The Changing Resort Industry

March is resort month at ULI. We’re featuring a new conference this year, “Developing Resort, Second Home, and Golf course Communities,” to be held in Tampa, March 14-15. This promises to be an outstanding conference with lots of top-notch speakers. It’s a great networking opportunity too.

The resort industry is going through many changes. New parts of the globe are opening up to travelers and old ones are being revitalized. Ownership structures are changing, new market segments are being targeted, and resorts -- like other products -- are increasingly going green. More than ever, travelers are seeking a unique experience. And when travelers get bored with lying in the sun or skiing down the slopes, they inevitably turn to shopping.

From the Emerald Coast of Florida (Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Watercolor) to Lake Tahoe, to Whistler ski resort in the Canadian Blackcomb Mountains, retail town centers and main streets are becoming the must-have resort amenity. What are some of the newest, most exciting of these resort town centers? Share some of your favorite examples with us.