what are the evolution of tourism planning

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Tourism Planning and Policy: Historical development and contemporary challenges (Chapter 2)

2011, Stories of Practice: Tourism Planning and Policy

Analyses of contemporary tourism planning and policymaking practice at local to global scales is lacking and there is an urgent need for research that informs theory and practice. Illustrated with a set of cohesive, theoretically-informed, international case studies constructed through storytelling, this volume expands readers' knowledge about how tourism planning and policymaking takes place. Challenging traditional notions of tourism planning and policy processes, this book also provides critical insights into how theoretical concepts and frameworks are applied in tourism planning and policy making practice at different spatial scales. The book engages readers in the intellectual, political, moral and ethical issues that often surround tourism policymaking and planning, highlighting the great value of reflective learning grounded in the social sciences and revealing the complexity of tourism planning and policy.

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Graham Miller , Nancy Stevenson

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Brent Lovelock

Annals of Tourism Research

Graham Miller

Valentina Benigno

Ivana Volic

My research is set within the notions of power relations, representation and local tourism planning. A starting reference point would be an extreme critique of tourism as an activity that has a tendency to privilege some groups whilst excluding others and to tell stories in particularistic ways. In this manner, tourism is also considered as an ideological framing that has the power to reshape culture and nature to its own needs. I deliberately chose these critiques in order to lay the groundwork for observing relations between different social agents in the tourism public field and the result of their interaction in the tourism policy creation. Mostly, tourism is seen through pro-economic development approach to local tourism policy, focusing merely on the marketing and promotion of tourism. It happens that the resultant tourism policy directions in tourism are aligned with the interests of ‘big players’, namely city governments and major service providers. In order to illustrate the process of policy creation I would introduce the term ‘functionalism’ that emanates from architecture and urban planning and relates to the creation of the material acts of individuals. That means that notions of ‘spatial practice’ and ‘space’ need to be objectified in the spatial structures, produced by specialists of space (architects, urban planners, geographers, urban sociologists) and represented in spatial constructs. Through their mechanisms of exclusion they formulate the dominant ways of representing and exercising power over space. If we make a parallel with tourism planning and policy creation, ‘objectification’ could be reflected in creation of narratives that should serve the tourism industry. This is done by ‘specialists of tourism’, who are mainly appointed by the government authorities. Assigned to plan tourism as a commercial activity, they are faced with the task to unify different activities, identities and actors from different fields in order to create tourism product. By exercising this task, they are creating narratives and discursive practices that could, by perpetual reproduction, become regimes of power and knowledge that operate to filter, prioritize and promote particular local tourism policy actions and initiatives. In order to illustrate the different discursive practices in the local tourism policy creation, I would use the city of Novi Sad (Serbia) case study. I would aim to explain the notion of representation in and through tourism. The first type of representation refers to involvement of various social agents in decision-making and distribution of resources that are either invested or received from tourism activities. The latter type refers to engagement in the meaning-making processes that result in destination branding. Exclusion or inclusion in these two types of representation have different impacts: in the first case – distribution of wealth; in the second – shaping of cultural representations. By analyzing the research results I will try to shed some light on how the ‘functionalism approach’ excludes a variety of possible tourism stakeholders, while popularizing big players and dominant power holders, and legitimizing the existing power relations in the tourism field. Keywords: tourism planning and policy, tourism representation, power relations, diversity

David Airey

Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events

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Tourism Management Perspectives

Marion Joppe

This is an opinion piece about research into tourism policy and governance to date and where future research should be undertaken. There is much greater need for policy relevant research that is clear about common definitions of terminology, adopts more consistent methodologies in data collection, challenges the dominant pro-growth rhetoric, and is written in a style accessible to policymakers. Researchers have long argued for a more meaningful role for host communities, but in a time of rapidly increasing tourism and the threat of overtourism in many destination “hot spots”, it is no longer an option to stifle their voices. Decisions related to goal-determination and the selection of methods to achieve the goal are referred to as policies. Although the term generally refers to a decision or action, it actually can also be a negative decision or even a non-action/non-decision. Policies are established in any kind of organization, but when we refer to “tourism policy”, we usually mean some form of “public policy” which relates specifically to government decisions at any level from local to international. Governance, on the other hand, is how organizations deal with reaching these decisions. So, while governance is a fairly straightforward concept, albeit with many challenges, tourism policy is not, largely because the term “policy” is very fuzzy and tourism is a social construct that refers to a specific behavior: that of traveling to and staying in places outside one's usual environment. This behavior is controlled by policies, legislation and regulations written for many other purposes, such as controlling or facilitating the flow of capital and investments, the transportation of passengers and goods, worker rights, safety and security, or environmental protection. And that's where the trouble starts, because really, the appropriate development of tourism is highly dependent on decision-makers who have little regard for or knowledge of, tourism.

