Well-planned tourist program
could assist county economy
By John Hart
OfthaEmanrid
Editor's Note: This is the first In a two-part series
on tourism in Lane County. Today's article looks
at possible positive and negative effects. The
second article will explore what is being done to
promote tourist attractions and what some of
those attractions are.
The idea of "destination point activities’ is to
provide travelers with satisfying entertainment to
occupy them while visiting this area
"The city is beautiful and friendly, and tour
ism is definitely a major part of our economic
recovery," Wooten says.
But she says she realises the area cannot
depend on tourism as the single antidote for its
Lane oounty
residents are in
financial trouble,
and "outsiders”
might be able to
alleviate that
trouble
Tourism can
stimulate econ
omic recovery in
Lane County and
generate addi
tional job oppor
tunities for area
residents,
according to its
local supporters.
But promotion
efforts can only
be effective
through com
munity aware
ness and sup
port, they add
Hampering the
ability for organ
izations to look to
tourism as the
much-needed
spurt to em
ployment is
chronic under
funding With
more funds
available to the
organizations
encouraging
tourism, the
county's job
market would
dramatically in
prove
Because tour
ism is a "clean
industry," the
Eugene-Spring
field Convention
and Visitors Bu
reau believes an
increase will
improve the
quality of life for
residents and as
well encourage
businesses look
ing to this area
for re-location or
expansion, says
r.onvention coor
Rodeo, roses and running are just a few tourist attractions in
this area.
economic ills.
Tourism can be
used, however,
as a means to in
troduce potential
business and in
dustrial firms to
Eugene’s busi
ness climate and
quality of life,
Wooten says
No major op
position to
promoting local
recreation and
business
opportunities
outside the im
mediate area has
surfaced. How
ever, many take a
cautious view of
tourism.
Tourism must
do more than pay
for itself, warns
Dean Runyan,
associate profes
sor in the Univer
sity's urban and
regional plan
ning department
Speaking as a
planner and not
an opponent of
current efforts,
Runyan says the
question is not
whether or not
tourism is good
or bad, but rather
“under what cir
cumstances is it
good.''
An increase in
tourism might in
cur unforeseen
costs to area
taxpayers if
adequate plan
ning is not im
plemented, he
says Public ser
vice costs he
projects include
additions to tran
sportation sys
tems, sanitation
systems, securitv
dinator Jamie Brothers
The immediate availability of people with
service-oriented skills makes tourism the most
viable approach to tackling the slumping job
market, says Dick Reynolds, executive director of
the Performing Arts Center
Eugene City Councilor Cynthia Wooten says
the ramifications of developing "destination point
activities" here will have a long range of effects
personnel, courts and roads.
The taxpayer could be spared these costs,
however, by passing them onto the tourist by
taxing tourist-oriented activities, Runyan says.
Last year alone, the visitor's bureau received
$76,000, representing 25 percent of a “room tax”
surcharge added to the price of local hotel bills.
Conservationists accept the idea of an influx
of visitors to the area, though guardedly.
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