"Success and happiness can come through doors you didn't even know you left open"
–Anonymous

MISSION STATEMENT

"For the City of Winchester to become a home base/destination point for the traveling tourist. We would like our city to be a place where one wants to visit for the same reasons we don't want to leave"

PLAN:

Plan Preparation

1) Winchester is a city abundant with rich history such as building architecture, famous residents, etc.
2) Winchester is also rich in natural resources such as Tims Ford Lake, majestic mountains, rolling hills and valleys, and a laid back small town environment.
3) Winchester is located strategically in the middle of and within a 45 to 90 minute drive to four large cities: Nashville, 90 minutes, Chattanooga, 60 minutes, Murfreesboro 45 minutes and Huntsville, Alabama, 45 minutes.
4) Winchester is in the crossroads of travelers to such tourist sites as the Huntsville Alabama Space Museum, Jack Daniels Distillery, George Dickels Distillery, and University of the South, Monteagle Winery, and many more attractions.
5) Presently the City of Winchester has the financial resources that can be used to fund a tourism program. (Hotel motel tax)
6) Tourism in Winchester has the support of the local government and citizens.
7) Winchester has name recognition that has been left un-tapped such as Dinah Shore, John Marks Templeton, Phillip Fulmer, and Davy Crockett.
8) At present Winchester does not promote its assets.
9) The city is lacking several ingredients needed to promote economic development through tourism. 1) Winchester/Franklin County's population count is not high enough to attract key business concerns (name restaurants, up scale shopping stores, outlet malls etc.) 2) Winchester is not located on an interstate highway system with a large volume of tourism traffic. 3) Key elements are not in place to make Winchester a destination point for tourist.
10) Winchester is not located in close proximity to an interstate road system that services a high volume of tourist traffic, nor does it have a marketing niche or what is sometimes referred to as a hook making the city a destination point for tourist.
11) The marketing of local events has been very limited. Even though Winchester hosts various events throughout the year and are attended by local residents and in some part, out of county residents, the events have not revealed the notoriety needed for large-scale marketing.

Plan Development

1) Since our population numbers are low, and we cannot move the interstate system to Winchester or move Winchester to the interstate we should consider as our goal in tourism to establish Winchester as a destination point.
2) Within a short period of time we want to have determined the cities and surrounding area's most unique and marketable resources that could best be marketed over the long term.
3) We want tourists/visitors to perceive Winchester as their home away from home. The location that they use as home base for short tourist trips in and around the area.
4) Define our market area.
5) Within the next year define our marketable assets.
6) Within the next year define our target groups for each marketable asset.
7) Determine how we should market our assets as a whole and in part for each target group.
8) We want the city to partnership with local businesses to promote tourism.
9) We would like for the city to assume an entrepreneurial role in the development of its own resources as well as other resources that might become available. (Such as the dry creek properties, and other TVA properties that could be used for commercial development.)
10) Re-develop the old 288 station back into a welcoming center
11) Add cultural activities (arts, theatre, musical, and etc.)

Implementation of the plan

1) When the assets are determined and the marketing elements resolved begin the process of promoting our City as a destination point.
2) Solicit the support of the Winchester Planning Commission and other such committees regarding zoning issues and land use issues.
3) Involve the Communication and Technology committee and their communication resources as an integral part in our efforts to promote tourism.
4) Work with the downtown merchants to help develop the downtown
5) Look for resource funding
6) Obtain tourism data and demographics
7) Work with the economic development and community development committees
8) Active use of volunteers
9) Along with other committees work toward enhancing or having at least 4 major City sponsored activities each year that could be viewed as a tourist attraction (Christmas, 4th of July, a Fall Festival and etc.)
10) Work in conjunction with the State Tourism Department and other regional tourism efforts