Economic Resiliency and the "Healing Power of Nature"
A generation ago, major economic activities in the region included natural resource extraction, such as timber, fishing, and mining. Today, these industries are severely diminished, and the economy has shifted towards more service-based sectors. Tourism is now among the most important industry sectors in Crescent City, providing up to 20% of the total employment. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in tourism. We are seeing more people from congested urban areas traveling to our community due to its smaller population density, our long beaches, clean air, pristine rivers, Redwood forests, and extensive mountain trails. Studies have shown that we are likely to see the acceleration of trends such as adventure travel, road trips, and exurban migration become part of our new normal. We are also expected to see a metamorphosis of retail, moving from products to experiences. The area’s natural resources are once again our strongest economic driver. With this in mind, the City hired a branding expert to develop a strategy in 2022 to help direct this shift in industry. The strategy resulted in a theory that “the healing power of nature” should be used as a guide for all future marketing and economic development efforts to prioritize, both, a healthy economy and a healthy community.