Coordinating visitor services requires not only a knowledge of how these services are performed, and by whom, within the framework of each service area, but also understanding the problems that these various service organizations face.
Coordination is the control function that establishes what the channels of communication are going to be among the various service agencies and organizations, the community at large, and the tourism organization. To achieve good coordination and control, everyone involved in tourism must understand what are the tourists' needs and services required and be prepared to respond to these needs effectively.
Close cooperative effort among all agencies and organizations is vital, and the coordination of this effort is best managed by an individual who is a "perfectionist" on details, has insight into, as well as a firm grasp of, all facets of tourist service problems; be able to analyze how these services may be better performed; recognize the needs for new services; and evaluate past performance to assess future needs.
Furthermore, he or she should concentrate on making contacts in the community, making sure that the program meets the needs of the people involved, and that all phases of management are running smoothly. He or she must be able to plan, to organize, to conduct seminars, to manage, and to coordinate all visitor service activities.
Who pays for and provides visitor services?
Obviously, the community itself will be paying for most of these services, but much of the money will be coming from the tourists themselves through parking fees, admissions, local sales and use taxes, and from the hotels, motels, restaurants, theaters, and other tourist businesses. Community development grants and some state and federal programs also assist in providing funds for visitor services' programs, as well as local businesses and civic organizations and those involved in the tourism program.
Special service needs
As international travel expands, American communities are being discovered by more foreign tourists. There may be communications problems unless specific services are planned and provided. Persons within the community who speak foreign languages should be identified and be ready to service foreign visitors when needed.
There are standard signs and symbols, recognized by people all over the world. Small communities may consider themselves too isolated to invest in such signs. But such signs are very important in offering specific directions and instructions to all tourists regardless of what language they speak. What's more, the symbols are more explicit than words and require less space than most phrases which they replace. Symbols adopted by the United States National Park Service are in the public domain and can be used for local application without any charge or prior permission.
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