You can reach this page directly via pureloudoun.org. It is donated by the Destination Stewardship Center (DSC), Jonathan Tourtellot CEO, and is free for use by the people of Loudoun county, VA.
Convene a destination stewardship council for rural western Loudoun
Western Loudoun is in trouble, and there’s something we residents and business people can do about it.
Loudoun’s rural countryside is beset by encroaching subdivisions, power-line demands for data centers, inappropriate land uses, noise and light pollution, and more disruptive types of tourism. The tourism sword cuts both ways, often giving us a choice: Wisely planned, unobtrusive tourism, or even more houses.
Such tourism is driven by the character of the locale. Here in western Loudoun, the appeal of our beautiful heritage landscape brings in money. What’s more, appreciative visitors – even those from around the corner – learn to value western Loudoun for its unique qualities.
This dynamic needs a friendly nudge. The intersection between tourism and care for a place is called destination stewardship. All across North America that concept has been growing in recent years. Here in Loudoun, a collaborative network devoted to it – residents, businesses, and organizations – could help save our rural countryside.
Why do we need it? The county’s stewardship organizations are robust but fragmented; the award-winning Visit Loudoun is mandated for marketing, but not stewardship. No single entity is dedicated to the holistic mission of integrating care for the countryside with the beneficial types of tourism that depend on it.
Help preserve the western Loudoun both residents and visitors hold dear. Build a collaborative alliance to push for better destination stewardship. The people and parts are already in place, needing only organization. It’s up to you.
Below we present the rationale, concept, and steps necessary for doing this. When complete, this page will include:
- Western Loudoun Destination Stewardship concept and proposal.
- Rationale
- Guiding Principles
- Making it happen
- Ancillary materials – short-term rental policy, appropriate scale, etc.
- Explanatory Powerpoint
This proposal content is free to use. Jonathan Tourtellot, DSC CEO and resident of western Loudoun county, initiated this process and is willing to assist pro bono any serious effort to move the idea forward. We invite volunteer leaders to step forward. To participate or just stay informed, contact Jonathan@destinationcenter.org
The short-cut URL for this page is pureloudoun.org.
What's at stake?
Scenes like this, and more
Why Does Western Loudoun Need Destination Stewardship Collaboration?
This concept sheet (1 pg, pdf) explains the idea, the rationale, and the basic proposal.
- About destination stewardship
- Implications for western Loudoun
- Threats and opportunities
Destination Stewardship Guiding Principles for Western Loudoun
The principles do not prescribe specific policy actions but rather act as guiding stars for ensuring that actions follow a wise course.
- Take the Whole Picture into Account
- Protect Distinctive Destination Character
- Benefit Local Communities
- Choose Quality over Quantity
- Collaborate for Holistic Destination Management
- Educate Interactively
- Redefine Economic Success
- Reduce Tourism’s Public Burden
- Use Land Wisely
- Be a Responsible Global Citizen
- Operate Businesses Responsibly
- Evaluate Progress
To have real-world clout, the principles must be endorsed by as many pertinent enterprises and individuals as possible, thus creating a powerful collective request that they be heeded.
This document (pdf) presents the guiding principles, elaborated and in the form of a charter for signatories. Download it! If you wish to join the signatory list, please contact Jonathan@destinationcenter.org. (Sign-up form to come.)
Powerpoint deck "Taking Charge"
This deck of slides, with notes, lays out the challenges facing the relationship between Loudoun’s rural west and tourism activites that can help, or hurt. The presentation then offers a series of steps on what to do about it. Mr. Tourtellot is able give a version of this presentation at no charge, with Q&A, for suitable gatherings. Contact Jonathan@destinationcenter.org
Raising public appreciation
The first catalytic project might be well advised to focus on public education for Loudouners and government officials, answering the question “What’s special about rural Loudoun?” Among possibilities being considered:
- A rural-roads mapping project, “Map Our Legacy,” yielding an interactive app laden with stories
- A comprehensive “West of 15” festival
- A video contest
- A “Backyard Tourism Day” for Loudouners to discover their county
- A stewardship survey of residents and visitors
- School story-collecting project, etc
Making it happen
Content to come will include:
- First steps
- A resilient model, structured to last
- Catalytic project details
Ancillary material
Content to come will include:
- Short-term rental (STR) policy
- Observations
- Public information media – Wander magazine, etc.