HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Town Board Study Session 2015-10-27
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
TOWN BOARD 5:00 p.m. – 6:40 p.m.
STUDY SESSION Board Room
5:00 p.m. Dinner Served
5:15 p.m. Local Marketing District (Visit Estes Park) 2016 Operating
Plan.
6:15 p.m. Trustee & Administrator Comments & Questions.
6:25 p.m. Future Study Session Agenda Items.
(Board Discussion)
6:40 p.m. Adjourn for Town Board Meeting.
“Informal discussion among Trustees concerning agenda items or other Town matters may occur before this
meeting at approximately 4:45 p.m.”
AGENDA
1200 Graves Ave • P.O. Box 4426 • Estes Park, CO 80517 • 970‐586‐0500 • www.VisitEstesPark.com
September 30, 2015
Town of Estes Park
Honorable Bill Pinkham and Town Trustees
Administrator, Finance Officer & Town Clerk
170 MacGregor Avenue
Estes Park, CO 80517
Re: 2016 Operating Plan
The Estes Park Local Marketing District, dba Visit Estes Park, is pleased to present the 2016 Operating Plan for
your review. This body of work represents the efforts of our entire board and team.
The Plan highlights our past and outlines the future strategy for the next year, while referencing
comprehensive research to substantiate our approach. As always, we adapt this data, refining the conclusions
for the uniqueness of the Estes Valley.
The success of the 2016 Operating Plan can only be achieved by continuing the strong partnership and
productive collaboration we currently have with the Town of Estes Park. This partnership, based on mutual
trust and respect, will continue to foster positive economic impacts for the residents of Estes Park and will
cultivate unique experiences for guests.
Thank you for allowing Visit Estes Park to present our two‐part series at the recent Town Board Meetings
‐‐ where we are now, and where we are headed. If you would like a short presentation of the Operating Plan
during the upcoming work session or Town Board meeting, feel free to let me know.
In the meantime, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am happy to meet with you
prior to the October 27 work session, during which the Operating Plan discussion is scheduled.
Warm Regards,
Elizabeth Fogarty
President & CEO
Visit Estes Park
EFogarty@VisitEstesPark.com
ESTES PARK
LOCAL MARKETING DISTRICT
______________________________________________________________________
VISIT ESTES PARK
2016 OPERATING PLAN
September 22, 2016
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 1
Table of Contents Page
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Visit Estes Park Organizational Structure ................................................................................................................. 2
Visit Estes Park Mission, Vision, Core Values ........................................................................................................... 4
Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Local Marketing District Overview............................................................................................................................... 7
Travel & Tourism ................................................................................................................................................................ 9
The Basis of the Estes Park Economy .................................................................................................... 9
Travel Trends .................................................................................................................................................. 9
State of the American Traveler ............................................................................................................... 10
The Power of Travel & Tourism Promotion ...................................................................................... 12
Destination Product Development ........................................................................................................ 15
Outdoor Recreation .................................................................................................................................... 17
Rocky Mountain National Park ............................................................................................................... 18
Regional & State Tourism ......................................................................................................................... 19
International Tourism................................................................................................................................ 20
Wellness Tourism ........................................................................................................................................ 20
2016 Marketing Plan........................................................................................................................................................ 21
Advertising ..................................................................................................................................................... 22
Media ................................................................................................................................................................ 25
Creative Assets .............................................................................................................................................. 29
In-Market Engagement ................................................................................................................................................... 30
Public Relations ................................................................................................................................................................. 31
VisitEstesPark.com Website ......................................................................................................................................... 36
BookDirect - JackRabbit .................................................................................................................................................. 38
Social Media ......................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Email Marketing ................................................................................................................................................................ 41
Collateral Development .................................................................................................................................................. 42
Visitor Center ...................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Partnership Development .............................................................................................................................................. 45
Key Performance Indicators ......................................................................................................................................... 49
2016 Budget ........................................................................................................................................................................ 53
Glossary ................................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 2
Introduction
Visit Estes Park is a data-driven research-based organization. The 2016 Operating Plan supports this
strategy by not only detailing where we are now and where we are headed; but also by including
comprehensive research to substantiate our approach. Although Estes Park is a unique and
extraordinary destination, our challenges are quite similar to destinations across the country.
Understanding our similarities while recognizing our unique qualities will propel the Estes Valley
forward in an efficient and sustainable way.