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This chapter discusses tourism education for sustainability with a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities associated with preparing students to work within complex tourism governance settings. It takes the position that the development of tourism within a sustainability framework requires that tourism professionals effectively engage in dynamic social discourses where difficult trade-offs are made between competing demands. The challenge for tourism education is therefore to prepare graduates to work in these complex, value-laden, socio-political environments where they can proactively and positively contribute to developing forms of tourism that progress the objectives of sustainable development. This chapter explores this challenge in terms of a philosophic tourism practitioner education, and in doing so, discusses three key dimensions of this education: historical antecedents and contemporary knowledge and understandings of governance; competencies for tourism governance for sustainability; and ethical action-oriented practice.

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Why tourism planning is important

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

Tourism planning should be an integral part of any destination’s tourism development plan in order to achieve the best results and satisfy all stakeholders. Tourism planning is key to maintaining sustainable tourism and whilst some destinations do this very well, others (often developing countries), fail the recognise the importance of effective tourism development planning.

In this post I will explain why tourism planning is so important and recommend some literature for further reading on this topic. This information on tourism planning should be helpful to a number of tourism stakeholders, including business entrepreneurs, Government bodies and tourism workers. It is also useful for those studying travel and tourism as well as those who have a general interest in the subject. For an introduction to the concept of tourism policy and planning visit this post- ‘ The different levels of tourism policy and planning ‘. 

Wait! Before you read on, take a look at the short video that I created all about the importance of tourism planning! 

What is tourism planning?

Tourism development refers to the growth and maintenance of the tourism industry in a given locality. And, of course, tourism planning is a very important part of this.

On a basic level, tourism development can be defined as creating strategies and plans to increase/develop/encourage tourism for a destination. The fundamental reason behind planning and implementing strategies for developing the tourism sector is primarily to make money and to subsequently increase the GDP of a country/area.

You might also be interested in my post- ‘ What is tourism? A definition of tourism ‘ 

Tourism development consists of many elements including, but not limited to: developing and managing private-public partnerships, assessing the competitors to gain competitive advantage, ensuring responsible and sustainable development, viewing tourism as an interconnected system and a demand-driven sector, assessing private sector investment and international cooperation, tourism clustering and involvement by the Government.

According to Williams cited in Mason (2003);  

‘The aim of modern planning is to seek optimal solutions to perceived problems and that it is designed to increase and, hopefully maximise development benefits, which will produce predictable outcomes’.

And Getz (1987) cited in Pearce (1989) defines tourism planning as;

“A process, based on research and evaluation, which seeks to optimise the potential contribution of tourism to human welfare and environmental quality”

Tourism development planning should be an integral part of any destination’s tourism plan in order to achieve the best results and satisfy all stakeholders. Tourism development planning is key to maintaining sustainable tourism and whilst some destinations do this very well, others (often developing countries), fail the recognise the importance of effective tourism development planning.

What is tourism development planning?

Tourism development refers to the growth and maintenance of the tourism industry in a given locality. And, of course, planning is a very important part of this.

Basic stages in tourism development planning

Tourism development planning is no simple task and there are many variables to consider. There are also different levels of tourism planning and policy . Fortunately , destinations can learn lessons from other areas which have been successful or otherwise. Take for example, over dependence on tourism in Egypt as I explain in this post- Why Unpaid Business is Better than No Business: The Case of the Egyptian Boatman. It is also worthwhile to look at the tourism policies of similar destinations. Some strong examples include Jamaica and Cape Town .

On a basic level, the main stages in tourism development planning include: the analysis of previous tourist development; evaluation of the position of tourism in the area including competition; formulation of relevant tourism policy by Government; the defining of a development strategy and the formation of a programme of action.

The benefits of tourism development

Tourism development planning enables a range of benefits to all stakeholders involved, for example:

• It increases income and jobs from tourist spending
• It helps preserve cultural and natural heritage for tourists
• It increases understanding of other cultures
• It builds new facilities such as sewage for whole communities or new roads

The costs of tourism development

There are also some costs which must be considered and planned for, which include:

• Costs of implementing tourist facilities can be costly
• The environment can be destructed to make room for hotels etc. to be built
• Social standards may be undermined e.g. topless women in Dubai
• The natural environment may be polluted

Formulating an approach to tourism policy and planning

There are six ‘golden rules’ that should be applied when formulating an approach to tourism policy and planning, as outlined by Inskeep (1991).

