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In its tourism plan for Harrisburg, the Washington, D.C.-based National Trust for Historic Preservation gave mostly common-sense recommendations.
"We may be saying things that have been brought up before. But if they haven't been done, it still needs to be said," said Carolyn Brackett, a National Trust planner.
Brackett and her team were impressed with the amount of activities and attractions in Harrisburg but found the city's marketing lacking. The National Trust spent 18 months conducting a tourism study and drawing up a plan that the city released May 24. In the plan, the National Trust outlined a timeline for the city to complete certain goals, such as developing a brand, marketing beyond Central Pennsylvania and creating easier ways for tourists to navigate the city and region.
Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed did not find any of the suggestions in the $193,000 study particularly surprising, he said.
"There's nothing radical," Reed said. "It draws on successful best practices in other parts of the country."
The key will be implementing the suggestions, he said. The plan includes potential funding sources for tourism...