The Savannah Tourism Futures Study, which was unveiled recently at a meeting at the International Trade and Convention Center, considered Savannah’s relationship to 12 tourism trends.
As noted in coverage by business reporter Julia Ritchey, the report was produced by Ernst & Young and MMGY Global for Visit Savannah, the destination marketing arm of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.
The study said Savannah should prioritize five of those 12 trends as we think about the tourists of the future.
Let’s take a look at those five areas.
The appeal of authenticity, food and technology
According to the study, tourists are increasingly seeking “engaging and authentic trips.”
The concept of authenticity in tourism has been studied extensively by academics, who don’t even agree on the meaning of the word.
I last wrote about authenticity in columns regarding black history in Savannah. Do “average” tourists really want to hear about slavery in the South, or are they happy to experience a metaphorical whitewashing of history?
Do tourists really want to immerse themselves in the local culture, or are they content to go to places that have been manufactured specifically for them — sites that are “touristy”?
The study noted that Savannah already has a “moderate” alignment with the trend toward authenticity and engagement. We have the “largest Historic District in the U.S.” and can boast “authenticity in landmarks, culture and arts.”
At the same time, many locals would not use the word “authentic” to describe some of our major tourist destinations. Many of us direct visitors off the most beaten paths of tourists.
The study also suggested that, moving forward, culinary tourism should be a top priority.
The report’s recommendations included enhancing the Savannah Food and Wine Festival and farmers’ markets. I’ll add that better public policy is crucial to furthering culinary tourism.
The city of Savannah needs to streamline restaurant permitting and to embrace newer concepts, especially food trucks. At the state level, elected officials need to build on the very modest gains of the “Georgia Beer Jobs Bill” and reconsider other regulatory burdens.
I don’t know whether Savannah will ever match Charleston as a destination for foodies, but prospects are brighter all the time.
“Increasing integration of technology and services” was also identified as a priority in the tourism futures study.
The recent presentation specifically mentioned the demand for digital visitors’ guides and mobile coupons. The study noted that we lag in important areas, including public wi-fi, navigation and history education.
The report suggested only a moderate level of effort would be required to address these deficits, but I’m afraid that appropriate steps would require a level of public/private coordination that we aren’t capable of right now. Still, worthy goals.
On landmarks and purpose
Two other top priorities were identified: “leveraging influential landmarks” and “traveling with a purpose.” In my mind, those two areas are closely related.
I have always thought Savannah’s most appealing qualities for residents are also appealing qualities for tourists. I’m thinking especially about beauty, history, tradition and authenticity.
The Oglethorpe Plan itself epitomizes these qualities, but so do many individual sites in the Historic District, including the Owens-Thomas House, Green-Meldrim House, Beach Institute, Telfair Academy and lots more.
Sites outside the Landmark Historic District — like Bonaventure Cemetery and Fort Pulaski — also fit into these categories.
Our signature events also align to some degree with those categories. Our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations feel entirely authentic, even as the add-on festival days do not.
The Savannah Music Festival may bring contemporary, even cutting-edge, artists from all over the world, but the music explores traditional genres, including those with roots in the South, and the performances take place in historic venues.
Savannah vs. Charleston, redux
The tourism study suggested that we could do a better job of clarifying “ideas and imagery associated with the destination (particularly versus Charleston).”
Savannah is greener than Charleston, with more expansive and welcoming public spaces. Those qualities are obvious in Visit Savannah’s excellent social media accounts. (Visit Savannah has more than 156,000 fans on Facebook and more than 16,000 followers on Instagram.)
We have some other advantages over Charleston too. Savannah is more fun than Charleston, less fussy. We have a younger, edgier, more DIY spirit too. We have plenty of tradition, but Savannah is a place of innovation too and always has been.
City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.