A new strategic plan could help shape the future of tourism in Leland for years to come.

The Leland Tourism Development Authority (LTDA) last adopted a strategic plan in 2013, according to Barnes Sutton, the town of Leland’s economic and community development director. Since then, the area has seen major changes, including significant population growth, ongoing residential and commercial development, and new hotel construction.

Sutton acts as a liaison between the town and the LTDA, a separate entity funded by room occupancy tax revenue. He said the ongoing planning effort will offer updated guidance on where the board should focus investments and new strategies for growing tourism in the area.

Several new hotels have flocked to Leland in recent years, including a Tru by Hilton that opened in 2023, a Marriott StudioRes under construction near Brunswick Forest and a hotel proposed in Waterford.

“With this will come more funding for the TDA,” Sutton said, “and so we wanted to make sure that we were using those funds in the most effective and efficient way that we can. In order to do that, we have to have the most updated information.”

Last August, the town issued a request for proposals for a consultant to lead the planning effort, selecting Pennsylvania-based firm National Travel Center.

Consultants began by completing an inventory of tourism-related assets within a 30-mile radius of the town, Sutton said. That included an area encompassing southern Brunswick County, nearly all of Wilmington and New Hanover County and parts of Pender County. The inventory helped consultants understand the area’s existing tourist attractions and identify what’s not being offered – an area where Leland could find its tourism niche, Sutton said.

During the evaluation process, they also examined destinations that are competitive and comparable to Leland. Sutton said the analysis allowed the town to look at tourism and marketing strategies from top destinations and from cities that, like Leland, are located alongside larger metros and have had to carve out their own niche.

Next, consultants interviewed tourism stakeholders, including hotel and restaurant owners, representatives from Leland’s Cultural Arts Center and others who interact with visitors. They also conducted a tourism survey.

Sutton said the survey was “heavily taken” by residents, who expressed an interest in outdoor concerts, local theater and special events, including more seasonal markets and water-based activities. The results allow town officials and the consultants to understand improvements that might benefit both tourists and residents alike.

“These were all things that were resident-fed input that allowed us to say, ‘Okay, this is something that we can invest in that our visitors would be able to enjoy seasonally, but … it’s something that our residents can benefit from year-round,” Sutton said.

Longtime Leland resident Chris LaCoe has been a member of the LTDA board for about six years. He’s watched the area grow, change and come into its own over the years.

“Leland is no longer just the town across the bridge from Wilmington,” he said.

LaCoe said he sees tourism as having a significant role in Leland’s economy, but because Leland doesn’t have a downtown district, event center or sports venue to draw visitors, the town relies on advertising. LaCoe expects that to change in the coming years as the area establishes more attractions like parks, event spaces and entertainment venues, which could boost the economic impact of tourism.

“Personally, I’d love to see a sports and entertainment venue project move forward – it’s a big undertaking,” LaCoe wrote, “but it could be a game changer. In the meantime, I think there’s great value in hosting more festivals, concerts and community events.”

A draft of the plan is being finalized and will be presented to the LTDA board at its June meeting, Sutton said. LaCoe said the strategic plan will help provide the LTDA board with a “big picture view” of what people want to see in Leland, and Sutton agrees.

“This will give us guidance to say it makes sense for us to pursue small-scale, intimate theater, or it might tell us it makes sense to pursue outdoor concerts in the park or public art around the shopping areas,” Sutton said. “You know, whatever it might be. This gives us the data to support the ideas.”