A successful heritage tourism program depends on engaging visitors from the moment they plan a trip through their experience onsite and after they leave. Franklin excels because it combines abundant historic places, rich cultural stories, and strong partnerships that safeguard and share these resources. Additionally, a successful heritage tourism program requires constant consideration of wishes of residents to ensure a high quality of life and support for the tourism industry. Heritage tourism provides three interconnected benefits: it preserves tangible and intangible heritage through stewardship of buildings, landscapes, and traditions; it attracts visitors seeking meaningful connections to the past; and it builds community pride by helping residents engage with and share their history. By multiple measures, Franklin and Williamson County achieve these goals while balancing tourism’s economic benefits with residents’ needs. SUMMARY OF CHALLENGES With an increasing number of visitors comes a natural tension between maintaining the quiet and historic character that attracts people to Franklin to live and the historic sites, cultural events, and commercial amenities that people come to experience. Accessibility for visitors with disabilities has not been comprehensively addressed to ensure that sites are available to all visitors. 1 2 THEME: CULTIVATING HERITAGE & CULTURAL TOURISM 143
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