• Goal oriented

Clear recognition of tourism’s role in achieving broad national and community goals

• Integrative

Incorporating tourism policy and planning into the mainstream of planning for the economy, land use and infrastructure, conservation and environment

• Market driven

Planning for tourism development that trades successfully in a competitive global marketplace

• Resource driven

Developing tourism which build on the destination’s inherent strengths whilst protecting and enhancing the attributes and experiences of current tourism assets

• Consultative

Incorporating the wider community attitudes, needs and wants to determine what is acceptable to the population

Drawing on primary or secondary research to provide conceptual or predictive support for planners including the experiences of other tourism destinations

Why tourism development planning is important

Tourism development planning really can make or break a destination. If done well, it can ensure the longevity of the tourism industry in the area, take good care of the environment, have positive economic outcomes and a positive benefit to the community.

If done badly , tourism development can destroy the very environment or culture that it relies on. It can disrupt local economies, cause inflation and negative effects to local people and businesses. Unfortunately, developing countries tend to suffer the most from negative impacts such as these, largely as a result of limited education and experience in contrast with Western nations. For more on this topic, you can read this post.

If you wish to cite any of the content in the post please use reference ‘Stainton, Hayley. (2018) Lifeasabutterfly .’

§§cs§§

For more on what constitutes tourism planning I recommend that you refer to the texts Tourism Policy and Planning: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow by Edgell and Swanson and Tourism Planning and Destination Marketing by Camilleri .

Tourism development planning is no simple task and there are many variables to consider. There are also different levels of tourism planning and policy. Fortunately, destinations can learn lessons from other areas which have been successful or otherwise. Take for example, over dependence on tourism in Egypt as I explain in this post- Why Unpaid Business is Better than No Business: The Case of the Egyptian Boatman. It is also worthwhile to look at the tourism policies of similar destinations. Some strong examples include Jamaica and Cape Town .

You might also be interested in my post- ‘ Best Universities In The UK To Study Travel and Tourism ‘

There are six ‘golden rules’ that should be applied when formulating an approach to tourism planning and policy, as outlined by Inskeep (1991).

You might also be interested in my post- ‘ What is ‘begpacking’ and why is it so bad ?’

Tourism planning really can make or break a destination. If done well, it can ensure the longevity of the tourism industry in the area, take good care of the environment, have positive economic outcomes and a positive benefit to the community.

If done badly, tourism development can destroy the very environment or culture that it relies on. It can disrupt local economies, cause inflation and negative effects to local people and businesses. Unfortunately, developing countries tend to suffer the most from negative impacts such as these, largely as a result of limited education and experience in contrast with Western nations.

For more on this topic, I recommend the following texts:

Tourism Policy and Planning: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Tourism Planning and Destination Marketing

Leisure, Sport and Tourism, Politics, Policy and Planning

Tourism Planning: Policies, Processes and Relationships

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Tourism planning: importance, benefits, types & levels.

Planning is to prepare a Road Map to achieve goals.

Faludi, in 1973, defined tourism planning as "Planning is a very important part of the process by which governments manage tourism at the national, local and organizational levels".

What is Tourism Planning?

The upkeep and expansion of the tourism sector in a particular area is referred to as tourism planning. Planning for tourism is, of course, a crucial component.

Creating strategies and plans to increase, develop, and stimulate tourism for/in a destination may be summed up as tourism planning. The primary motivation behind establishing and implementing strategies for the tourist industry is to generate money, which will eventually raise the GDP of a nation or region.

What is the need for Tourism Planning?

For the expansion of the sector important to plan tourism activities for the following reasons:

• It is necessary to plan tourism activities on different levels and in various manners to promote tourism and boost the economy.
• To provide quality to both tourists and residents.
• It involves making major decisions which cannot be taken spontaneously.

What are the components of Tourism Planning

• Exploration phase/ Preparatory
• Planning phase/Feasibility/
• Zoning phase/Formal planning
• Design and implementation phase
• Operational phase

Most nations that have successfully planned their tourism can be found online and are regarded as incredible holiday destinations. People go to these nations hoping their travel vlogs will increase their subscriber count on YouTube. That is an indication of success in the modern day.

Benefits of Tourism Planning

Tourism destination planning should be a vital component of every destination's tourism development plan to get the best outcomes and please all stakeholders. While some places do a great job of maintaining sustainable tourism, others (typically developing countries) need to recognize the significance of comprehensive tourism development planning.

