Lancaster residents think their city is a great place to visit, Jennifer Eddy said — remarkably so, according to her research.
Eddy is chief marketing strategist at Eddy Alexander, a consulting firm that is helping Lancaster develop its first “tourism master plan.” The yearlong grant-funded initiative is geared toward “maximizing the tourism economy and increasing the economic potential of the city,” according to the Welcome Lancaster website set up to promote it.
One of the first steps was a detailed online survey targeting city and county residents, conducted this spring. This week, Eddy made two presentations on the results. One United Lancaster attended the second, held Tuesday at The Ware Center.
Among other things, respondents were asked how likely they’d be, on a scale from 0 to 10, to recommend visiting Lancaster city to friends or family members. Answers in the middle range are considered neutral and factored out; subtracting the percentage of low-end respondents (detractors) from the high-end (promoters) then yields a destination’s “net promoter score.”
For all survey respondents, the net promoter score was 39.1. That’s “huge,” Eddy said. Looking at city respondents alone, the score rose even further, to an eye-popping 44.6.
“I’ve never before seen a number like this in my whole career,” Eddy said.
The survey took about 30 minutes to complete. Various means were used to publicize and promote it, including a mass mailing of postcards in English and Spanish. It was offered in those languages plus Arabic and Swahili.
In all 2,946 people completed it, Eddy said, all but 4% hailing from the county or the city itself. That’s a large enough number to draw statistically valid conclusions, she said.
While respondents were self-selected, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, she said: Canvassing people with no interest in or opinions on tourism wouldn’t be particularly helpful.
She did acknowledge one important shortcoming: The lack of diversity. Respondents were overwhelmingly white and overwhelmingly native English speakers, with Black and Latino communities clearly underrepresented.
An intensive effort is under way to remedy that, Eddy and city Neighborhood Engagement Director Milzy Carrasco said, incorporating community meetings, focus groups and outreach to community leaders.
Large majorities of respondents agreed the city and county are welcoming to visitors and new residents. While acknowledging there are downsides to tourism, such as traffic and the potential for gentrification, 90% of respondents said they consider tourism’s impact to be a net positive overall.
Lancaster’s top attractions, they said, are its history and heritage, its array of unique local retailers and the quality of its restaurants. It’s diverse and vibrant and offers a blend of the traditional and the modern. It’s not Amish, and its marketing should make that clear.
For more information
Visit WelcomeLancaster.com to learn more about the tourism master planning process and sign up for updates.
Asked how to take tourism “to the next level,” respondents suggested more festivals and other big events; expanding parking, including more options for free parking; and more promotion. They think the city’s plan to promote recreation along the Conestoga River has potential and they’re excited about the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy, scheduled to open next year at the corner of South Queen and Vine streets.
Half of the respondents said their jobs aren’t tied to tourism. “That’s just wrong,” Eddy said, but it’s not surprising: Tourism’s economic impact is far broader than most people realize.
Eddy’s audience peppered her with questions and comments. She agreed that better cooperation with Amtrak could make Lancaster’s train station more of a tourism asset, potentially allowing more visitors to arrive, get around and depart without needing a car.
Regarding the city’s nightlife, she said there are worries about the loss of nightclubs like the Chameleon Club, and about more venues limiting their hours, reducing late-night gathering options. Restaurants have been struggling since the pandemic, said John Meeder, who owns the Holiday Inn Lancaster and other downtown properties: With more people working from home, office vacancies are up and eateries can’t count on lunchtime crowds the way they used to.
Former city chief planner Paula Jackson asked about street homelessness. It has come up in just about every discussion group, Eddy said, but always with compassion. A member of the Lancaster Downtowners seniors’ organization said the city’s sidewalks are tough to navigate for people with mobility issues; that’s “on everyone’s radar,” Eddy said, and it’s an important factor for tourism, given how many visitors are 55 and up.
One United Lancaster asked what had been heard about Airbnbs and their neighborhood impact and whether the city has a sufficient inventory of hotel rooms. Her team is just starting to talk with hotels about occupancy, Eddy said; as for Airbnbs, that’s a national issue, and will certainly be explored further as the planning process continues.
Next steps
This week, Eddy Alexander launched its second Lancaster survey, targeting business owners. A third survey will canvass visitors and potential visitors. Additionally, an analysis of aggregated cell phone GPS data is planned: That will show where visitors originate, allowing the creation of a demographic and economic profile; and their visitation patterns, showing which city venues are heavily traveled and where underutilized opportunities might exist.
Meanwhile, the team will continue its local outreach, meeting with stakeholders, officials, community groups and so on. It plans to release a set of preliminary findings this fall, Eddy said. Toward the end of the year, City Council will receive the full report, which will be finalized following a comment period.
Eddy stressed that the plan is intended to reflect what the community itself wants. A particular location may be comfortable with a particular scale or style of tourism, even if it leaves money on the table, and that’s fine.
It’s based “on what you want to see happen,” she said. “… We really work with communities to make sure we’re guiding a path to where they want to go.”