Our entire team at Visit Estes Park is extremely dedicated and committed to everyone’s success in
the Estes Valley, and although we have yet to return to pre-flood staffing levels, we hope to in 2016.
The level of success validated with all key indicators requires us to maintain that momentum, and
staff accordingly to support new strategies we plan to deploy in 2016. We will also continue to focus
on community accomplishments, while providing education and encouraging collaboration with all
community partners.
We welcome your feedback regarding the 2016 Visit Estes Park Operating Plan.
In partnership,
Elizabeth Fogarty
President & CEO
efogarty@VisitEstesPark.com
970-586-0500
Visit Estes Park Organizational Structure
Organization
The Estes Park Local Marketing District (LMD) is the legal entity formed and funded by the 2%
lodging tax. The registered “doing business as” name is Visit Estes Park.
The formation of the Local Marketing District and the 2% lodging tax were approved by District
voters in November 2008 and lodging tax collections went into effect on January 1, 2009. Staffing
and operations began in January 2010.
The Visit Estes Park Board of Directors focuses direction to the President & CEO, other than ordinary
involvement in committees, in order to keep reporting direct and focused, without confusion. We
believe this is very important to keep individual agendas from getting involved. Any necessary
communication and direction to be given to the President & CEO during periods between board
meetings are handled by the Visit Estes Park Board Chair. In the absence or incapacitation of the
Chair, this responsibility would be handled by the Vice Chair.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 3
The Local Marketing District (LMD) Model
According to Colorado State Statute, the Local Marketing District may provide any of the following
services within the District:
(a) Organization, promotion, marketing, and support of public events;
(b) Activities in support of business recruitment, management, and development; coordinating tourism
promotion activities;
(c) No revenue collected from the marketing and promotion tax levied under section 29-25-112 may be
used for any capital expenditures, with the exception of tourist information centers;
(d) To have the management, control, and supervision of all the business and affairs of the district and
of the operation of district services therein;
(e) To appoint an advisory board of owners of property within the boundaries of the district and provide
for the duties and functions thereof;
(f) To hire employees or retain agents, engineers, consultants, attorneys, and accountants;
(g) To adopt and amend bylaws not in conflict with the constitution and laws of the state or with the
ordinances of the local government affected for carrying on the business, objectives, and affairs of the
board and of the district; and
(h) To exercise all rights and powers necessary or incidental to or implied from the specific powers
granted in this article. Such specific powers shall not be considered as a limitat ion upon any power
necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and intent of this article.
Visit Estes Park Board of Directors
Bill Almond, Chair – Director of Marketing & Sales, YMCA of the Rockies
(Term end – 12/31/15)
Jon Nicholas, Vice Chair – President & CEO, Estes Park Economic Development Corp.
(Term end – 12/31/16)
Scott Webermeier, Secretary/Treasurer – Owner, National Park Village & EDC Board
(Term end – 12/31/16)
Lindsay Lamson – Owner, Rocky Mountain Resorts & EALA and EDC Board
(Term end – 12/31/18)
Lynette Lott – Rocky Mountain Resorts & EALA Board
(Departed board 3/17/15 due to relocating outside District).
Adam Shake – Owner, Neanderthal Productions Social Media Consulting & EVPC Board
(Term end – 12/31/17)
Karen Ericson – Owner, Serendipity Trading Company (Sworn in January 2015)
(Term end – 12/31/18)
Steve Kruger – Manager, Solitude Cabins (Sworn in July 2015)
(Term end – 12/31/19)
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 4
The seven member Board is appointed, with five members appointed by the Town of Estes Park
Board of Trustees and two by the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners. Each serves
a four-year term. Current bylaws limit each member to two consecutive full terms.
Visit Estes Park Staff
Elizabeth Fogarty – President & CEO
Brooke Burnham – Director of Public Relations & Communications
Kellen Toulouse – Digital Communications Manager
Becky Gruhl – Partner & Group Development Manager (Hired August 2015)
Suzy Blackhurst – Director of Operations
Michael Bodman – Office Manager (Hired April 2015)
Key Partner Organizations
Visit Estes Park Board of Directors Colorado Tourism Office
Visit Estes Park Staff Estes Park Economic Development Corp.