Tourism planning can benefit various parties involved from the industry in the following ways:

• It boosts revenue and employment thanks to tourist spending.
• It safeguards cultural and natural assets so that visitors can enjoy them.
• It broadens the comprehension of cultural diversity
• It constructs new infrastructure, such as sewage systems, roads, etc., for the community.

Impacts of Tourism Planning

The impacts of tourism destination planning can be sorted into seven general categories:

• Environmental
• Social and cultural
• Crowding and congestion
• Community attitude

According to Inskeep, six "golden standards" should be followed when creating a strategy for tourist planning and policy (1991).

1. Goal Oriented: Tourism Planning should be oriented to achieve broad national and community goals.

2. Integrative: Integrating tourist policy and planning into the economy, land use and infrastructure, conservation, and environmental planning.

3. Market Driven: Planning for successful tourism growth in a cutthroat international market.

4. Resource Driven: Developing tourism that capitalizes on the location's inherent advantages while preserving and improving the features and experiences of existing tourism resources.

5. Consultative: Considering broader community attitudes, needs, and desires to determine what the population will accept.

6. Systematic: utilizing primary or secondary information to support planners conceptually or predictably, incorporating knowledge from other tourist locations

Levels of Tourism Planning

Planning and policy for the tourism industry occur at several levels. This can be done in a top-down approach, with international or national bodies, or a bottom-up approach from a local level.

1. International Tourism Planning: Tourism planning at the international level typically involves international transportation services, the movement and scheduling of tourist tours between different countries, the development of significant tourist attractions and facilities in neighboring countries, as well as the working strategies and promotional programs of many nations.

2. National Tourism Planning: Tourism policy, infrastructural facilities, and a physical structure plan, which includes significant tourist attractions, chosen tourism development regions, international entrance points, facilities, and services, are all addressed at the national level of tourism planning. Additionally, it is concerned with the quantity, types, and quality of lodging and other essential tourist facilities and services; the country's major travel routes and their regional connections; tourism organization

rights, laws, and investment policies; marketing and promotion strategies for the industry; education and training initiatives; and environmental, economic, and sociocultural analysis.

3. Regional Tourism Planning: Regional planning considers factors such as regional policy, regional entrance points, transportation facilities, and services; the types and locations of tourism attractions; the quantity, varieties, and places of lodging and other tourist facilities and services; and the sites of tourist development regions, such as resort areas.

They will also oversee sociocultural, environmental, economic, and impact analyses, regional education and training programmes, marketing strategies, investment policies, organizational structures, legal frameworks, and implementation strategies, including project plans and zoning ordinances.

4. Local Tourism Planning: Participants at the local level will think about the analyses, outputs, outcomes, and assessment of tourism planning at the ground level.

Types of Tourism Planning

Before creating a comprehensive plan to market the destination, the following types of tourism planning are taken into account:

Spatial Tourism Planning: Spatial tourism planning attempts to thoroughly process social, environmental, and economic change to bring about certain ends. Drawing plans, maps or diagrams are put together to decide where socio-spatial activities can occur.

Sectoral Tourism Planning: In this kind of planning, the regions are divided into sections, and each section is called a sector. It concentrates on a manageable area and takes into account the specific infrastructure, land use, transportation, and environmental requirements of that region. Depending on the nature of the products or services provided, economic, social, and administrative activities are grouped into sectors.

Complex Tourism Planning: When various regions are considered for the purpose of tourism planning, it is known as complex tourism planning. These regions are to be developed comprehensively because of the significant interest shown by international tourists. There is a possibility that these regions are located far away from one another.

Integrated Tourism Planning: Integrated tourism refers to making tourism the primary industry in a given area by systematically and comprehensively promoting all available economic, social, and tourism resources.

Sustainable Tourism Planning: Sustainable tourism planning involves striking the correct balance between the requirements of people and the environment. It entails stating the community's mission, vision, and unique selling point or identity in clear terms. With the help of this type of destination planning in our local communities, we are better equipped to plan for the long term, and respond to changing target markets, trends, and emergencies like the Covid-19 outbreak. Additionally, it guarantees that resources are allocated properly while ethically and sustainably establishing local communities. This method of tourism planning benefits people and places in positive ways on all fronts—socially, economically, culturally, and environmentally—puts sustainability at its core.

Centralized Tourism Planning: Centralized tourism planning is done by a single authority, usually the state or central government.

