Accidental Tourists
Sturbridge visitors say expectations don't meet reality
Over the years, the Sturbridge area's economy has become more and more dependent upon tourism for its survival even as tourism in the state has been on the decline.
And that's not the town or the Sturbridge area's biggest problem. According to the results of a year-long $125,000, state-funded tourism market study commissioned by the Sturbridge Heritage & Preservation Partnership, the region isn't presenting itself to visitors particularly well. But the study's authors are planning to change that with a branding and marketing campaign set to launch this summer.
Where Are The Buggies?
Visitors are impressed with the Sturbridge area's natural beauty, but let down by the absence of amenities that would allow them to take advantage of those natural resources, according to the study. The survey also found that first-time visitors were also disappointed by the appearance of the town itself, Old Sturbridge Village and the lack of anything fun for kids to do after 5 p.m.
The authors of the study - Ninigret Partners, a Providence-based planning and economic development firm and RDW Group Inc., a marketing firm with an office in Worcester - presented their findings to a group of about 50 business owners, politicians, chamber of commerce officials and others recently at Old Sturbridge Village.
And they went straight for the heart.
"Old Sturbridge Village itself doesn't necessarily drive the rest of the area. More people at Old Sturbridge Village doesn't necessarily mean more people stopping in restaurants," said Kevin Hively, president of Ninigret. Part of the problem is that outside of Old Sturbridge Village and the natural scenery, Sturbridge is unappealing.
Visitors surveyed during the market study said they were under the impression that Old Sturbridge Village and the town of Sturbridge were one in the same. Those visitors "thought it was going to be like Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with Amish riding by in buggies, and that's not what goes on here," Hively said. "Visitors think they're stepping back into history, and when they get here, they get Mobil and Friendly's."
Besides, most visitors to Sturbridge come from within two hours of the area and are "surrounded by history" anyway.
Not all is lost, however. Visitors to the Sturbridge area raved about its natural beauty, lovely country roads and the fact that it's easy to find and get to. The study found that people camping in the area tend to bring their families, stay longer and spend more money than many others. However, more can be done - including providing canoe, kayak and bike rentals - to make the area even more of a draw.
Hively and James Pontarelli, president of the RDW Group, said local boosters, chambers of commerce and the SHPP should seize upon the area's natural beauty as a selling point. Pontarelli said he should have new logos, branding strategies, partnership opportunities and a new marketing campaign designed for the Sturbridge in the summer.
Also by summer, Pontarelli said he'd have plans for putting scenic driving routes and trip planning activities and agendas online and a plan for a Sturbridge-related public relations and advertising campaign. As an example, he noted the town of Plymouth, which adopted "Destination Plymouth" as its tagline.
The public money would cover the branding efforts, but not the advertising campaign itself.
Hively said Sturbridge and the surrounding towns should consider land use regulations that permit business growth but also protect natural resources and views. He said there is a happy medium between overly strict regulations and lax, traditional zoning regulations. For example, he said towns can remain beautiful but also allow for the development of chain restaurants and big-box stores.
Jim Donohue, president and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village said he was "struck by the data that as our visitation goes up over the year, activity does not go up at restaurants in the area."
He said the Sturbridge business community at large should take the museum's lead in turning itself around. All it takes, Donohue said, is "coordination, thoughtfulness and making sure our dollars are working hard."
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