a few attractions that are spotlighted on a regular basis, that’s not good for a market like ours, which thrives on repeat visitation.”
One of the benefits of membership is free admission to a quarterly seminar series that provides ongoing professional development opportunities for employees of area attractions. These seminars, organized by the Attractions Association in partnership with the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, provide expert training on topics like creating powerful experiences for visitors and customers, e-mail marketing and social media best practices for businesses.
Non-member attractions and tourism-related businesses are welcome to take part in these seminars, but must pay $20 to attend.
“My first introduction to the Attractions Association was attending one of the quarterly seminars,” said Robin Williams, marketing director of Holiday Lanes. Holiday Lanes is a member of the Attractions Association, and Williams now serves as a member of the association’s board of directors. “The seminars are really beneficial – they’re held locally, so you can get the kind of professional development that you’d get from attending a conference without traveling.”
Williams also enjoys the opportunity to simply network with employees of other attractions.
“In some ways, we’re competing for the same audiences, so we don’t always get to work together,” Williams said. “I just enjoy bouncing ideas off of other attractions, and occasionally partnering on a promotion or event. Through the association, we’ve developed promotional partnerships with places like Sci-Port and Splash Kingdom.”
The Shreveport-Bossier Attractions Association reviews membership applications on a quarterly basis, with the next round of applications due on Tuesday, Sept. 1. To request a membership application, or for more information, contact Melissa Small, communications coordinator for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, at msmall@sbctb.org or (318) 213-8266.
Chris Jay is the public relations and social media manager for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. Email Chris at cjay@sbctb.org.
Attractions Association provides strength in numbers
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