Family Feud: Nashville Family Feud: Nashville vs. Branson: vs. Branson:

Competing Music Competing Music Tourism StrategiesTourism Strategies

PreparationPreparation

Read: George Carney’s article Read: George Carney’s article “Branson: The New Country Music “Branson: The New Country Music Mecca”.Mecca”.

Access blank outline from internet.Access blank outline from internet. Take today’s quiz on-line.Take today’s quiz on-line.

Tourism InfrastructureTourism Infrastructure

What is infrastructure?What is infrastructure? What types of industry does the What types of industry does the

infrastructure of Salem or infrastructure of Salem or Massachusetts support or invite?Massachusetts support or invite?

High-Tech?High-Tech? Manufacturing?Manufacturing? What types of tourism?What types of tourism?

Branson’s Tourism Branson’s Tourism InfrastructureInfrastructure

Nashville’s Tourism Nashville’s Tourism InfrastructureInfrastructure

Carney’s Four Factors Carney’s Four Factors Contributing Branson’s SuccessContributing Branson’s Success

Cost (time and effort) reduction in Cost (time and effort) reduction in touringtouring

Audience typeAudience type LifestyleLifestyle MoneyMoney

Brief History of BransonBrief History of Branson

Three Stages of DevelopmentThree Stages of Development• Locals OnlyLocals Only

• Old-Timers – 1980sOld-Timers – 1980s

• New Country – 1990sNew Country – 1990s

Nashville’s RiseNashville’s Rise

Why Nashville?Why Nashville?• WMS, Roy AcuffWMS, Roy Acuff• GeographyGeography

Fan OrientationFan Orientation• Past and presentPast and present

Grand Ol’ OpryGrand Ol’ Opry• Past and presentPast and present

Grand Ol’ Opry (Past)Grand Ol’ Opry (Past)

Insert figureInsert figure

Grand Ol’ Opry (Present)Grand Ol’ Opry (Present)

BransonBranson

Cost effectiveness of visits for Cost effectiveness of visits for touriststourists

Agglomeration Agglomeration

Branson uses economies of Branson uses economies of agglomeration effectively to reduce agglomeration effectively to reduce the costs for tourists and theater the costs for tourists and theater operators.operators.

Car dealerships use the same Car dealerships use the same strategy.strategy.

Recently Branson has been afflicted Recently Branson has been afflicted with diseconomies of agglomeration with diseconomies of agglomeration and scale.and scale.

Threshold and RangeThreshold and Range

Threshold refers to ________Threshold refers to ________

What’s the threshold for a Wal-Mart?What’s the threshold for a Wal-Mart? Range refers to _____Range refers to _____

What’s the range of a hardware What’s the range of a hardware store?store?

Intervening OpportunityIntervening Opportunity

What is an intervening opportunity?What is an intervening opportunity? How does this concept apply in the How does this concept apply in the

context of Nashville vs. Branson?context of Nashville vs. Branson? That and the threshold was probably That and the threshold was probably

too small.too small.

Battle of Place ImageryBattle of Place Imagery

What is the main theme of the place What is the main theme of the place imagery presented by Branson?imagery presented by Branson?

What advantages does Branson have What advantages does Branson have over Nashville in terms of place over Nashville in terms of place imagery?imagery?

How does Nashville try to counter?How does Nashville try to counter? What can Nashville offer in terms of What can Nashville offer in terms of

place imagery that Branson can’t?place imagery that Branson can’t?

Welcome to BransonWelcome to Branson

FigureFigure

Welcome to Welcome to NashvilleNashville

Welcome to NashvilleWelcome to Nashville

Welcome to NashvilleWelcome to Nashville

Welcome Welcome to to

NashvilleNashville

Welcome to Welcome to NashvilleNashville

Niche MarketingNiche Marketing

Refers to the specialized targeting of Refers to the specialized targeting of certain groups by businesses.certain groups by businesses.

What groups would the Branson What groups would the Branson theater owners target?theater owners target?

What about Nashville?What about Nashville?

Understanding Your ProductUnderstanding Your Product

What sort of changes did country music What sort of changes did country music undergo during the period before and undergo during the period before and during the emergence of Branson as a during the emergence of Branson as a competitor for country music tourists?competitor for country music tourists?

Waylon and Willie?Waylon and Willie? Lukenbach, Texas?Lukenbach, Texas?

• ““Let’s go sell your diamond ring and buy some Let’s go sell your diamond ring and buy some boots and faded jeans and go away. We’ve boots and faded jeans and go away. We’ve been so busy keepin’ up with the Jones’, four been so busy keepin’ up with the Jones’, four car garage and we’re still buildin’ on…car garage and we’re still buildin’ on…

Politics of Country MusicPolitics of Country Music

How would characterize the politics of How would characterize the politics of country music?country music?

What other “political” stances might also What other “political” stances might also be worthy of consideration?be worthy of consideration?

Roger Miller quote:Roger Miller quote: What music genres are opposite country in What music genres are opposite country in

terms of politics?terms of politics? How might these alternative political How might these alternative political

stances affect the prospects for music-stances affect the prospects for music-based tourism?based tourism?

Are there other country music Are there other country music Meccas?Meccas?

Have they been able to cash in?Have they been able to cash in? What are some of the characteristics What are some of the characteristics

of potential competitors to Branson of potential competitors to Branson and Nashville?and Nashville?

What spatial conditions might be What spatial conditions might be worth considering if a city were to worth considering if a city were to market itself as another country market itself as another country music destination?music destination?