Thread the Needle - Part 2
Following up on last week’s Monday Huddle Up, we want to dive a bit deeper into how you should think about driving your destination and your organization going forward.
Last week we talked about “threading the needle.” That is, how do we intentionally think through building capacity (facilities) in a destination that fits our local user group wants, tourism opportunities, and helps our hotels in times of need. Where do all of these circles intersect like a Venn diagram to everyone’s benefit?
We talked about how to engage your stakeholders to sort out what type of venue is needed that could support the local community and also create a regional competitive advantage in regard to sports tourism. We covered several strategies to go through before you need to bring in the outside/consultant experts. This week we add another layer by asking a question…..
What data tools are you using to help thread the needle?
Many of the destinations we serve subscribe to various data-focused tourism subscriptions. A vast majority of the tourism organizations we work with that have these tools don’t leverage them as much as they could. As a golfer myself, it’s akin to buying a new $500 driver and not pulling it out of your bag.
If you pay for it, use it.
And frankly, force the purveyor that sold you the technology to help you use it. Especially if you are in a smaller market with limited staff capacity to engage in the process.
Beyond the usual vendors in the tourism geofencing world that we also lean into, our team uses sports participation data from one vendor, and sports equipment data from another. The more layers you can add to the analysis, the smarter and more intentional decisions you can make.
We would certainly love to have you hire our team to help with a strategic planning or facility development process. At the same time, you likely have the tools to do a lot of the groundwork with the tools you have available to you today.
The comparison between the annoying parking lot disruptions at Costco and constructive business innovation really struck a chord with me. It’s so true that genuine disruption isn’t just about making noise or launching something new; it’s about having the vision to continuously refine things so they don't end up like Blockbuster. Even when managing complex projects or studying analytical models like relying on Operation Research Assignment Help by New Assignment Help Experts to streamline heavy workloads the real value always comes from refining the system and collaborating with others rather than going it alone. It makes you wonder how many great initial ideas fizzle out simply because the creators refused to share the reins or adapt over time.
Really solid point about actually utilizing the subscriptions and platforms we pay for rather than letting them sit idle—the golf driver analogy hit the nail on the head. In our sector, it’s so easy to get caught up in day-to-day operations and forget to lean on external tools or specialized resources when we get stuck. It reminds me of a mate who recently used an Online Environmental Law Assignment Help for University Students service just to navigate a massive stack of regulation data he didn't have time to sort through himself. Pushing vendors to actually help train regional staff to interpret that data seems like a no-brainer for smaller setups with limited capacity.