Visitor Center Visitors

Salem recently hosted the annual conference of the New England Visitor Center Association (NEVCA).  Sessions were held at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Marina and the House of the Seven Gables, the participants took a Salem Trolley Tour, visited the Salem Regional Visitor Center, had dinner at Finz, and enjoyed a champagne reception at the Salem Witch Museum.

They had a great time.  And we had a great time hosting them.

The thing that I hear most during conferences, which are very desirable events becasue they bring in visitors who may not have otherwise planned a trip to Salem, is a bewildered and impressed, "I didn't know how much was here!"  I always respond with a smile, a nod, and a, "Isn't it a great city? I have a great job." 

We always want to impress our visitors, but representatives of the NEVCA are a special group who deserve some extra TLC. These are the people who staff and manage visitor centers throughout the six New England states.  This was a conference loaded with networking, collaboration, and the sharing of best practices from around the region.  We learned about the all-volunteer Granite State Ambassadors in New Hampshire; the technology-savvy visitor center in Newport, Rhode Island; and the importance of visitor centers to the National Park Service.  

We are fortunate to have the National Park Service in Salem not only at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, but also at the Salem Regional Visitor Center.  Our visitor center is unique; it services Salem Maritime National Historic Site, and Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site, and the Essex National Heritage Commission.  It interprets the natural, cultural, and historic resources in Salem and in the 34 communities of Essex County.  And it features two films, Where Past is Present, which is free and provides an overview of the history of the region, and Witch Hunt: Examine the Evidence, which has a ticket fee and interprets the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. 

Hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through the doors of the Salem Regional Visitor Center.  For many of them, this is their first point of contact for their visit and exploration of Salem.  The visitor center provides information, interpretation, maps, printed material, and, of course, clean rest rooms.

As technology advances and more and more people travel with smart phones, tablets, and apps, there has been a growing discussion about the relevance of Visitor Centers.  I believe human interaction cannot replace the Internet, and people still want to hold printed brochures in their hands.  In this day and age, print augments technology (and vice-versa), and visitors use both.

Newport, RI, is a great example of a visitor center that incorporates both print and technology into its visitor services.  They have a beautiful printed guide to Newport and its surrounding towns, and they have a brilliant, interactive visitor center that offers information through tablet and human media.  They offer "TAP", the Tourist Assistance Portal, a touch-screen that visitors can slide their fingers across to find sites, tours, attractions, accommodations, and restaurants.  Newport also maintains human interaction, keeping a robust staff and scheduling regular programs that keep the Visitor Center interesting.  

The Salem Regional Visitor Center is staffed by Rangers and volunteers daily from 9am-5pm. VC staff is trained to provide answers to questions that are at National Park Service standards, which is the Gold Standard in tourism in the United States. And, as I have mentioned, the restrooms are clean.

Visitor centers continue to be relevant and necessary. Whether they are a highway stop or a destination's welcome center, they continue to inform and educate visitors from near and far.  We were thrilled to host the NEVCA conference in Salem, and I hope we sent 70 new ambassadors for Salem out into New England - each of them now able to spread the word that Salem is a great city to visit and explore.