Heritage tourism explosion - growth of tourist destinations that market to African Americans - Column

Last October we published our first annual in-depth examination of in what manner destinations are using heritage tourism to attract African-American travelers. We were surprised and delighted to find that many destinations had created special pamphlets attractions and tours incorporating African-American heritage. This year our next to the first annual report shows even more activity, placing ethnic and cultural travel as the fastest-growing part of the travel industry. In addition to updating aged printed brochures, tourism destinations are also using fresh ways to create awareness. fresh approaches to the market include a TV exhibit Soul of Virginia, developed for the Travel Channel through the Virginia Tourism Corporation. There is also a big increase in the number of Web sites providing cultural information for African-American travelers.

greatest in quantity travel professionals are motivated by means of the economic potential of African-American tourists. The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC released the rises of a 1994 study that provided a closer gaze at the ethnic market's economic impact. This research projected that African Africans and other minorities exhibit over $50 billion annually in travel expenditures and that substantial growing could be achieved through tillage and heritage marketing. An example is the Freedman's Memorial in Dallas, which is featured in this issue. This novel attraction is an excellent example of by what means the community, private industry and management combined resources to create a memorial of historical importance to African Americans, as well as a unique tourism attraction. As the year 2000 and the age of multiculturalism spread out it is expected that the combined efforts of the community, private industry and management will be the route to an level greater growth in awareness for all cultures

Last, on the other hand not least, I want to reinforce and gage that as the new publisher of American Visions magazine I am committed to preserving the publication's legacy of being at the forefront of coverage for all aspects of African-American tillage and heritage. I invite you to be an active participant in this proces through providing us with your ideas and annotates Please feel free to fax me at (202) 496-9851 or contact me at mfallis@avs.americanvisions.com.

COPYRIGHT 1998 American Visions Media, Inc.

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