How the Long-Range Tourism Management Plan Was Created

The Dare County Tourism Board, the public authority established by state legislation to direct marketing and promotion for Dare County’s Outer Banks, concluded that a Long-Range Tourism Management Plan was needed to steer tourism growth responsibly, strengthen the benefits for the local community, and reduce negative effects. In the Spring of 2022, the Tourism Board requested proposals from qualified research and consulting organizations. Through that process, MMGY NextFactor, an industry-leading consulting firm focused on travel and tourism, was chosen as the lead agency to support the plan’s development, with project partner Tourism Economics contributing forecasting and scenario modeling expertise.

Working with MMGY NextFactor and Tourism Economics, a 19-member Task Force was assembled to offer strategic guidance during the planning process, alongside a project team from the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. Following a detailed 18-month effort, the LRTMP was completed and shared with the community during a public meeting on May 24, 2023 at the Ramada Plaza Oceanfront in Kill Devil Hills, NC.

Outer Banks Values and Vision

Across the LRTMP planning effort, the Task Force helped explore the defining values and distinguishing qualities of the Outer Banks, while also shaping a shared vision meant to look forward with inspiration and ambition.

Values

The Outer Banks is a coastal community with deep historical significance, grounded in tradition, influenced by an ever-changing natural environment, and known for meaningful experiences for both residents and visitors.

10-Year Vision

By 2033, the Outer Banks is envisioned as a collection of idyllic island communities where residents and visitors live well together because of intentional work to sustain and balance quality of life with quality of place.

Phases of a Destination Management Plan

1. Project Planning & Management
   Establish the project plan, management methods, and stakeholder engagement approach.

2. Destination Assessment
   Use data to evaluate the destination and identify its strengths and weaknesses.

3. Stakeholder Engagement
   Actively involve key stakeholders and community leaders so the plan is developed collaboratively and supported broadly.

4. Situational Analysis
   Provide a summary of the current local tourism ecosystem.

5. Visioning Workshop
   Shape a future vision for the visitor economy and determine the most important issues and opportunities.

6. Tourism Management Plan Development
   Confirm recommendations and the master plan phase.

7. Implementation Plan Development
   Create a full implementation plan.

LRTMP FAQs

What is a Tourism Management Plan?

Historically, the tourism industry has viewed its work through one primary tactic: marketing. It has also measured success largely through one metric: volume. Few industries have organizations responsible for stewardship that devote far more effort and resources to marketing a product than to developing and managing it. In response, many of the world’s most progressive tourism organizations have been moving from destination marketing toward destination management. That change shifts the focus from promoting communities to engaging with and caring for them, helping create destinations that are more livable, lovable and sustainable.

Under this newer model, tourism’s effects cannot be evaluated only by economic measures. Success also has to be considered in relation to destination well-being, including nature, human health, and community identity. The work calls for careful attention to how visitor experience quality can be balanced with residents’ quality of life; which visitors bring the greatest financial value to local communities while creating the best social and environmental outcomes; and how the tourism industry can grow responsibly for the benefit of everyone in the community.

The visitor economy’s long-term success, including the expansion of both direct and indirect benefits for the local economy, relies on collaboration among the public, private and civic sectors to protect the destination’s long-term viability. Alignment among government, industry and civic organizations is essential. It depends on local leaders jointly developing a shared future vision that can support visitor growth while continuing to improve the destination as a healthy, active and productive place for residents to live, work and play.

A tourism management plan gives a community a strategic way to define its competitive position as a destination. These plans are an important step in recognizing and prioritizing opportunities to improve the visitor and resident experience, helping position the community as an appealing place to live, work and visit while spreading the visitor economy’s benefits throughout the community.

Why is a Tourism Management Plan needed?

For many decades, tourism has been the Outer Banks’ primary economic driver. Even after many natural and manmade challenges over the years, tourism has remained highly resilient and productive for the community. Today, tourism represents a $1.97 billion industry for Dare County.

That success also brings challenges, because millions of visitors come each year to a small community with 37,000 year-round residents. The pressure has increased further because of the unprecedented boom in visitation during the COVID pandemic.

Tourism supports residents’ quality of life through jobs, tax revenue, recreation and entertainment options, and infrastructure funding. Those advantages are vital to the community, but the negative effects are also substantial.

The Dare County Tourism Board aims to create a long-term tourism management plan that supports responsible growth over time, maximizes benefits for the local community, and minimizes and manages negative impacts.

What are the intended results of creating this plan?

• Establish a clearly defined long-term vision for Dare County’s visitor economy, supported by the community and stakeholders, with shared agreement on what success should mean.
• Identify ways to create and/or improve visitor experiences that align with visitor expectations while staying authentic to the destination brand.
• Recognize areas that need management so proactive mitigation planning can occur.
• Prioritize realistic, achievable actions that support the long-term vision.
• Strengthen alignment among the visitor economy, economic development, and community well-being through a collaborative process.
• Determine the tools needed to guide tourism impact management related to the environment, transportation, infrastructure, local culture and heritage, and the economy.

Was the Outer Banks community involved in the creation of this plan?

In partnership with the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, MMGY NextFactor created an online survey to understand Dare County residents’ views on key characteristics connected to livability, culture, economy and sense of place on the Outer Banks. More than 4,500 residents and non-resident property owners completed the survey between October 24 and November 28, 2022.

MMGY NextFactor also led two resident town hall visioning sessions in January 2023: one at the Fessenden Center Activity Room in Buxton, NC, and one at the Ramada Plaza Oceanfront in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Approximately 200 residents attended, along with local media. The sessions gave residents and non-resident property owners a chance to describe their vision for the future of tourism on the Outer Banks, using solution-focused exercises and group discussion.

The data-gathering process also included a comprehensive stakeholder survey, in-depth one-on-one interviews, and multiple focus groups with local community members. The LRTMP report was developed and presented publicly on May 24, 2023.

How is the LRTMP work funded?

The LRTMP’s creation, along with current and future plan implementation, is paid for through the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau’s annual operating budget. The Bureau receives all of its funding from a 1% Prepared Meals tax collected by Dare County restaurants and a 1% Occupancy Tax collected by Dare County lodging businesses throughout the year.