Decentralized Tourism Planning: Organizations are interested in developing tourist spots and planning the various activities visitors can enjoy. (Joint Venture).

They take assistance from government. Suggested Read:  Sustainable Tourism

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. why is tourism planning important.

A1. Destination development plans should include tourism planning since it promotes a destination's long-term viability and encourages cooperation among important stakeholders..

Q2. What are the features of tourism planning?

A2. Three general principles of planning for tourism can be specified as anticipation, regulation and monitoring.

Q3. What are the barriers to tourism planning?

A3. A3. According to earlier research conducted in several nations, a common pattern of issues has emerged. For instance, financial constraints, a lack of knowledge, an insufficient amount of time, and other issues have prevented local governments from incorporating tourism into their development plans.

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• Solar Eclipse 2024

The Eclipse Could Bring $1.5 Billion Into States on the Path of Totality

T he total solar eclipse passing through parts of the U.S. on April 8 stands to have a major economic impact on cities across the country as stargazers flock to the path of totality. 

Factors including the date of the eclipse and the number of states in the path of totality means that millions of people will have the opportunity to view the event— and that the cities hosting them could see a combined $1.5 billion injected into their states’ economies.

“That number will include lodging costs for visitors coming from out of state or far away parts of their own state, as well as gas costs and food costs,” says Bulent Temel, assistant professor of practice in economics at the University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, who performed the calculations to arrive at the $1.5 billion figure.

One to four million people are expected to travel for the eclipse, according to Great American Eclipse , an informational site that tracks solar eclipses around the world. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates the days leading up to the eclipse will be some of the busiest travel days of the season, with 50,670 flights on Thursday, April 4 and 48,904 flights on Friday, April 5. That means the spending will be spread out: “[The eclipse] is on a Monday, so you might have folks coming Friday, Saturday, Sunday, spending a few days somewhere ahead of the event,” says John Downen, Director of Impact Analysis at Camoin Associates.

Read More : How Cities Around the U.S. Are Celebrating the Eclipse

Many regions along the path of totality have spent months—if not years—preparing for the upcoming surge of visitors and money. Rochester, NY, is expecting 300,000 to 500,000 visitors across the nine - county Greater Rochester region. Local businesses have a slate of specials and planned events the weekend leading up to the event—including eclipse themed beers from local breweries and a three-day pass from the Rochester Museum and Science Center for visitors to attend a range of talks and performances. 

The area’s tourism board says that some hotels have reported demand skyrocketing an average of 1200% for the four-day span leading up to April 8— unusual demand for a Monday in the region’s off-peak season. 

It’s an economic boost that no amount of planning— or marketing—can replicate. “It’s a really great tourism opportunity,” says Shannon Ealy, Director of Communications and Marketing for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. “You can spend millions of dollars on media buys to get our regional brand out there, but you can't exactly buy the sun and the moon crossing over us.” 

Read More: See the 2024 Solar Eclipse’s Path of Totality

But unfortunate weather could still put a damper on things, especially for businesses that might be stocking up for an influx of visitors, since many eclipse chasers decide where to view the eclipse based on weather that can’t be predicted until the event draws closer. “Even a simple factor like a cloudy day could just compromise all these expectations quite a bit,” Temel says. 

The real task for local business and tourism boards lies in converting one-time visitors into ones that return—without the promise of a solar eclipse. “Every single one of those visitors is a potential future visitor to the same area as well,” says Temel. “In the long run, the economic impact would be magnified quite significantly. 

Adds Downen: “It definitely presents an opportunity, especially in smaller communities, to showcase themselves and hopefully capture some future repeat visitors.”  

Read More : Where to Find Solar Eclipse Glasses—And Spot Fake Ones

Lebanon, Indiana, for example, is expecting its population to triple during the weekend before the eclipse. Joe Lepage, the city’s communication and community development director, says he hopes that the eclipse will change the way both locals and out-of-towners talk about Lebanon. 

“We have a large business park, great hospitals, establishments where people can work, but actually staying and living in Lebanon has been difficult to sell.” he says. "It'll give people that are going back home a chance to visit and realize, ‘Hey, that little town is nice.’ But then our locals can see all the things they have in their backyard and realize, ‘Hey, my community is pretty special too.’”

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Write to Simmone Shah at [email protected]

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Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro Attend Erie’s Total Solar Eclipse Viewing, Emphasize Importance of Tourism to Pennsylvania’s Economy

• April 8, 2024

Erie County estimates as many as 200,000 tourists poured into Northwestern Pennsylvania to glimpse today’s total solar eclipse, injecting up to $50 million in the local economy.

