Tourism Development
Link Actions to Improve Our Travel Destination A world-class airport, improved roads, a rapidly developing riverfront -- metro Detroit has come a long way in a short amount of time. But with more work needed, the DMCVB is heavily invested in improving metro Detroit as a visitor destination. Our main advocate in this mission is our subsidiary the Tourism Economic Development Council (TEDC). The TEDC recruits some of metro Detroit's brightest leaders to tackle issues that will help improve the destination. Following is a brief description of some of their landscape-changing projects in 2006: Tourism Hot Spots Hand-in-hand with metro Detroit's new brand is a new way of looking at tourism in the tri-county area. In 2006, the Tourism Economic Development Council (TEDC) worked with key tourism communities to develop Tourism Destination Districts (TDD). The Council organized five TDD committees that are busy creating distinct marketing plans and strategies that will promote each area's unique strengths and character. Because these efforts are coordinated by the TEDC, each of these strategies will fit under the larger umbrella of our regional brand theme.
Freeway Maintenance
Metro Detroit's gateway freeways were a major point of emphasis for clean-up and beautification efforts in the months leading up to Super Bowl XL. But what happens now that the Super Bowl has passed? In 2006, the TEDC formed a task force to study and benchmark the best practices to maintain key gateway freeways and recommend options to address any maintenance shortcomings. The report will be issued in 2007.
Mass Transit
One of metro Detroit's biggest hurdles in the race to attract more visitors is the lack of mass transit. The TEDC worked with transit planners and the hospitality community to advocate for improvements in regional mass transit. The Council also secured support from the Kellogg Foundation to recruit tourism and other business leaders for input to transit planning efforts and to ensure all those plans leverage the region's Tourism Destination Districts.
Improving metro Detroit's Image
Truth and CrimeThe Tourism Economic Development Council (TEDC) updated a study on crime that revealed some interesting facts about how safe metro Detroit is for visitors. That study found that crime in Detroit's central business district (CBD) was 37 percent below the national average. Other findings: The crime rate in the CBD had fallen in each of the past 5 years by 33 percent.The TEDC also created a speakers bureau to specifically carry this and other messages about Detroit's safe visitor experience directly to meeting planners. That bureau enlists top metro area law enforcement officials to speak to meeting planners and help dispel any misconceptions they may have about crime in metro Detroit.
Downtown revival: 4th Fridays with Ford
The TEDC, in partnership with Detroit 300 Conservancy and Campus Martius Park organized a series of summer events that included concerts, tours, film festivals, and dining discounts to showcase downtown Detroit's re-emergence as an entertainmentdistrict. These concerts featured nationally-renowned entertainers and drew more than 15,000 people to the heart of downtown.
TOUR: Detroit
The TEDC attacked the problem of local negative attitudes about Detroit by bus and foot in 2006. TOUR: Detroit's bus and walking tours showed more than 1,250 metro area residents and reporters the latest downtown Detroit redevelopment, historic architecture and residential neighborhoods.
Improving Customer Service
Nothing makes an impression like good customer service. In the tourism industry it is vital. That is why the DMCVB has worked so hard over the years to raise the level of hospitality in metro Detroit. In 2006, the Bureau took the area's premier customer service awards to another level. We opened the ROSE Awards up to all Detroit area residents and visitors. As a result the awards ceremony posted the highest attendance and nominations in its history.
The 2006 overall service award winner was Detroit Police Sergeant Elton Moore. Sgt. Moore received the award for his outstanding work with coordinating police efforts for the Detroit Tigers, Red Wings and Super Bowl XL.
The Tourism Economic Development Council's (TEDC) hospitality program has trained more than 1,000 front-line hospitality workers in customer service techniques practiced at top travel destinations since early 2005.Last year the TEDC took the show on the road. The Council teamed with Marygrove College and Michigan Works agencies to market the training program throughout metro Detroit and Washtenaw County.
Hospitality TrainingLegendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, "Character is who you are, reputation is merely what others think you are." Unfortunately for Detroit, visitors often decide on a destination based on reputation alone. It's the reason the DMCVB works so hard to improve the destination's image nationally. Here are some of the initiatives we rolled out in 2006 to make the perception of metro Detroit more closely match reality.
