Willington EDC pushes tourism outreach, eyes weekend package and property listings to attract overnight stays

Members of the Willington Economic Development Commission reviewed recent tourism work and discussed a push to market the town as a destination for short overnight stays.

A committee member reported finishing required paperwork and said Andrea Manning, the district supervisor/coordinator, will brief the commission on district procedures and partnerships. The member described local assets—outdoor theater, kayaking opportunities, antique shopping and proximity to regional attractions—and urged developing a "Willington weekend" package to encourage visitors to stay overnight in B&Bs rather than just pass through.

Matt Clark said one important near-term step is listing developable parcels with approved or suitable zoning in property databases used by hotel and developer search tools. "When they're looking at these things, they go to the databases ... they come up with a list," Clark said, arguing that being visible in those systems is essential to get on a developer's short list.

Members discussed coordinating with neighboring towns and regional tourism organizations (including Last Green Valley) to broaden promotional reach. They also raised practical requirements such as available lodging and food service: "You have to have a place for people to stay. You gotta feed them and you'd have to have something for them to do," said the tourism committee member.

Next steps: the commission plans targeted outreach with regional partners, to explore listing selected parcels in property databases, and to discuss marketing tactics—both survey-driven outreach and in-person meetings with business owners—at a future workshop.