Town of Estes Park Elected Officials & Staff Rocky Mountain National Park
Larimer County Elected Officials & Staff Rocky Mountain Conservancy
State Elected Officials & Staff Tourism & Community Partners
Colorado Office of Economic Development & Int’l Trade
Visit Estes Park Mission, Vision, Core Values
Mission: Attract guests to the District through effective and efficient destination marketing and
management in order to drive year-round economic growth.
Vision: To be a year-round tourism, group, and event destination that supports our healthy
mountain village with a balance of financial success, positive and memorable experiences for guests,
and quality of life for our community.
Core Values: Accountable, Ethical, Proactive, Respectful, Responsive, and Transparent
Timeline
Projects & Marketing Partners
2008: Lodging tax passed with voter approval in November
2009: Two percent lodging tax collections went into effect January 1
2010: Strategic Marketing Plan (Hannah Marketing)
Turner PR hired
2011: Year-round visitor study (Hannah Marketing)
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 5
National Consumer Brand Awareness – Perception Study (YPartnership)
Began Destination Brand Strategy (Duane Knapp)
2012: Destination Brand Strategy (Duane Knapp)
Economic & Fiscal Impact of Tourism on the Estes Park Economy research study
(Tucker Hart-Adams of Summit Economics)
IGA between LMD and Larimer County was established and confirmed distribution of
payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) for 2% of rental fees for all camping and cabins operated by
Larimer County
2013: New marketing creative & advertising (Cultivator Advertising & Backbone Media)
New website & mobile site (Simpleview)
Customer Relationship Management system (Simpleview)
Brand Culturalization – Began Phase 4
Earned DMAI (Destination Marketing Association International) DMO
(Destination Marketing Organization) accreditation; in effect for four years
Digital Communications Manager added to staff (July)
Eliminated two positions post-flood
Confirmed partnership with Town of Estes Park and their Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report with Clifton Larson Allen, LLC
Total post-flood grant award: $75,000
2014: Began using Barcelona Principles for PR tracking
State of Colorado amended law to enable monthly, rather than quarterly, lodging tax
disbursements to smooth-out cash flows for Local Marketing Districts; began receiving
monthly lodging tax disbursements in July
Received the Award of Excellence, along with Turner PR, from the Public Relations Society of
America for Crisis Communications after the September 2013 flood
Total 2014 post-flood grant awards and contributions awarded: $421,560
2015: New advertising Century of Adventure creative campaign – evolved to a historical and more
sophisticated ad creative to resonate more with adventure travelers and connect with the
RMNP & NPS centennials
Expanded influencer programs and relations through desksides & influencer visits to Estes
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 6
Added a Texas deskside media tour
Hired Office Manager in April, and Partner Development & Groups Manager in August
Executed two video production projects to ultimately yield 10 brand and activity videos for
Estes Park
Expanded in-market, out-of-home reach with brochure/visitor guide distribution, mobile
visitor center and the forthcoming digital kiosks in the visitor center
Hired Tourism Intelligence
Converted Visit Estes Park website to responsive design and CMS 2.0
Past Catastrophic Events
2012: In 2011-2012, Colorado had an extremely dry winter. This resulted in over 21 wildfires
during 2012 and garnered national media attention. The most notable in regards to
destruction and/or proximity to Estes Park were: Woodland Heights Fire (Estes Park), Fern
Lake Fire (Rocky Mountain National Park), Waldo Canyon Fire (El Paso & Teller Counties),
Flagstaff Fire (Boulder County), and High Park Fire (Larimer County).
2013: Summer season again started with catastrophic wildfires in Colorado and the west, and again
garnered much unwanted national media attention. The Black Forest fire, near Colorado
Springs, began on June 11, 2013. The evacuation area covered 94,000 acres, 13,000 homes
and 38,000 people. The fire was 100 percent contained on June 20, 2013, but 14,280 acres
had burned, at least 509 homes were destroyed, and two people had died. This was the most
destructive fire in the state's history.
The natural disaster of the 2013 Colorado flood began on September 9, 2013 and peaked in
Estes Park on September 13. A slow-moving cold front stalled over Colorado, combined with
warm humid monsoonal air, caused up to 20” of rainfall in some areas. This resulted in
catastrophic flooding, causing President Obama to declare a state of emergency for Larimer
County (a total of 14 counties were designated state of emergency). The devastation isolated
the town for weeks, due to the immense damage to Highways 7, 34 and 36. Homes and
businesses were destroyed, leaving many displaced and seeking temporary housing.
