thumb|left|upright|Former Joplin Rainbow Tree|alt= On March 15, 2018, the City of Joplin conducted an independent tourism study which covered the purpose of the study, evaluation process, competitive market summary, recommendations, and implementations. In the overview, the City states its strategic priorities for tourism which were improve the visitor experience, increase the number of visitors, capture visitor spending, and emphasize results-driven tourism marketing. The purpose of the study was to provide direction for Joplin to help define the focus for future tourism efforts. In the study the city mentions the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the tourism market in the region as well as recommendations to increase tourism in the city. One of the recommendations in the study was to develop a conference center with an incorporated or adjacent hotel which could accommodate groups up to 2,500 and include multi-use exhibit space, breakout rooms and the newest technology. Another recommendation was to enhance downtown by encouraging hotel development in downtown, supporting and promoting development of empire market and food culture, supporting development of an Arts & Entertainment complex, supporting efforts of Connect2Culture and the broader art community relating facilities and programs downtown, hosting a variety of special events downtown, promoting downtown as a location for dining, shopping and culture, and continuing Main Street and downtown core improvements. It is recommended that the first step for the CVB Board is to discuss and decide which of the recommendations they see as priorities and take these to City Council for their recommendation. Additionally, the CVB should start collecting visitor data, undertake Identity and Branding study (with the city as lead or in partnership with the city), work on increasing lodging tax, ear-marked for conference center use the Tourism Study as a roadmap for future decision-making.
thumb|left|upright|Former Joplin Rainbow Tree|alt= On March 15 2018 the City of Joplin conducted an independent tourism study which covered the purpose of the study evaluation process competitive market summary recommendations and implementations In the overview the City states its strategic priorities for tourism which were improve the visitor experience increase the number of visitors capture visitor spending and emphasize results-driven tourism marketing The purpose of the study was to provide direction for Joplin to help define the focus for future tourism efforts In the study the city mentions the strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats of the tourism market in the region as well as recommendations to increase tourism in the city One of the recommendations in the study was to develop a conference center with an incorporated or adjacent hotel which could accommodate groups up to 2500 and include multi-use exhibit space breakout rooms and the newest technology Another recommendation was to enhance downtown by encouraging hotel development in downtown supporting and promoting development of empire market and food culture supporting development of an Arts & Entertainment complex supporting efforts of Connect2Culture and the broader art community relating facilities and programs downtown hosting a variety of special events downtown promoting downtown as a location for dining shopping and culture and continuing Main Street and downtown core improvements It is recommended that the first step for the CVB Board is to discuss and decide which of the recommendations they see as priorities and take these to City Council for their recommendation Additionally the CVB should start collecting visitor data undertake Identity and Branding study (with the city as lead or in partnership with the city) work on increasing lodging tax ear-marked for conference center use the Tourism Study as a roadmap for future decision-making