Lea Filson, President & CEO, See Plymouth
In an interview with Invest:, Lea Filson, president and CEO of See Plymouth, shared how the company is working to balance preserving Plymouth’s history while engaging modern visitors. She discussed technological innovations that have been implemented to enhance visitors’ experience and why enhanced transportation options are critical needs for the region.
How does the tourism industry contribute to the local economy and employment in Plymouth?
Tourism is the No. 1 industry in the town and county of Plymouth. We are south of Boston but cover a wide area. We are located about halfway between Boston and Cape Cod, so we get a lot of traffic going back and forth and many visitors between the two places. We usually see about 1.5 million people a year. We have been down in past years because of COVID and have been rebuilding from there, but we are expecting a much better year this year. See Plymouth definitely plays a role in the various things that are happening, but it is really the combination of many leaders in this area that helps us get where we are. It takes the town, our regional economic development foundation, our local legislators, the MA Office of Travel & Tourism and many different groups working together to make this happen.
How do you balance preserving Plymouth’s history while engaging modern visitors?
History is generally what draws tourists because Massachusetts itself is literally the foundation of the United States. It is very easy for us to strike a balance because we also have a town full of trendy restaurants and great attractions. Whether you want to see a whale or a shark, or just have some great fun riding out on the water and seeing the sunset and sunrise, there are lots of experiences. We have everything from an authentic tea room to a living history museum as well as many unique experiences for families.
What is the state of the tourism sector in Plymouth and where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?
We have a Historic Cultural District where our arts thrive, our history thrives, and where the restaurants and attractions are. It is basically divided into two parts: the waterfront along Plymouth Bay, which is truly one of the most beautiful coastal communities in New England with a quaint New England look, and then up the hill where all the trendy restaurants and great shopping are along Court Street and Main Street. North Plymouth also has plenty to offer, but the majority of tourism takes place in the Historic Cultural District.
Are there any specific initiatives to address the challenges in attracting visitors year-round and addressing the seasonality of tourism?
Due to COVID, our federal government provided many ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grants. Here in Massachusetts, the federal government was able to offer multi-million-dollar grants through the state to various areas. We were lucky enough to administer a $1 million grant for the south of Boston, covering both Plymouth County and Bristol County. This has helped us tremendously. Last winter, we launched the initiative, and it will continue into this winter. The grant is specifically for advertising during the off-season to help build up shoulder seasons and rebuild the industry. So far, we have seen a huge increase in the number of people during the off-season, and our April and May numbers have already come in much higher compared to the last couple of years.
What are some innovations or technologies that you are implementing to improve the experience for clients or create efficiencies for employees?
We use geofencing and software, research, metrics and data to make our decisions on who we should advertise with and where we should put the majority of our ride circuit vehicles. However, it really gets back to people being friendly. We have three visitor centers throughout our area: one at our headquarters at the top of the historic district, another at the waterfront, and another on Route 3. Much of our business takes place there, where people come in for a friendly face and to ask advice.
Furthermore, social and digital media are central to us. If you look at this market and history markets in particular, the groups that are interested in heritage tend to skew older, so we also have dedicated apps, such as the ride circuit app where you can park once and ride free the entire day. All you have to do is download the ride circuit app and use it like you would a ride-share program, except you do not pay. We have an app for See Plymouth, our organization, where you can do your own map, look something up, and learn about it. Technology is a very important part of tourism these days and will become even more important as AI and other advancements develop. The most important thing is to keep up with the times and keep changing as things change.
Given your experience in the region, what do you see as some of the most critical needs, especially in infrastructure, that could help with all the visitors you are receiving?
For us, it is transportation. We do not have direct transportation to Plymouth, except by car. The MBTA train line goes as far as Kingston. It used to come to Plymouth as well but only two times a day, which was not helpful for tourism. I would love to see that line restored with several stops coming from Boston. I would also like to see a ferry service established. Right now, we have a fast ferry that goes to Provincetown, which is wonderful, but I would like to see a ferry that goes to Boston. Unless you are driving a car, it is tough to get here. There is one bus service, but the service doesn’t come into Plymouth, and we do not have many ride-share vehicles operating in this area either.
What significance does Plymouth’s historical sites and heritage have for future generations?
I would emphasize that if you have not been to Plymouth, you need to put it on your list. Coming here allows people to see how the country got started. For example, people laugh about Plymouth Rock being ‘just a rock’. The rock itself may not be impressive to look at, but the symbolism around it is incredible.The Mayflower Pilgrims are said to have stepped on it to come ashore. We do not know if that is true, but it is an international brand and symbol. Most towns work their entire lives to establish an international brand, and we have that rock just sitting there. It has been there since the pilgrims came over 400 years ago and for millions of years as a geological feature. So, I encourage everyone to come and explore Plymouth.
What is your outlook for the next two to three years and your top priorities within this time frame?
There are two priorities See Plymouth is working on right now. One is a midsize conference convention center. This is not something our group could accomplish without the leadership of many others. We have done one feasibility study that tells us it is definitely feasible, and that the best way to do it is not on our own but to partner. We are currently figuring out the location and who we will partner with and from there we will continue to seek grants for the money to build it. The second initiative is a tourism destination marketing district. We are well into that process. The legislature has passed an act that allows a town to apply for a district so that when people stay in the hotels in tourism areas, they pay an additional percentage on their bill. This money goes directly to promoting the destination and goes to the regional tourism council, of which See Plymouth is one. This will help provide a sustainable amount of money coming in every year. If grant funding is late or less than expected, we will not have to scramble. If we can keep moving these two initiatives ahead, it will grow the tourism industry immensely.
