Tourism action steps provide step-by step outlines of the various actions needed to achieve each development objective.  In all likelihood, a number of action steps will be required for each objective.  What are tourism action steps?

• Tourism action steps are very specific directions for accomplishing objectives.  They identify what should be done, how, by whom, and when.

• Tourism action steps represent the best judgment about what needs to be done.  These steps should be flexible enough to change if they do not serve the purpose for which they were intended.

Worksheet 20 is designed to help you establish your action steps.  Depending on the number of tourism development objectives, additional worksheets may be needed to identify all action steps.  Your tourism task force could review all the recommended action steps and prioritize them.  This will help you to address short-term steps necessary to launch into tourism action while keeping longer term concerns in mind. 

Who takes Action?

Your strategy will most certainly involve many factors.  For this reason, your action plan should be in writing, widely distributed, and discussed.  This action will help communications and build consensus for specific direction.

For the commercial sector to take action, the feasibility of profits must be present.  Yet, not all entrepreneurs require the same levels of profits.  Some, who make very large capital investments, may require quick return and amortization of expensive finance. 

Other investors may require a much lower return, being satisfied with many non-economic values from being in such a tourist business.  In any case, each business must view new tourism development from its own perspective of adequate return.  Certainly, the commercial sector is primarily responsible for tourism’s economic impact but this sector is highly dependent upon public and non-profit sectors for creating the attractions and managing the resources that bring tourists.

Non-profit organizations have their own social and cultural objectives for participating in tourism.  For example, organized camps (scouts, churches, 4-H) that might have been developed for social and personal enrichment may be important to tourism, and Historic societies often develop and restore structures for preservation purposes.  Their involvement in tourism may be motivated by the desire to generate revenues important to their ongoing efforts.  Many non-profit organizations recognize that community development and tourism programs are compatible and have similar objectives.