The Genealogy Tourism Model
Burnett Thorne believes that Genealogy tourism is one of those hidden gems, waiting to be discovered by the vast majority of regions. The precise commercial opportunity has rarely been articulated from the perspective of the North American tourism industry and it might be interesting for you to re-examine your region and see if the opportunity works for you.

Genealogy Tourism -Tourism motivated by one’s roots, has mostly been a West–East phenomenon, whereby residents, mostly from North America and Australia and New Zealand have visited Europe to check out one’s roots and to look for long lost family connections. A modest percentage of travelers have planned their vacation solely for that reason, others taking a day or so to check out a cemetery or look at the local parish records.

“I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow”

Woodrow Wilson

However we believe the combination of the two (passive or active travel) makes for an interesting tourism driver and in some regions can leave an identifiable economic footprint. East West Genealogy Tourism is already an economic driver in some regions and can be easily developed as a viable niche tourism industry- as long as the emigration and settlement patterns are conducive.

For example in many regions of Canada, many settler families originally from Europe, re-emigrated to the United States – often to nearby border states and if the local records are in good shape, an opportunity for Genealogy tourism – the search for one’s ancestors can yield a viable economic footprint. Prince Edward Island in Canada is a prime example of how this can be achieved – using their excellent genealogy records and a local passion for heritage and ancestral connections – particularly with migration to the nearby New England states.

Burnett Thorn’s Genealogy tourism model can be used to research this opportunity for your region. We are well placed to “connect the dots” and deliver this valuable tourism segment.