Carol Stark, editor of the Joplin (Mo.) Globe, talked to Vincent Lindstrom, the new director of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Most chamber and tourism folks usually take an “everything is beautiful” tone with the local media. But Lindstrom seems willing to address the area’s weaknesses (with the bold type as my emphasis).
With Route 66 running right through the town and a number of Civil War battlefields in the area, Lindstrom believes history buffs need to put Joplin on their travel agendas.
I might stop here and tell you that even though Lindstrom’s title has the word Joplin in it, he is very much a believer in regional cooperation. He wisely notes that tourists don’t know where the city limits end and neither should he.
So, what could Joplin be doing better? Lindstrom believes our town could make a better first impression, but he gives the city big creds on what it’s done from First Street to Seventh Street.
He thinks we make it too hard for tourists to navigate. He sees a signage program as a big need.
He thinks that Missouri Southern State University could offer up a world of resources and says a closer relationship between the city and the university is needed.
Lindstrom quickly admits that “quiet” is not his strong suit.
Hmm. Apparently he’s not the only one who thinks tourism signs are lacking in that part of Missouri.
I agree. During a trip thru Carthage and Joplin back last thanksgiving I found navigating Route 66 in both towns was confusing and existing signage was hard to follow. I finally found the Route 66 drive in after giving up trying to make sense of the markers and used my laptop at a wifi hotspot to get exact directions.