With the new tourism season pretty much upon us, it seems essential that local businesses actively work together to help Gloucester gain the maximum economic advantage from all it has to offer. Now, a group of local business owners have taken some important steps toward ensuring that's the case — and they deserve credit for doing so.
Following the initiative of Linn Parisi, who owns Over the Bridge Tours, and Janice Shea, who runs Main Street's Cormorrant Shop, more than a dozen businesses have teamed up to market "Seaport Gloucester" — an effort that includes acquiring the dot-com and dot-org domain rights to those names online. The businesses — which include Cruiseport, The Gloucester House, Cape Ann Marina and many more — all share the bond of relying in large part on tourism. And the effort should go a long way toward helping fellow members share information to help create a more coordinated community effort in accomodating visitors who come to enjoy Gloucester's heritage and much more.
With high gas prices and a struggling national economy, there are questions hovering over this summer's tourism season on all levels. Yet there are also a number of promising signs locally; Cruiseport, for example, is anticipating six major ships to visit this season, and is set to be the local host to a ferry service to and from Provincetown begining July 1.
That makes it more important than ever that local businesses — especially those at the core of the tourism industry — all be on the same proverbial page. The launching of Seaport Gloucester should help do just that. Good job — and good luck to all.