Tourism is one of the largest and most important industries in Pennsylvania – generating over $76 billion a year and supporting more than 486,000 jobs – and Governor Shapiro proposed an $18 million increase in his 2024-25 budget to boost tourism and business marketing efforts.

Erie, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro joined NASA Astronaut and Pittsburgh-native Woody Hoburg, Lake Erie Speedway, VisitErie, Erie Downtown Partnership, the Erie Seawolves, and hundreds of thousands of eclipse-watchers from across Pennsylvania and neighboring states to watch the 2024 total solar eclipse. Erie was the only major city in Pennsylvania in the path of totality, with Pennsylvania expected to see up to 200,000 visitors on eclipse day with the majority headed to the northwest corner of the Commonwealth.

While in Erie watching the eclipse, Governor Shapiro emphasized his commitment to boosting Pennsylvania’s tourism industry and business marketing efforts across the Commonwealth with a proposed $18 million increase in the 2024-25 budget .

Visit Erie , the tourist promotion agency for Erie County, anticipates as many as 200,000 visitors traveled to the county, which was the best location in the Commonwealth to view the solar eclipse in its totality. Based on the estimate, the economic boost to businesses and workers in Erie County alone could reach as high as $50 million.

“Pennsylvania is one of 13 states in the path of totality for today’s eclipse – but nowhere else has the beauty of the Erie bayfront. This is one of the largest tourism events ever for Erie, with thousands of visitors enjoying this historic event from Lake Erie Speedway to Presque Isle and getting to experience all that Pennsylvania has to offer,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “But Pennsylvania is a terrific tourist spot for more than just one day. From our restaurants and bars to our state parks, trails, and outdoor recreation outfitters, Pennsylvania is a world-class destination, and we want the rest of the world to know about it. Tourism serves as a powerful economic engine, benefitting nearly every corner of our Commonwealth and giving Pennsylvanians more opportunities to pursue their passion, support their families, and succeed – and that’s why I’m proposing $18 million for tourism and business marketing in my budget to continue to attract visitors to our great Commonwealth.”

Tourism is one of the largest and most important industries in Pennsylvania, generating over $76 billion a year and supporting more than 486,000 jobs across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania’s Tourism and Business Marketing offices are part of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

“The Governor believes now is the time to invest in Pennsylvania’s vibrant tourism industry and the businesses and entrepreneurs who drive its economic growth,” said DCED Secretary Rick Siger. “Governor Shapiro’s budget will give a sorely needed boost to tourism operations funding, which in turn will spur Pennsylvania’s economy.”

Governor Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy – the first of its kind in nearly two decades – prioritizes the tourism industry and adopts a new marketing strategy to showcase all that the Commonwealth has to offer. This strategy builds on the Shapiro Administration’s work to make Pennsylvania a leader in innovation and economic development and to create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.

The Governor’s 2024-25 proposed budget calls for significant investments directly tied to this ten-year strategy and issues a strong call to action for partners across all sectors to join in with their support. The budget includes: $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites to Pennsylvania; $25 million for the Main Street Matters program to support small businesses and commercial corridors across the Commonwealth; $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets; and $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to incentivize regional growth.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website , and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook , X , and LinkedIn .

MEDIA CONTACT: Governor’s Office, [email protected] , 717.783.1116 Penny Ickes, DCED, [email protected]

• DCED Funding Governor Josh Shapiro Secretary Rick Siger

Waushara County Community Development Educator

• Wautoma, Wisconsin
• EXTENSION/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE DIRECTO
• Outreach and Community Engagement
• Staff-Full Time
• Opening at: Apr 12 2024 at 15:20 CDT
• Closing at: May 12 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

