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Another goal is to continue to build on the cooperative marketing efforts of the Franklin County Tourism Committee to attract leisure travelers here.
Located in the heart of Missouri wine country and within a half-hour drive of many attractions, such as the Katy Trail, Purina Farms, Daniel Boone Home, Meramec Caverns, Six Flags and Shaw's Nature Reserve, Washington has many strengths to capitalize on, Dothage said.
The city also is home to a number of its own tourist attractions, he said, including its many festivals, events and church dinners, the newly renovated Farmers' Market, art galleries, the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame, Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipe factory, Washington Historical Society Museum and the riverfront park and trail, among others.
Dothage noted that Washington has over 30 restaurants and is the largest retail shopping area between St. Louis and Jefferson City.
Another bonus, he said, was the city's selection as one of 10 inaugural DREAM (Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri) cities which has resulted in an aggressive enhancement program to highlight the city's heritage in the historic downtown district.
"The commitment of the business community and city administration to these projects has taken our dreams to reality in cultivating the historic nature and charm of Washington," Dothage said.
An increase in the lodging tax, approved in 2007, also has boosted marketing efforts to attract both day and overnight visitors, he said.
Some Concerns
Although tourism in Washington remains strong, Dothage said there are some concerns.
"Navigation issues include a lack of public transportation," he said. "The steep incline from the riverfront to downtown businesses makes walks difficult for many."
Dothage said shuttle service from the Amtrak station to motels and bed and breakfast inns, as well as to and from the wineries and Katy Trail are needed for tourists.
He plans to conduct an in-depth study on shuttle services this year and research grants and other funding opportunities to establish shuttle alternatives between Washington and the wineries.
Continued advertising in the St. Louis area and in large Midwest publications, while expensive, is critical, he said, to market day/overnight trips, as well as capture multi-day visitors.
He plans to expand print advertising this year to include the Chicago and Kansas City area, as well as other bordering states, and develop a marketing effort to target tour group planners and bank travel clubs.
Dothage said he will focus on advertising publications with "trackable" results.
RV tourists represent an important piece of leisure travel and it's another area Dothage wants to focus on in 2009 by encouraging the development of better RV parking.
Currently, the closest, full-service facility is more than 10 miles from Washington.
Other objectives include utilizing more Web brochures to help cut postage costs and developing and participating in cooperative promotional packages with area tourism businesses, such as the recent Girlfriend Weekend which was very popular.
Dothage also wants to continue to improve way-finding signage within the city and explore interstate locations for billboard advertising.
Also in 2009, he plans to utilize East Central College and high school DECA students for tourism research, as well as work with area colleges to develop a tourism market intern program.
