Build Organizational Capacity and Collaborations With Industry Partners

Local leaders and stakeholders managing community and place-based organizations shared challenges around organizational capacity and resources that inhibited active participation in the tourism economy. While neighborhood organizations such as Downtown Pittsburgh Partnership may be well-informed of tourism efforts and market performances, other groups in underresourced neighborhoods face staff capacity limitations and an overall lack of knowledge of the tourism and hospitality industry. Building local capacity is critical to the overall success of the Pittsburgh tourism market. While VisitPITTSBURGH may be able to lead a strategic vision for the destination and provide guidance on the implementation of tourism projects and strategies, it is up to local leaders to serve as boots on the ground building resources and partnerships or buy-in from local stakeholders toward each strategy or action. Making sure local neighborhood leaders are informed of industry trends and market forces will also be critical to building confidence amongst investors.