Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism 7 th in the Heritage Tourism series

1. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism7th in the Heritage Tourism series Evaluation and Renewal are part of an ongoing cycle of development. We evaluate to ensure that what we have done has contributes to improving our community’s future. Presented by Dr. Eric Thompson, College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 402-472-3318, ethompson2@unl.edu

2. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism

3. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Why Evaluate? It is a critical in the life cycle of an initiative! Address shortcomings Building on strengths Incorporate lessons learned Into the next phase Consider whether the project has worked well enough to continue into the future

4. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Two Approaches to Evaluation: Formativeevaluation is a tool to use as you are planning. It can help to refine and “test-drive” approaches and products. Formative evaluation can assist you in knowing which approach among many options to take. Summative evaluation is used to discover whether you have accomplished what you set out to do. Summative evaluation looks at the effects of your work for the intended purpose. Summative also looks at the individuals who have been involved in your services or products and the impact or results on your visitors or users.

5. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Factors to be Considered Are you meeting your intended goals? Is your initiative functioning? Logic Models – are the underlying assumptions correct? Outcomes – Did the expected outcomes occur?

6. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Form An Evaluation Group An evaluation group or task force that reflects the diverse perspectives of the community, and a share commitment to evaluation Shared commitment to evaluation includes organizational development, schedule commitment, and agreement on goals and priority Start early – must identify the data that needs to be gathered so that it can be gathered along the way

7. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Methodology – Getting Started Consider who is interested in the evaluation Consider obtaining an outside expert to help with the evaluation, perhaps from State extension or the broader university system Develop a plan for cross-checking results

8. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Benchmarking Did the Initiative achieve what was planned? Were the events of high quality – comparison with other events considered to be of high quality

9. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Economic Impact Study A variety of potential metrics – visitors, sales, employment Choice of comparison communities is key – how much did heritage activity change relative to comparison community? A formal economic impact model – with calculated multipliers – may be necessary in cases where there is a key external patron of the project

10. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism • Economic Impact Study • Economic Impact Worksheets and Example Surveys are provided • Examples also provided: • The Effect of a Smoke-Free Ordinance on Easting and Drinking Places in Lincoln, Nebraska. McGarvey, Thompson, Dority and Sainath. A Bureau of Business Research Report, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 2006. • Big Box Stores: Their Impacts on the Economy and Tips for Competing. Golden, Jeutang, Pattaik, Rosenbaum and Thompson. A Bureau of Business Research Report, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 2006

11. Economic Impact Worksheet

12. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism • When the initiative fell short, test the assumptions of the Logic Model • Were the underlying assumptions correct? • Two sources: • W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Logic Model Development Guide. 2004. • University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension's Program Development and Evaluation unit has materials, especially the guidebook: Developing a Logic Model: Teaching and Training Guide (2008).

13. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Renewal “Products, brands and tourism sites and programs go through different life cycles or stages” “Consider it as a part of your communications, marketing and planning” “It is important that each site make an honest assessment of their place in the brand life cycle and decide what can improve their marketing presence in the tourism field. Heritage sites may not literally die, like a brand or products, but they can become economic liabilities” quotes from Francis Boggus, Community Planning & Development, Des Moines, Iowa

14. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism Life Cycle Development Introduction Growth Maturity Decline and Renewal

15. Evaluating and Renewing Heritage Tourism • Strategies for Renewal • For existing sites • Maintain the attraction with hope that interest will recover, but scale down cost • Harvest the brand and cost with an internet presence only • Discontinue the heritage site and close it • Renew the attraction appeal to tourists • Develop additional sites or events as part of heritage initiative

16. Check out our networking & planning resources! Heritage Tourism Initiative Website of planning resources http://museum.msu.edu/heritagetourism • let us know what you think • identify & share resources

17. Comments & Questions Thank you! Contact Eric Thompson Department of Economics and Bureau of Business Research College of Business Administration University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, Nebraska 402-472-3318 ethompson2@unl.edu