The Community Development Extension Educator serves the people and communities of Wisconsin by addressing local, statewide, and national issues, improving lives through research-based education, fostering partnerships and action, and facilitating positive impacts that support: thriving individuals and families; effective organizations; healthy and vibrant communities; and strong economies. This Community Development Extension Educator position will serve Waushara County, WI and surrounding communities. The Community Development Extension Educator designs, delivers, and evaluates research-based educational programming and services aligned with the following programmatic focus: leadership development, strategic planning, and community engagement. This position will also play a lead role in supporting the development of statewide education, tools, and resources related to effective community engagement processes and strategies. As part of the position's county-based work, the Community Development Extension Educator connects Waushara County and its communities to other Community Development and Extension resources and supports priority local initiatives through the facilitation of group and community and local government planning processes. Details: Programmatic Focus: Organizational and Leadership Development ( https://leadershipdevelopment.extension.wisc.edu/ ) with an emphasis on leadership development, strategic planning, and community engagement. The Educator's work will serve Waushara County government, other local governments within the county, and community-serving organizations including nonprofits and coalitions. Examples of this work include: *Support the development of organizational leaders through educational programs (e.g. workshops, trainings, cohort-based learning). Organizations served include county and local government, and nonprofits and coalitions. Two immediate needs include, -Collaborating with the county administrator and human resources department, and Extension's Local Government Education (LGE) Program to offer leadership training for county department heads and managers around topics such as roles and responsibilities, effective communication, conflict resolution, decision-making, and relationship building. -Collaborating with the county planning and zoning department, and the LGE Program to offer training for plan commissioners on roles and responsibilities, and effective community engagement strategies. *Work with local governments, nonprofits, and other community-serving organizations to design and facilitate strategic planning and goal setting processes that address priority issues in the county (e.g. work with local chambers of commerce to identify strategic priorities and develop action plans that will address economic development goals). *Work with nonprofits, local governments, and other community-serving organizations to design and deliver programs and processes that enhance community participation and engagement. The specific program(s) will be agreed upon with partners, but could include: -A program for residents to learn about county/municipal government, build relationships with local officials, and learn how to work with the county/city to address needs in the community. -A program that builds the leadership skills and civic engagement of youth through serving on local boards and decision-making bodies. *Assist community-serving organizations with identifying and collecting information that will inform decisions (e.g. Waushara County staff engagement, resident input surveys/town halls as part of comprehensive plan updates). This may include assistance with the design of community input, connecting organizations to University resources that gather and analyze relevant data, and researching best practices. Meeting Other Local Needs: The Community Development (CD) Extension Educator will prioritize and spend most of their time on a clearly defined programmatic focus: leadership development, strategic planning, and community engagement. To the degree local needs shift or other programmatic needs arise, the CD Educator will serve as the primary conduit for the community to access the appropriate research and educational resources, if they are available within the Community Development Institute ( https://extension.wisc.edu/community-development/ ). The educator serves as the 'on-ramp' for the community to access the wide range of resources in CD and Extension more generally. Examples of such resources include: training for local government officials, assistance with housing needs studies, broadband, and food entrepreneurship. Recognizing that, regardless of programmatic area of focus, CD Educators are often called upon to support the facilitation of community and group processes (e.g. action planning, visioning, group decision-making), all CD Educators will have these core competencies and support these efforts as resources allow. Statewide Contributions: Educators are expected to contribute to statewide efforts related to their area of focus. This benefits the local funding partner. Through their statewide work, the Educator is connected to the most current research, best practices, programming, and networks. They bring that expertise back to the county for application to local issues and needs. This Community Development Educator will support the development of statewide education, tools, and resources related to effective community engagement processes and strategies. This position will play an important role in ensuring Extension is responding to that need. This would include working with Organizational and Leadership Development and Local Government Education colleagues to: -Design trainings for organization leaders and local government committees (e.g. plan commissions) that increase their understanding of community engagement strategies (e.g. surveys, town halls, visioning). -Develop a community engagement toolkit (e.g. templates, case studies, tip sheets) that supports leaders in organizations and local governments with engaging community members in developing solutions to community needs and challenges. The Division of Extension has a deep and profound commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values are foundational elements to eliminate disparities and expanding access for all. As Extension, we acknowledge the need for strategic and coordinated actions that help us form a more equitable, anti-racist, non- biased, and inclusive organization. ( https://blogs.extension.wisc.edu/oaic/call-to-action/ ). As such, all Extension employees are expected to foster and promote the values of diversity and inclusion.

Responsibilities:

• 20% Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program
• 10% Schedules and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program
• 30% Delivers outreach program content and materials to community members
• 10% Researches, develops, and facilitates outreach program content and materials
• 20% Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement
• 5% May assist with the monitoring of outreach program budget spending
• 5% Communicate plans, activities and achievements to Area Extension Director, Program Managers, partners and relevant stakeholders

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required Bachelor's Degree In a field relevant to the programmatic responsibilities of the position Preferred Master's Degree In a field relevant to the programmatic responsibilities of the position

Qualifications:

