![The Rediscover CLE initiative focuses on getting local residents out and involved in the Cleveland economy. [Nick Castele / ideastream]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/340232c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/980x551+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F8%2F03%2F2019cleveland.jpg)
Destination Cleveland is launching a campaign encouraging local residents to get out into the community and boost the local economy.
The Rediscover CLE initiative is phase two in the plan to aid Cleveland鈥檚 economy from the private non-profit convention and visitors bureau. It aims to encourage residents to explore the area safely in ways they鈥檙e comfortable with during the coronavirus pandemic, said CEO David Gilbert.
鈥淔or us, it really is not about combatting those fears because I think whatever people feel is right for them, is right,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important people follow these safety protocols that are put out by our county, by our state, and so on.鈥�
Phase one, dubbed Clean Committed, asked local businesses to agree to uniform cleaning and safety standards to help prevent spread of the coronavirus, including the distribution of safety kids with sanitizer and disposable masks. The organization aims to distribute 300,000 kits.
The Rediscover CLE phase aims to make locals feel safe patronizing local businesses, Gilbert said, with a focus on those enrolled in Clean Committed.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to give them the tools so they know where to go, when to go, and how to go and begin to open up again,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淏ut again, important to note, we鈥檙e not trying to get people to do anything they鈥檙e not comfortable with.鈥�
That includes a resident guide with information on local businesses and experiences and a passport program in the Destination Cleveland app, sending locals on themed outings around town.
Rediscover CLE was originally slated to launch in June, Gilbert said, but was delayed by the spike in coronavirus cases and ongoing conversations about racial inequality.
After this phase, Destination Cleveland will focus on bringing outsiders to town, he said. That portion of the plan was initially scheduled to start this month, but has also been delayed.
鈥淲e鈥檙e almost taking it a week at a time, and looking at where the world is as it relates to COVID, and trying to make the right decisions at that time,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淨uite frankly, we鈥檝e decided there is no perfect timing and we鈥檙e just doing the best we can here.鈥�
Efforts to improve safety and get the local economy back up on its feet could help future efforts to bring tourism back to Cleveland, he said.
鈥淗ealth and safety in travel is now the new luxury, and it鈥檚 what people are going to be looking for more than ever before, by far more than ever before, in terms of the decision to travel.鈥�
