Local communities rely on tourism. They need visitors to stop by their Main Street to pick up a few local goodies before heading home. They want people to seek out their cafes and restaurants, spending money at these establishments, and talking to their friends about them. They also want families to visit their parks and recreational play areas in order to be seen as a welcome destination for all visitors.
Upgraded playgrounds can help power local communities and park tourism by attracting residents to stay and play and visitors to gather. Here are a few reasons why upgraded, well-maintained playgrounds can serve a community and help foster tourism.
Attracting Visitors and Tourists
Families with small children know the importance of mixing some kid-friendly activities into a day of sightseeing or travel. A day trip to a museum, for instance, will only be enticing to little ones if there is a promise of visiting a park with playground equipment too. For longer vacations, finding activities that the entire family can enjoy can also be challenging. While parents and older kids may be interested in relaxing at the hotel spa, that won’t be considered “fun” to younger children. Instead, they’ll want to head to the hotel playground to exert their pent-up energy.
Knowing this, parents planning an upcoming day excursion or week-long vacation will search for destinations that can accommodate their children’s play needs. Finding cities with ample playgrounds means that parents can take a break and regather themselves while their children run freely. The same goes for dining destinations. Parents may be excited about a particular dinner reservation, knowing that their kids can be watched at an on-site playground or play area.
Having upgraded playgrounds within the communities signals to families that you’re accommodating their needs. It symbolizes that you want families to visit your city or town and are thinking about their children as well. With this in mind, families may be more excited about heading to your city for travel than they would to an alternate city where playgrounds are far and few between. Even more so, a family that has a great time will likely share their experiences with their friends as well, leading to even more tourists and visitors in the future.
Boosting Local Economies
Travels and residents alike are more willing to spend time in an area that fulfills all of their needs. After all, nobody particularly likes driving 30 minutes away just to get to a grocery or hardware store! Having the right local businesses within the town’s main square helps keep business within the city. Even more so, having a playground easily accessible also becomes a destination for families and can help boost the local economy too.
Families who are visiting a playground are more likely to extend their outings to nearby shops and restaurants. A dad may quickly hop into the convenience store to grab some snacks and water for the kids. A caretaker may decide to buy herself lunch after the children beg for more time at the playground. And a couple hosting a kid’s birthday party at the playground will likely purchase the cake and ice cream from the local grocery store or bakery as opposed to driving farther away to pick it up.
These types of exchanges all add up from an economic point of view, creating a ripple effect amongst the community. Dining, shopping, and even parking fees all help bolster the community’s economic vibrancy and growth.
Encouraging Engagement
Upgraded playgrounds are also a chance to build stronger community bonds and encourage engagement. Well-maintained playgrounds are a chance for families of school-aged children to meet before their kids enter elementary school. They are a place for single moms to commiserate with each other, showing sympathy and empathy about the challenges of raising kids on their own. It’s also a place for nannies and babysitters to become friends, finding commonalities with each other by taking care of similarly aged kids.
Besides the day-to-day visitors, playgrounds and parks can be sites for special events and festivals. A summer sendoff over Labor Day weekend or a carnival-themed fair can become a tourist attraction for visitors. Community-led events can also engage members more deeply. When people feel invested in the park, they are more likely to take care of it. This can lead to park volunteers who plant new flowers seasonally or remulch during the springtime. Families from the neighboring area may even be inclined to join, knowing how much time they spend in this town.
The more the community leads local events at the playground, the more that others will follow suit. Instead of hosting a summer gathering at their home, they may decide to use the public park and playground space instead. Having picnic tables, shade structures, and nearby restrooms can make the playground space a routinely used destination where all are welcome and invited to gather and host.
Takeaways
In order to be seen as a worthwhile destination, cities need to invest money in their parks and playgrounds. Having an upgraded playground can move the needle to attract more tourists, boost the economy, and encourage communal engagement. Modernizing a playground is a worthwhile investment for communities looking to entice more families to visit — and continue to visit — their cities.
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