Charting the Course

Inside Greater Wilmington Tourism Bureau’s bold strategy

BY JENNIFER H. BOES

EVERY TEAM NEEDS A PLAYBOOK: a forward-thinking plan that establishes a long-term vision. For destination marketing organizations such as the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, strategic planning is essential to success.

In early 2024, the Bureau tapped Canopy Strategic Partners to assist with the development of a five-year strategic plan. Canopy has deep experience in this area, having guided more than 150 tourism attractions through this process. Our plan was finalized this May, and we are now putting it into practice.

Why now? We know there are big changes ahead for our industry and the state, and the Bureau has been dreaming big about the future.

More new development—including the east side of the Riverfront, hotel property upgrades, the completion of Longwood Gardens Reimagined, and Delaware Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund-driven development—will create another major opportunity to shine the light on our region.

A $100,000 ARPA grant the Bureau recently received from New Castle County will help us strategically market our sports tourism offerings through a partnership with the Delaware Tourism Office. Moreover, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is less than two years away.

I would also be remiss if I did not mention that this is a big election year locally and nationally. Whatever the outcome, it will no doubt have an impact on tourism and the bigger picture of economic development.

To ensure our strategic planning process was inclusive, we involved nearly 50 of our partners, including economic development stakeholders. There are parallels between economic development and tourism as many of the factors that drive someone to visit are the same that drive them to work or locate a business here.

What came out of our stakeholder meetings, surveys, and one-on-one discussions are an updated mission and vision with three clear areas of focus, called pillars, that support them.

The first pillar should come as no surprise: promote. Promoting to leisure travelers and meeting planners is and will always be at the heart of our mission.

The second pillar is convene. As a small organization with limited resources, there is only so much we can do alone. We found we are good at bringing people together to combine resources around a common goal. Our strategic plan puts structure to that.

For example, we recently joined forces with the Delaware Tourism Office as well as the Kent and Sussex County tourism offices on an episode of the PBS show “Travels with Darley” highlighting our Revolutionary War history. That will air nationally sometime in 2025.

The third pillar is advocate. We need to have a stronger voice when it comes to communicating tourism’s value and our role in moving the needle forward. Did you know tourism in New Castle County alone generates $2.5 billion in visitor spending? I bet you did not. Look to see a bigger presence from us in the coming years when it comes to telling tourism’s story locally.

I want to thank all the partners that devoted their time to this important process, including Canopy Strategic Partners as the guiding force behind the plan’s creation. We’ve got big plans to grow our impact on tourism. Our goal? To make Greater Wilmington an even more amazing place to visit. We believe in our region's magic, and with smart planning and a dash of creativity, we’re ready for the next chapter.

Jennifer Boes or the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau. Go to www.VisitWilmingtonDE.com/About-Us to view a summary of the Bureau’s strategic plan.