SWOT Analysis: What are our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?

By Diane Probst
President/CEO

Every year in March, the Tourism Development Council of the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce begins their due diligence on a Marketing Plan for the Rockport-Fulton area. In order to do that, workshops need to be held, meetings convened, reviews made and focus groups conducted. This past year, a member of the Tourism Development Council, Vicki Pitluk, facilitated a focus group to identify our communities strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Take a look below at the results and give me feedback on what you would add, change or leave the same.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis

This offers us a realistic assessment of our destination’s total picture. Strength is an asset that can be used to improve our competitive position. A weakness is just the opposite – a resource or capability that may cause us to have a less competitive position, which can adversely affect tourism. Opportunities are developed from our positive circumstances. Threats are viewed as problems that focus on our weaknesses and create a potential negative situation. A competitive and environmental assessment is a factual analysis that is both objective and subjective. It includes looking at our competition, looking at ourselves as a community, and looking ahead to the next five years. We worked with a volunteer “focus group” made up of Jeanie Wittliff, Scott Dutton, Alyssa Spears, Sam Spears, Mary Ellen Nies and lead by Vicki Pitluk. A synopsis of the results follows:
SUGGESTED STRENGTHS:
a. Relaxed, quaint small town
b. Birding
c. Fishing
d. Boating/ Water Sports
e. Art
f. RV Friendly
g. Beach – Blue Wave only one in Texas
h. Natural attractions
i. Proximity to large cities – Save gas & time
j. People (Friendly)
k. Winter Texans
l. Clean
m. Family oriented (Not a party town)
n. Aquatic center
o. Fond memories

SUGGESTED WEAKNESSES:
a. Lack of qualified, reliable labor force
b. People (Drinking and loud in bars)
c. Winter Texans
d. No system for airport transportation
e. Lack of convention or community center
f. Chamber building (not modern)
g. Restaurants – Not enough variety or family oriented restaurants
h. Few family venues – Bowling, putt putt golf, water park
i. Service mentality/Hospitality
1. No trained pool
2. Not affordable for employees
3. Companies not training employees
4. Pay scale
j. Cleanliness of hotels/motels – Bad experiences
k. Downtown not vibrant or attractive. Too few stores, restaurants, B & B’s, dilapidated harbor area and bait stands.
l. Closes down early in evening
m. Seafair same time as Octoberfest in Fredericksburg

SUGGESTED OPPORTUNITIES:
a. Training program – Hospitality, service
b. Info to businesses – What’s going on in town?
c. Promote relaxation – Less congestion
d. Coastal Bend – Co-op ads/marketing
e. Future – Ingleside Base
f. Future – Downtown, music performers, outdoor dining, more shops, restaurants
g. Mimic sister city with similar demographics
h. Large nearby population to draw from

SUGGESTED THREATS:
a. Ingleside Base
b. Bad experience – Hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.
c. Hurricanes
d. Port A, Port O’Connor, Fredericksburg – Similar markets
e. Nothing to do at night
f. Lack of viable businesses, shopping
g. Strengths of existing businesses

In summary, it is unlikely that the current environmental and competitive situation of the Rockport-Fulton area will remain the status quo. With new developments on the horizon, Heritage District for Downtown Rockport and Fulton street improvements, the Hike and Bike Trail, the Aquarium, improvements made by the Aransas County Navigation District, City of Rockport Parks and Recreation these threats will weaken.