The federal government shutdown began on October 1, 2013 and caused Rocky Mountain
National Park (RMNP) to close, further delaying Estes Park’s flood recovery. Thankfully, an
agreement was reached between the Interior Department and Governor Hickenlooper to re-
open the park with donated state funds, thus re-opening the park on October 12.
2014: In 2014, Visit Estes Park was charged with mitigating the negative impact the September 2013
flood had on the perception of Estes Park and the consumer demand to travel to Estes Park.
There were businesses that could not re-open due to lost revenue and the cost of repairs.
Others tried to hold on, but also eventually closed due to decreased sales. Many residents and
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 7
businesses applied for loans and grants. Continued media coverage of the tragic flood proved
challenging, yet the community joined efforts to create a consistent message that Estes Park
was open and welcoming guests.
Visit Estes Park sought every available resource to effectively combat misperceptions of
devastation, overcome challenges of road closures and to reposition a “damaged” Estes Park
as a rebuilt destination offering renewed and expanded high-quality guest experiences. These
efforts included applying for and obtaining alternative funding in the form of contributions,
increased investments and grants. The additional funds received allowed Visit Estes Park to
conduct both short-term and long-term investments in advertising and public relations.
Emergency funding through regional & partner contributions and grants awarded in
December 2013 totaled $75,000 as follows:
Northern Colorado Community Foundation $ 74,000
Individual Contribution $ 1,000
Emergency funding through regional and partner contributions and grants awarded in
2014 totaled $421,560 as follows:
Regional $ 45,000
Economic Development Administration $126,683
Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery $149,877
Town of Estes Park $100,000
2015: According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the recovery from a flood
disaster of this caliber takes an average of three to five years to complete. Although Estes Park
continues to show signs of resiliency and renewed strength since the flood, many businesses
are still recouping lost revenue and paying off past flood-recovery expenses. Also, we have a
difficult road ahead with the reconstruction of U.S. Hwy 34, which is a key artery to the
destination with large numbers of travelers coming from the Midwest and
North/Northeast. Unlike US Hwy 36 and CO Hwy 7, U.S. 34 doesn’t have an easy alternate
route, making detours of this road even more impactful to would-be travelers to Estes Park.
Local Marketing District Overview
The Estes Park Local Marketing District continues to be organized by Intergovernmental Agreements
(IGA) among the LMD, the Town of Estes Park and Larimer County.
Funding and Revenue
The primary funding source for the district continues to be the 2% lodging tax which is collected by
district lodging properties from their guests for stays of fewer than 30 days. This tax is remitted to
the Colorado Department of Revenue on a monthly and quarterly basis (depending on size of
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 8
business) and then distributed to Visit Estes Park. The history of the LMD 2% lodging tax collections
is as follows:
2010: $ 1,250,537.60
2011: $ 1,343,155.94
2012: $ 1,513,414.20
2013: $ 1,365,382.58
2014: $ 1,596,346.62
The 2014 lodging tax revenue total of $ 1,596,346.62 was 17% higher than 2013 due to rapid
recovery of revenues lost during the floods, primarily due to aggressive marketing campaigns funded
by regional and federal grants with contributions by the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County and
regional partners. Compared to 2012, 2014 lodging tax receipts were 5% higher. These
improvements are testimony to the resiliency of the community after natural disasters of fire & flood.
These improvements demonstrate that Visit Estes Park’s marketing and PR efforts helped to
influence public perception which resulted in strong visitation to Estes and RMNP, despite the
destruction.
Through July 31, 2015, lodging tax receipts total $ 1,003,960, which is 22.93% higher than those
received during the same seven-month period in 2014. Final revenues for the full year 2015 won’t be
recorded until February 2016. The strong tax receipts so far this year are a result of many factors,
including highly successful marketing campaigns, Rocky Mountain National Park’s Centennial,
notable awards from prestigious magazines and websites, and a vibrant tourism industry world-
wide.
Visit Estes Park continues to work with independent financial auditors and the Town of Estes Park to
ensure a smooth financial audit process each year. As in years past, our 2014 audit results showed
no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. Maintaining a clean and successful audit will once
again be important in 2016. Visit Estes Park’s audit is an integral part of the Town of Estes Park’s
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).
