CLEVELAND (Jan. 23, 2019) – Experiential tourism, which is characterized by visitors’ interest in authentic, local experiences, is a trend[i] in the travel and tourism industry. In response to this trend, Destination Cleveland will host six free workshops focused on creating authentic Cleveland experiences. The workshops are open to area residents. Topics covered at each workshop will include: the evolution of experiential tourism, defining an authentic Cleveland experience, a step-by-step approach to creating experiences and resources available through Destination Cleveland and community partners. Break-out discussions and group work will also be part of the workshop agenda.
“The Authentic Cleveland Experiences Workshops will give locals tools to identify and create experiences that can help draw visitors and other residents to neighborhoods, districts, attractions, restaurants and businesses for distinctly Cleveland activities,” said Hannah Belsito, vice president of destination development and community affairs at Destination Cleveland. “We know from research that 77 percent of Clevelanders would recommend the city as a place to visit. By organizing these workshops, Destination Cleveland hopes to further engage those residents by giving them the opportunity to create and share the authentic experiences they like to have in their hometown.”
Each Authentic Cleveland Experiences workshop features the same content and will be held on the following dates from 3-5 p.m.:
- February 7 at the Mather Mansion
- April 4 at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
- June 6 at the Market Garden Brewery Production Facility
- August 1 at Playhouse Square
- October 2 at 78th Street Studios
- November 7 at Cleveland Grays Armory Museum
Those who are interested in participating can sign up at www.CLEexperiencesworkshop.com. Questions should be directed to experiences@destinationcle.org.
To learn more about Destination Cleveland or new attractions and activities taking place in Cleveland, please visit thisiscleveland.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Pinterest.
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ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland’s destination marketing and management organization. This private, non-profit organization’s mission is to drive economic impact and stimulate community vitality for Greater Cleveland through leisure and business travel. Cleveland welcomes 18.5 million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.
[i] Skift 2017 U.S. Experiential Traveler Survey