A plan to hire a tourism director and restructure the village’s Visitors Advisory Board could jump-start Downers Grove’s tourism industry, a study contends.
In a report drawn up this month and presented to commissioners last week, the economic development consulting firm of Cumings McNulty recommended several ways for the village to encourage tourism. In addition to restructuring the Visitors Advisory Board into a Tourism Development Commission with more tightly focused goals, the village should hire a full-time tourism director to develop and coordinate a tourism program for Downers Grove, the report said. Commissioners also should consider raising the 2 percent hotel tax to 3 and even 4 percent in the near future, forming an industrial development commission, and giving more support to county and other local tourism-associated organizations, the firm recommended.
Implementing some or all of the suggestions would bring more tourism dollars to the village, Cumings McNulty representatives said.
But a proposal to develop a civic and performing arts center in the village’s downtown area probably wouldn’t bring a significant amount of outside money into the village, the report said.
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Commissioners said the report will be studied over the next several weeks by the Visitors Advisory Board, which will in turn make a recommendation to the Village Council. While some council members said they are excited about the possibilities outlined in the report, others remain hesitant.
“The fundamental question in my mind is, `Should we go into the tourism business?’ ” Commissioner Gregory Vogler said. “I’m not sure.”