City of Ellensburg Visitor Center

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2.Kittitas County Tourism InfrastructurePlan:Please explain how the project meets the Goals and Actions in the Kittitas County Tourism InfrastructurePlan as adopted.Also,describe the specific countytourism infrastructure needs the project addresses and how the project directly increases tourism.Explain how the improvements will promote tourism in Kittitas County and indicate specifically how the improvements will directly increase economic activity resulting from tourists. People can be attracted all communities in Kittitas County by any of the four different features: 1.Natural resources (lakes,forests,wildlife,recreation) 2.Cultural resources (history,cuisine,ethnic) 3.Human resources (performing arts,craftsmen,artisans) 4.Capital resources (transportation,hotels,visitor centers) The primary objective of a visitor information center is to do exactly what its name implies:provide information to visitors.When it comes to tourism,people will visit your community if it has activities that interest them,and that will keep them busy four times longer than it took to get them there.So the Visitor Center would be the place to provide that information and referral to do such a thing.This is referred to as the Four Times Rule. The Four Times Rule also determines whether or not your town can become an overnight destination. To lure overnight visitor to your primary attractions,your town meets to have at least eight hours of activities that will cater to the visitor.Your community must also have the other amenities that go with overnight stays as listed in #4 of the above resources. From the Tourism Plan: Would like more information on: Special events 33% Historical and cultural 24% Wildlife and environmental 28% Agriculture 20% Recreation 19% Of those survey respondents wanted more information below is the way they had information: Source of information -66%of survey respondents relied on previous personal knowledge,62%on family and friends,and 47%on internet websites for information about Kittitas County's attractions, services,and other particulars compared with the Upper Kittitas County Visitors Guide (21%),Central Washington Visitors Guide (16%),visitor or welcome centers (16%),private guidebooks and travel guides (14%),newspapers (14%),promotional materials like brochures and flyers (13%),Washington State tourist information (10%),or commercial advertisements (5%).