In conversations with local tourism agencies, one concern keeps surfacing—declining visitor numbers are hitting small towns and cities hard. These communities often rely on tourism-driven businesses like hotels, restaurants, and local shops to sustain jobs and revenue. When travel slows, the economic impact spreads fast, affecting livelihoods and future development.
Yet, many overlook one of their most powerful recovery tools—their own website. With the right technology, design, and content strategy, a county’s website can do far more than share information; it can attract visitors, promote local experiences, and rebuild economic momentum. A well-optimized, user-friendly digital presence helps position the county as a destination worth discovering.
Our Study and Research uncovered some of the Pain Points
- Loss of income & employment
When fewer visitors arrive, the immediate losses are from lodging, food & beverage, retail, tickets, and local events. For example, Manatee County in Florida saw a 3.3% drop in visitors in a year; Sarasota County saw a 9% drop over a similar period. Even as visitors fell, though, sometimes the economic impact doesn’t fall by as much—but small decreases in visitor numbers can trigger bigger gaps in cash flows for small-business owners. - International visitor decline adds to pressure
Many U.S. counties/states are seeing weaker international tourism. In 2025 the U.S. is expected to lose around US$12.5 billion in international visitor spending compared to 2024. That matters especially for places that relied on global visitors because international visitors tend to spend more, stay longer, and come off-season sometimes. Losing them means losing a buffer. - Seasonality and uneven recovery
Small counties that depend on summer, festival or holiday-season tourism get hurt when those seasons underperform. For example, Manatee County had fewer visits October-April, and Sarasota’s decline over similar months led to a small but real drop in economic output. Once the off-season dips, local businesses often can’t cover fixed costs. - Marketing & visibility gaps
Many small counties don’t have large budgets for marketing or deep expertise in digital promotion. Their attractions might be appealing, but people may not even know about them, or may not find clear, up-to-date information online. That leads to lost potential. - Fragmented or outdated infrastructure
Even when visitors are interested, bad website design, slow page loading, missing or hard-to-find information, lack of visuals, poor mobile UX, and lack of online booking or a way to plan trip itineraries can cause people to bail. A single bad digital experience can make a tourist choose somewhere else.
Why a Strong Government Website Can Make a Difference
What this really means is: the government agency in a city / county has a tool that many already have in hand—the public website. But too often, the website isn’t being used as a strategic asset. Here’s how it could help make up for some of the losses and even drive growth.
- Central hub for information & planning
A site should clearly present what’s available: events, attractions, lodging, dining, outdoor activities. Provide itineraries, maps (interactive if possible), seasonal calendars. For visitors with limited time, “what can I do this weekend?” pages work well. - Fast, mobile-friendly, accessible design
Many potential visitors are researching while on the go. Slow, hard-to-use websites lose people immediately. Accessibility matters—not just for compliance, but to reach broader audiences, including older travelers or those with disabilities. - Compelling storytelling & visuals
Show what makes the place unique. Use high quality images/video, user testimonials. What are your hidden gems, your festivals, nature, culture? Make people feel excited. Emotional appeal helps. - Regular updates + transparency
If a festival is cancelled, an attraction is closed, or deals are available, the website must reflect that. Out-of-date info frustrates and can damage reputation. Also, data on visitor numbers, economic impact, or incentive programs builds credibility. - Integrated services: booking, forms, social proof
If people can reserve lodging, buy tickets, get permits, or register for events directly, that lowers friction. Including reviews, local business listings, maps to businesses, suggested routes etc., helps convert audience interest into action. - SEO, analytics, and targeted content
Good SEO ensures people searching for “weekend getaway + [county]” or “nature parks near me” find the place. Analytics tell which pages are working, where people drop off. Then you can iterate.
What this Means for Local Governments
Here’s what I’d recommend to counties / cities seeing tourism dip:
- Audit your website from a visitor’s perspective: is everything they need easy to find? Is booking or planning seamless?
- Invest in good visuals + storytelling. Show off what makes your place special.
- Update content frequently: events, calendar, seasonal info, what’s open. If visitors arrive to find information wrong, they won’t trust the rest.
- Make sure the site works well on mobile; ensure speed, accessibility.
- Use data / analytics to see what pages people visit, what searches bring them to the site, where people drop off.
- Consider partnerships: tourism boards, local businesses, regional attractions – link up so your site becomes part of a broader ecosystem of attraction.
Tourism dips hurt small counties more sharply than big cities, because local economies are less diversified. But a government agency’s website is an under-leveraged asset. With clear information, good visual appeal, reliable updates, and ease of use, it can help bring tourists back—by inspiring visits, reducing friction, and building trust. The cost of improving the website is often far less than the economic losses from visitor drop-offs.
To know how we can support your local tourism and businesses in your town or city, contact us.