Required: -Relevant experience (paid or volunteer) in areas related to the programmatic responsibilities of the position -Ability to communicate effectively using a variety of methods and technology -Ability to develop relationships and effective partnerships or coalitions which support the position responsibilities -Ability to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds, including those associated with race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and other aspects of human diversity -Experience working with nonprofits, local governments, or other community-serving organizations Preferred: -At least 3 years of relevant field and work experience in the areas of programming and service delivery related to: Organizational and Leadership Development; Local Government Education, or Strategic Planning -Ability to work cooperatively with other agencies, community-based services, or organizations to address Community educational needs -Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional work environments -Experience managing multiple tasks, timelines, and schedules while maintaining high quality work -Demonstrated skill in interpreting, utilizing, and applying evidence-based information and research findings -Ability to successfully develop, deliver, and evaluate educational programs for diverse audiences that enhance community participation and engagement and utilize a variety of educational techniques, methods, and modes -Experience facilitating processes that inform decision-making or action planning

Full or Part Time: 80% - 100% It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $56,732 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at ( https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/ ). Please note that some benefits such as paid time off will be prorated by appointment percentage, dependent on the starting FTE.

Additional Information:

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

How to Apply:

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. Please submit a cover letter referring to your related work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background.

Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews.

Pat Wagner [email protected] 608-516-5540 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Outreach Specialist(OE009)

Department(s):

A47-EXTENSION/ANRCD/COMM/OGDV/ORG LDR DE

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Renewable

Job Number:

The university of wisconsin-madison is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer..

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Boardwalk at Bricktown development, skyscraper clear hurdle with OKC Planning Commission

The Oklahoma City Planning Commission on Thursday recommended the city council approve zoning for a proposed 1,907-foot-high tower but warned they do not like renderings showing extensive use of LED signage throughout the four-tower development . 

Two people voiced concerns about the development, specifically the height of the project’s Legends Tower and LED signage that appears on renderings to be at the same height of the nearby 50-story Devon Energy Center. 

Oklahoma City resident Cynthia Ciancarelli pleaded with planning commissioners to scrutinize the proposed use of LED signage proposed as part of the Boardwalk at Bricktown by developer Scot Matteson.

“The billboards, the flashing lights, are a bit tacky for Oklahoma City,” Ciancarelli said. “We’re not Las Vegas, we’re not Times Square. Too much light can trigger those with sensory issues.” 

Ciancarelli also questioned whether building the tallest tower in the United States might make it prone to natural disasters or a target for terrorists. 

“Oklahoma City is a playground for investors,” Ciancarelli said. “Who wouldn’t want to invest in one of the of strongest economies in the U.S. But why do they want to build the tallest building in the United States? We have severe storms, earthquakes ― Oklahoma is one-stop shopping (for disasters).” 

More: Could the country's tallest skyscraper become an OKC reality? Developer talks funding, plans

Work on first phase of development planned for the summer

City zoning laws allow for density downtown, and planning staff reported the 3.92-acre development easily meets density standards 

Matteson said Thursday he still plans to start site work this summer on the first phase of the $1.2 billion development, which will consist of two towers, named Ruby and Emerald, that will be 23 stories above a parking and retail podium. The planning application for the project says the two towers will consist of 576 market rate apartments and 140 work force apartments. 

The Oklahoma City Council previously approved a $200 million tax increment financing rebate for the twin towers that is predicated on the developer building them as proposed. 

The first phase also includes a Dream Hotel that will be 22 stories above the parking and retail podium and consist of 480 rooms and 85 residential condominiums. 

The second phase, Legends Tower, will consist of 126 stories above the parking and retail podium. The presentation showed the tower will include 904 luxury residences, 352 Hyatt Hotel rooms, and 99 residences by Hyatt. The tallest tower in the U.S. would also include 48 affordable income apartments in the podium building. 

More: Who will pay for this proposed OKC tower? Could it handle Oklahoma tornadoes? What we know

Planning commissioners agreed with Ciancarelli’s concerns about the signage and stripped out language that would have set a maximum on the signage use that would require additional approval by the planning commission and the city council. 

Camal Pennington, planning commission chairman, warned Matteson’s engineers and architects the signage likely has no support among commissioners. 

“I live in Oklahoma City, very close to downtown Oklahoma City,” Pennington said. “I can very clearly see the Devon tower from my porch every day. So, this is very important. What I see right now on signage, I couldn’t vote for.” 

Matteson, who attended the meeting with local partners Randy and Brad Hogan, indicated the signage discussion was not a deal breaker for his project. 

“We’re fine with that. We’re working with them behind the scenes to learn what they are concerned about. We can work on this. I think they are more concerned about the signage they’ll see on the street and we can address this.”