Are you "anti-tourist"?

Are you "anti-tourist"?

Opposing tourism in a blanket way is a position that many people in Healdsburg are happy to take. They accept the label "anti-tourist' and their complaints are well known. Whether these people are a majority or not is hard to tell, but judging from the poll results from last year, their numbers are not small.

Recently the city hosted a discussion about 'economic diversity'. During that meeting some prominent voices recommended that Healdsburgers not oppose tourism. It was suggested that we should not stand in the way of all the good it does for Healdsburg. The tourism industry should grow and all the benefits tourism brings to our community will grow along with it.

It looks like both sides at their extremes are equally capable of generalizations. Is tourism good for us? Has it gone too far? Can we get more from it? It's a basic, well-worn debate in this town. Let's take a look at the (perceived and/or real) impacts that residents experience as the result of our tourism based economy:

Positive:

*Tourism contributes directly to our robust Community Services department via TOT income. New parks, after school and kid's programs, grand parties (Dia De Los Muertos, Tuesday Music on the Plaza etc.), support for Corazon, Fitch Mountain Preserve and much more.

*Supports our agriculture (grape growing) and primary industry (wine).

*Provides jobs (are these good paying jobs? Open question here).

*Provides entrepreneurial opportunity.

*It's a resource we have (the charm/wine/weather etc. that tourists enjoy). We certainly would be hard pressed to just replace it with something else. Tech?

Negative:
1) Crowding (parking, traffic, sidewalks)

2) Class-clash. Most visitors are very wealthy and are out of step with regular folk, which leads to ...

3) Shopping opportunities shifting from resident-focused to wealthy-visitor focused, which leads to...

4) Environmental impacts. Residents burn gas by taking more shopping trips to Santa Rosa etc...also

5) More Environmental impacts as the result of jet flight, autos etc. We are in a climate crisis, folks!

6) Housing. Runaway property value increases, along with housing converted to vacation / second homes, has contributed to a scarcity of housing affordable to Healdsburg's workers/families. This leads to decimated neighborhoods, exiting families, more commuting and...

7) Declining school enrollments.

In order for "anti-tourist" sentiments to relax, these points need to be addressed. Leaders can't just point to the money. They can't just say "it's the economy!"

And anti-tourism people can't keep complaining without offering positive solutions. They can't keep proposing bans and limits (though I believe that many are valuable). We can propose restraint and common sense planning without spite and vitriol. Healdsburg can't turn back the clock. Tourism is here to stay. We need to find ways to focus and drive that energy in directions that are not economically and aesthetically offensive to Healdsburg's blue collar core.  

So, working down the 'negative' list, I think we need to find ways to:

1) Reduce crowding with alternative transportation and parking solutions (also stop complaining about having to park two blocks from the business you are visiting! Is scarce parking really a problem, or more of symptom?)

2) Find novel ways to make friends with our visitors, but also safeguard our downtown from becoming a refuge for the wealthy -a "tourist zone". Diversify tourism from just wine/food to include other attractions like athletics (cycling, hiking, other?) and the arts.

3) Encourage local-serving businesses through robust 'shop local' programs, local discounts, economic rewards for businesses that support local non-profits -and more. We should create advantages for local entrepreneurs starting businesses that keep resident shopping dollars in town. Discourage "boutique" building projects that help drive up downtown rents artificially.

4) See #3 above

5) Addressing the travel habits of the wealthy is a tall order. If our climate concern is a global one, then we have to understand that if tourism were somehow inhibited here in Sonoma County, then people would likely just fly to, and over-consume in some other place. Same global impact. It will help if Healdsburg continues to establish itself as a "green" community. This will help spread the message and set a good example to visitors, aside from just being the right thing to do.

6) Aggressively build and preserve affordable housing. Bring affordable housing projects to the city's core (no longer just on the outskirts). Find a way to discourage empty second homes and illegal rentals. Provide stronger protections for renters and reward landlords who keep rates down.

7) Dependent largely on the success of #6

All of these discussions (I hesitate to call them proposals) can be forwarded without the blunt-edge, gripey position of being "anti-tourist". Leaving that banner behind is not only strategically advantageous to those who want to forward conservation, maintain balance, and preserve Healdsburg's diversity and charm. It is also realistic about the here and now in Healdsburg.