One of the biggest takeaways from recent Bell County Tourism meetings is the push to firmly cement the area as a true destination. With the idea that tourism is the future of Bell County, Director of Tourism Jon Grace provided a guide to help local business maximize their contribution to pushing tourism in the area as well as encourage them to jump on the bandwagon of driving tourism enthusiasm.

One of the biggest points of helping tourism is having employees in the hospitality field know their fair share of information regarding what Bell County has to offer. The board describes being armed with this knowledge as a “win-win-win” because not only does it contribute to helping the tourism trade, it can also potentially help the business you work at as it shows customers that the employees know their stuff. Third, it can help the individual employee get noticed for their knowledge and initiative.

Helping to grow tourism means getting the word out on local events. Something as simple as having a display board or rack of some kind that showcases all upcoming events is a viable way to spread the word to as many people as possible.

Supporting local events through finances or donations, volunteering force, and sharing events on business social media accounts are other ways to help.

Lastly, the sharing of ideas and insight is considered key. The people in hospitality work with not only the community, but with tourists as well. This can keep employees abreast of trends and interests better than anyone else and sharing this information with the board is encouraged.

For more information contact Bell County Tourism at 606-499-0567 or visit www.bellcountytourism.com.