The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB is conducting a 10-year strategic plan of the region’s tourism industry.
The organization hired the consulting firm, MMGY NextFactor out of Kanas City, to assist in developing the plan, according to a news release.
The chamber and MMGY NextFactor are slated to engage with residents, community leaders, public officials, and industry stakeholders over a 12-month process.
“One-on-one interviews with key stakeholders,” said Jason Outman, the president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB. “We will also hold nine or ten focus groups that will have, let’s say, fifteen to twenty people per focus group from different industries.”
Outman said they will also be hosting local town halls to get input from residents.
MMGY NextFactor has worked to deliver travel and tourism insights and strategies to more than 250 global destinations, according to the release.
“When you use an outside consultant firm or a third-party, it takes the bias out of it. So instead of the chamber putting out a plan that maybe we did and people are going, oh, that’s just the chamber coming up with a plan. You know, when it comes from a third party, it seems to be a little more credible.”
The city’s all-time tourism tax record of $13.57 million was reached in 2018 – a record that could be surpassed this year according to Outman.
“Tax is up. Visitation is up,” said Outman. “In fact, if we continue the pace that we’re at from a visitation, we’ll probably be closer to 10 million visitors in 2021, with our previous record being 9.1 million in 2019.”
(Story by Jacob Blount and Emilee Kuschul, Ozarks First)
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