Making the Pie Bigger
When people talk about “the pie,” they’re really talking about opportunity. A fixed-sized pie means there are only so many slices to go around, and if someone else takes more, you’ll end up with less.
It’s a mindset of scarcity. But tourism doesn’t have to work like that. You can decide to make the pie bigger — and in tourism, that means achieving critical mass.
Critical mass is what happens when a place offers enough reasons for visitors to visit, stay longer, and spend more.
One café or one shop on its own isn’t enough to change behaviour. But when you bring together cafés, pubs, shops, attractions, walks, and experiences, something shifts. Visitors no longer see the town as a quick detour — they see it as a destination.
That tipping point — when there is simply “enough” to make the trip worthwhile — is what we mean by critical mass.
To help you remember what builds critical mass, think P.I.E:
(P)lenty to Do
Visitors need to feel there’s enough variety to fill their time. That means a mix that encourages them to explore:
Food & Drink
Cafés, pubs, restaurants, and takeaways for food and drink.
Shopping
Shops with different styles and products, from everyday essentials to local makers.
Things to Do
Attractions and things to do that give people reasons to spend time and money, and create memories.
Natural Highlights
Walks, viewpoints, and scenic experiences that stretch out the day.
Experiences
Guided tours, tastings, workshops — that add depth and make visitors feel part of our community
When visitors see there’s plenty to do, they’re more likely to stay longer, plan return visits and more importantly … tell their friends.
(I)nteresting Variety
The pull of a place comes from contrasts and surprises. No one is inspired by rows of identical businesses — it’s the mix that matters:
Points of Difference
Businesses that complement one another, not copy one another.
Cafés with different atmospheres
An intriguing mix of cosy, contemporary, family-friendly, budget-friendly, aspirational etc.
Shops offering contrast
Antiques next to outdoor gear, gourmet food and handcrafted treats, handmade crafts alongside high-end gifts.
Evening Appeal
Restaurants and pubs with distinct menus, styles, or themes, for a mixture of budgets and tastes.
Attractions and experiences
That appeal to different ages and sectors, interests, and energy levels.
This variety keeps visitors curious: “let’s see what’s around the next corner.”
(E)verybody Benefits
The real power of critical mass is that prosperity is shared. When visitors stay longer and spend more widely:
More Spending
More meals are bought, more tickets and experiences sold, and more shops visited.
More Revenue
Revenue spreads across cafés, shops, pubs, accommodation, attractions, and experiences.
Shared Marketing
Drawing in more visitors than individual businesses could reach alone.
Increased Prosperity
A rising reputation for the town lifts everyone equally.
Sustaining Critical Mass
But it’s not enough to reach critical mass once. Sustaining it is the harder part.
Trends
Trends in food, retail, and experiences shift — destinations must keep up.
Innovation
Innovation is needed to keep things fresh — events, collaborations, seasonal twists.
Energy & Enthusiasm
Is needed to be visible, so the place feels alive and welcoming.
Curiosity
Generate curiosity so regular visitors should always find something new to discover, so their interest never fades.
Critical mass isn’t a finish line. Think of it as a living system that needs care and renewal — and when it’s nurtured, it keeps feeding prosperity back into the businesses and whole destination.
Think about it in practice:
Café: On its own it might struggle to draw in new visitors, but join with other food spots to create a festival and suddenly the whole town attracts more people.
Pub: Partner with local brewers or musicians to host themed nights, drawing in both locals and visitors who may not have stopped by otherwise.
Restaurant: Collaborate with nearby producers to create a seasonal menu, promoting both the dining experience and the local supply chain.
Attraction: Link with nearby walks, trails, or tours to offer a fuller day out, keeping visitors in the area for longer.
Experience provider: Bundle your offer — a boat trip with a local tasting, or a guided walk with a craft workshop — and you create something no single business could do alone.
Retail shop: Champion local products alongside your own to attract customers searching for authentic finds, and they’ll often spend more widely.
Creator or maker: Work with peers to host open studios or joint exhibitions; audiences who wouldn’t travel for one artist will happily come for a group.
For tourism, the goal isn’t simply “more visitors at any cost.”
If we only chase volume, we risk overcrowding, environmental pressure, and losing the very charm that draws people here. The real goal is Better, Not Busier — creating a critical mass that feels welcoming, diverse, and rewarding for visitors, while delivering shared prosperity across the destination.
Making the pie bigger means asking a different kind of question. Not “how do I defend my share?” but “what can we do to grow the whole?” Collaboration turns a string of isolated businesses into a destination worth travelling for — and that’s when critical mass begins to work in your favour.
Help Make the PIE Bigger
Plenty to see and do: Point visitors towards other things nearby, encouraging them to see the town as a full day out.
Interesting variety: Make sure your offer adds something different, complementing others around the villages rather than duplicating them.
Everyone benefits: Promote the destination first, your business second — because the more visitors stay and explore, the more prosperity is shared.