Monthly, rather than quarterly lodging tax disbursements have significantly improved our month-to-
month cash flows since July 2014. We will continue to work with the State of Colorado Department
of Revenue to detect and pursue the collection of outstanding lodging taxes. Visit Estes Park will also
remain focused on both in-Town vacation rentals and ‘County’ vacation rentals (those rental
properties located outside of Estes Park Town limits, but inside the Local Marketing District). We
continue to work closely with the Town and short-term vacation home rental owners regarding
vacation home regulation and enforcement.
Revenue is also received from stakeholder advertising sales, where Visit Estes Park offers
opportunities for district businesses to promote their businesses through Visit Estes Park, leveraging
our marketing efforts and wide reach. Some of these revenues are paid through credit card
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 9
transactions. To process these transactions, we are planning to switch from a traditional credit card
machine to a smartphone/tablet mobile card reader system. This change would result in lower
transactions costs for Visit Estes Park, saving up to 1.00% per card transaction.
Travel & Tourism
Tourism: The Basis of the Estes Park Economy
In 2012, Visit Estes Park commissioned a first-ever study to define the impact of tourism on the Estes
Park economy. The Economic & Fiscal Impact of Tourism on the Estes Park Economy research study
was conducted by Tucker Hart-Adams of Summit Economics. The study found that:
Tourism is the basis of the Estes Park economy;
Estes Park welcomes over 2 million visitors per year (Per Summit Economics 2012 report);
Estes Park’s 2 million visitors spend about $187 million per year in the area;
Tourism provides more than half the jobs in Estes Park;
Tourism jobs result in $46.7 million in earnings each year;
Guests provided the Town with about 54.1% of its revenues, almost $18 million annually;
The tourism industry saves each Estes Park resident $418 annually in municipal costs;
Tourism enhances the quality of life for each resident;
Every $1 spent on Visit Estes Park tourism advertising generates $6.70 in return to the state
of Colorado; city and county governments receive additional tax dollars.
*Data from 2012 Summit Report, not adjusted for inflation
Travel Trends
The Silent Traveler*
Who is the silent traveler? They are a tech-savvy consumer in their 20s and 30s who highly values
both person-to-person inspiration and sharing among their social network. That said, they are
difficult to reach and convert. Today’s silent travelers are almost always mixing business and leisure
travel during the same trip, they are steering clear of conventional marketing, travel agencies and
packages, and they are traveling in groups as much as they are journeying alone. Their destinations
are often highly personal and not often the typical cities and attractions that other travelers tend to
select.
Brands attempting to capture, understand and win the business of the silent traveler are faced first
with the prospect of having to initiate a personalized experience. Storytelling and social influencers
figure into this process, as do approaches that solve particular complications and challenges that the
independent and self-reliant traveler might find insurmountable without some of the traditional
resources that agencies and package trips can include. Messaging these advantages in ways that align
with the kinds of travel the “silent” demographic prefers is critical to reaching them with these
opportunities. *May 12, 2015, James O'Brien + Skift Team
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 10
Visit Estes Park continues to partner with social influencers as we add chapters to the ongoing
storyline of the Estes Park experience. Instead of highlighting one specific experience, most of which
we cannot deliver in a complete manner, we are instead crafting a complete story approach and
knitting together a variety of experiences that Estes can deliver in an authentic way. Partnering with
our local community through our video content series is also a way we are creating a credible
storytelling experience.
State of the American Traveler*
The following are excerpts from the 2015 edition of the State of the American Traveler study
conducted by Destination Analysts, a San Francisco-based research firm. The study (published every
six months) reviews the travel intentions, interests, visitor behavior and media usage of American
travelers.
Market of Opportunity Continues
The State of the American Traveler, almost a decade old, has never reported a more positive travel
environment. Americans are feeling bullish about their travel prospects in 2015 – 2016. Barriers to
travel such as gas prices and the perception of costly airfares are at their lowest level in the almost
10 years of the study (despite airfares actually rising since the airline industry consolidated). It is a
market of opportunity.
