Cannabis Tourism: The Next Big Thing?
MG Magazine has a feature exploring the development of marijuana tourism that’s well worth the time of anyone in the cannabis or hospitality industry:
Just as wine turned Napa Valley into a world-renowned hotspot, cannabis has the potential to transform communities across the country into thriving tourist destinations. Dispensary owners and growers are ready to serve a canna-curious public, but for the most part the hospitality industry is not. Many businesses remain hesitant, resistant, or simply unsure about how to connect their services with a product that is still illegal in some states.
…Because only fourteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use, the majority of Americans must travel to obtain non-medical cannabis products. Now is the time for hotels, spas, and event venues in rec-legal states to position themselves for cannabis tourism. Working together, the two industries have the power to help ease the public into the future.
Copper House Bud & Breakfast in Michigan
This means moving beyond the “bud and breakfast” cliché that overlooks the broader hospitality experience. We must work to replace the stereotypical “stoner” and “partier” assumptions with a more realistic, nuanced image of marijuana consumers. Changing the paradigm means integrating cannabis into existing hospitality business models, aesthetics, and clientele.
Cannabis tourists aren’t looking simply to get high; they’re looking for high-quality travel experiences. They blanket the spectrum from seniors seeking pain relief and relaxation to young couples reconnecting, stressed-out professionals enjoying spa pampering, and girlfriends in search of a weekend getaway in the country. In other words, marijuana users are all of us: chief executive officers, professionals, parents, grandparents, and high-end hotel guests. Meeting the needs of cannabis-positive guests is just an extension of what we’ve always done in the hospitality industry—taking care of people. By normalizing cannabis within our industry, we de-stigmatize the plant and give our guests a truly exceptional hospitality experience.
Read more in MG Mag. You can check out our list of cannabis friendly lodging & camping and read more about marijuana & tourism on the MCT.
