“The top activity of visitors, in the world, is shopping, dining, and entertainment in a pedestrian-friendly setting. It’s typically not the primary reason people visit, but once they arrive, it’s the number one activity. And this is where 80% of non-lodging visitor spending takes place. Are you getting your fair share?

Here you’ll see how tourism and downtown organizations can come together to create powerful partnerships with stronger, more successful marketing programs, increased local spending, all while saving money in the process.

There is a new shift taking place across North America and downtowns are back! So how do you make your downtown a thriving destination? We found out. Over a 5-year period, we surveyed more than 400 successful downtowns and downtown districts in the US and Canada. What we found were the 20 most common ingredients that led to their success. Learn these ingredients so that your downtown efforts become a revenue gainer and not a money drainer. This three-part series teaches you how to make your downtown outstanding for both local residents and visitors.

There is a new shift taking place across North America and downtowns are back! So how do you make your downtown a thriving destination? We found out. Over a 5-year period, we surveyed more than 400 successful downtowns and downtown districts in the US and Canada. What we found were the 20 most common ingredients that led to their success. Learn these ingredients so that your downtown efforts become a revenue gainer and not a money drainer. This three-part series teaches you how to make your downtown outstanding for both local residents and visitors.

There is a new shift taking place across North America and downtowns are back! So how do you make your downtown a thriving destination? We found out. Over a 5-year period, we surveyed more than 400 successful downtowns and downtown districts in the US and Canada. What we found were the 20 most common ingredients that led to their success. Learn these ingredients so that your downtown efforts become a revenue gainer and not a money drainer. This three-part series teaches you how to make your downtown outstanding for both local residents and visitors.

A Destination Assessment is a photographic look at your community through the eyes of a first-time visitor, showing strengths and weaknesses, as well as providing specific things you can do, at low cost, to become an even better, thriving destination. The assessment details suggestions that will attract new investment, new residents, and visitors, while helping local businesses increase their success. In this fascinating and eye-opening workshop, you’ll see the process we use—and you can emulate, as you make sure your success is amazing.

Well known for the seven-year research project that resulted in “The 20 Ingredients of an Outstanding Downtown,” Roger is going to show you the five most important elements that all 400 of the best downtowns in North America have and are critical to their success. You’ll see photographic examples and great case histories and will get approximate implementation costs so you can begin developing these ingredients in YOUR downtown. This is one presentation you don’t want to miss, and it can help you create a priority-list for your downtown and its success. (Live Q&A begins at 41-Minutes)

There are two primary elements to a successful downtown: The business mix and the ambiance. In this photographic smorgasbord, we’ll show you what some great downtowns are doing, at low cost, to make their downtowns beautiful places to spend time, and how they did it without spending an arm and a leg. And you’ll see what you can do every season of the year - no matter where you’re located - to make your downtown beautiful 365 days a year. Consider this workshop your “idea book” - with ideas you can implement immediately.

A lot of downtowns spend millions of dollars sprucing up their façades and streets in the mistaken belief this will create traffic. In this informative presentation we’ll show you how to create a vibrant downtown on a shoestring budget. We’ll look at three small downtowns that turned the tide – going from a veritable ghost town to a can’t miss destination – and how you can use these lessons to start a revolution in your own downtown.

When it comes to finding the place to start, you can use any one of these methodologies, or multiples of them. You do NOT have to do all of them. If creating pop-up shops doesn’t work for you, that’s not a problem. Other towns have turned the corner - like Water Valley, Mississippi, without any pop-up stores. So, any one of these ideas will work, but if you can do two or there of them, it will provide a quicker turnaround. Enjoy!

Over the years we’ve spent a considerable amount of time and effort helping make downtowns great – again. In this photographic-rich series, you’ll learn:

Part 1 - WHY downtowns are back and more important than ever. We also touch on the nine things that need to be done to make a downtown great again.

Part 2 - HOW to actually implement the ideas from Part 1. Using photographic examples, we showcase what downtowns are doing, at low cost, to make them vibrant, successful destinations for both local residents AND visitors.

Part 3 - You'll learn how to get people downtown consistently at least 250 days a year. We provide ways to get it started, how to create momentum, costs and funding ideas, timing (a three-year plan), weather and other seasonal considerations - everything you need to know to bring your downtown back to life, making it the central hub and an amazing destination for both your residents and visitors.

Part 4 - In the final installment of this series we visit four downtowns. You’ll see and learn what it looked like before and what they were dealing with, the steps along the way, and the results - which are still a work in progress. After all, no downtown is ever 100% done! This is a great way to actually see, from real-life case histories what it takes to turn a dying downtown (if not already dead) into an amazing destination you’ll want to visit - if not move to!