tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20995189.post735430718721812317..comments2009-07-28T20:24:27.471-05:00Becky McCrayhttps://profiles.google.com/109969779660139278806noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20995189.post-66646686384560098092009-07-28T20:24:27.471-05:002009-07-28T20:24:27.471-05:00Innkeeper, that is exactly the situation we want to fix! <br /><br />How can we use the increased interest in all things local to our advantage?Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20995189.post-49770109781611085442009-07-28T18:33:49.330-05:002009-07-28T18:33:49.330-05:00We are in Narragansett, RI, a small beach town, and sometimes it rains. At breakfast a guest from RI told out of state guests that there was &quot;nothing to do but to go bowling&quot; on rainy days. I could have smacked him but gave 10 ideas off the top of my head for things to do instead of going to the beach. His response? &quot;I&#39;ve never done any of those things.&quot;<br /><br />Every year there is a statewide promotion for being a tourist in your own back yard. It becomes more popular every year.Innkeeper Seelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16508037189143444165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20995189.post-60436999899054054202009-07-28T13:16:56.542-05:002009-07-28T13:16:56.542-05:00OOO! I&#39;ve been to the Presidio! Back when I lived in Luling, TX. <br /><br />Anyway, your example of &quot;Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard&quot; reminded me of the Kansas Explorers Club. That&#39;s a project from the Kansas Sampler Foundation. <a href="http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/2009/05/changing-tourism-and-volunteerism-in.html" rel="nofollow">You can hear Marci Penner explain it in the second video on this page</a>.Becky McCrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05752231568940350610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20995189.post-32897220936625952202009-07-28T09:25:23.787-05:002009-07-28T09:25:23.787-05:00Becky,<br />This is just pervasive, isn&#39;t it. No matter where in the country you live, locals are unaware of what incredible opportunities are available to them.<br /><br />A few years ago, we worked with the town of Goliad, TX. In Goliad is the Presidio La Bahia. The Presidio was one of the crucial locations during Texas&#39; battle for independence from Mexico. The massacre that happened there gave rise to the famous &quot;black bean episode&quot;. <br /><br />Anyway, the museum director told us that fully 95% of the kids in Goliad&#39;s high school had never visited the Presidio. Not for a history class, not on their own, nothing!<br /><br />There are a few Texas towns that have launched successful &quot;Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard&quot; campaigns and/or other local awareness programs. But just like hospitality training, it&#39;s something that has to be an ongoing effort.<br /><br />I&#39;ll be following your comments on this post to see what other good ideas are out there. Thanks for bringing this back to the forefront!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18245505544780605007noreply@blogger.com