Make the U.S. Exotic – More Competition from International Destinations
However, challenges remain despite this growth in tourism. One is the high value of the U.S. dollar,
which makes the U.S. a more expensive destination for international travelers (who spent $222
billion to travel to and within the USA in 2014; source: U.S. Travel Association/Brand USA). Another
impact is that the rest of the world is on sale – international destinations are cheaper than in many
years, enticing Americans to plan international travel. And there are more international DMOs –
spending more money than ever before in the history of travel – encouraging Americans to visit.
Domestic destinations will need to work harder to remain relevant, exotic and exciting to U.S. leisure
travelers – especially Millennials, who are three times more likely than Baby Boomers to be planning
international travel in the year ahead. Brand USA and destinations around the world (i.e. Tourism
Australia) have focused on food and cuisine as a point of differentiation. Cuisine is one area where, if
you have not entered the foodie market, the destination could suffer.
Personalization Is Even More Important
It is important to clearly understand the audience before creating, curating and delivering content in
a highly targeted and personalized way to your prospective traveler. The differences in the interests,
media use and actual travel behavior of Gen Y/Millennials vs. Baby Boomers shows up in a number of
significant areas. Deep, rich and specialized content and a distribution plan to get this message to the
right people at the right time via the right device and media are critical.
Hyper-Informed Travelers Get More Hyper
Reaching travelers via the right device and media is becoming even more complex. Almost every
media and content type that travelers are accessing provide more information from more places,
both digital and traditional media. Social media and user-generated content both surged as sources
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 11
of information (to 48% and 46% respectively of US travelers); however, print usage also topped
50.6% for the first time in the 10 history of the research study. Every marketing plan needs to
support a complex and ever-growing range of media types and channels, making engaging content
and smart analytics even more important.
Mobile-Centric Content and the In-Market Challenge
Mobile usage also grew to 50% of U.S. leisure travelers now accessing a smartphone in travel
planning, with 34% using a tablet. Both are record rates. In an increasingly mobile-centric world,
destinations appear to be struggling to get users to engage with their digital channels in market
while visiting the destination. DMOs must focus on the specific content needs and functionality of in-
market visitors and locals. Content such as Events, Things to Do (especially for younger travelers and
families), Dining/Nightlife, and Maps are all critical.
Travel Intentions Increasing Significantly: Travel intentions are affirming – with 34.3% of
Americans indicating they intend to travel more in the coming year and 35% stating they expect to
spend more on those trips as well. This is an increase from 32% noted in the prior July 2014 report.
However, the recovery remains stilted and uneven with many still citing financial or other reasons
for not traveling more in 2015.
Spending expectations are even more robust, with 35% expecting to increase their leisure travel
spending in 2016. The July 2014 report cited 32.5%.
Masses of Media: Media use in travel planning remains highly complex and multi channeled, with
mobile devices continuing to rise as a source of travel information (both before and after travel) and
a similar percentage of travelers (50.6%) still using print as a source of information (up from 45%
the previous year). This intersection of mobile and print use is likely to be an important staging post
in the use of print in travel planning. For example, to complement digital channels, augmented reality
software will drive users to mobile content. This sparks traveler interest even more to the dreaming
and inspiration stage of travel planning.
Content is King: Investment in deep, rich, and relevant information about a destination is
highlighted as central to the decision of travelers to visit a destination. Relevant content on activities
and things to do are the most influential drivers. This shows powerful & inspirational imagery, and
editorial should be complemented with practical planning tools.
Travel discounts and bargains: These considerations continue to be less and less attractive to
America's leisure traveler. Over the past several years, a continued decline in traveler interest in
saving money through discounts has been seen. The proportion of American leisure travelers who
expect to actively look for travel discounts or bargains is 46.7%. In January of 2010, 63.1% of
travelers said they would be actively seeking out deals and discounts in the upcoming year.
Again, the experience is determining the choices travelers make.
Print Remains Strong: There is clearly no evidence of a long-term decline in print or DMO guide
usage. The State of the American Traveler (which is independent research) has consistently shown
strength and even slow growth in print usage over the last five years. Takeway: Print is not dead—
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 12
or even showing signs of decline in travel planning use—but its purpose, content, distribution and
how it integrates with digital platforms (especially mobile) is rapidly changing. Print needs to evolve
to remain relevant. Travelers currently using print is at 50.6%, up from the previous year of 45%.
Millennials Love Digital AND Print: Despite 76.7%+ of Millennials using smartphones in trip
planning (vs. 34.6% of Baby Boomers), they are just as likely to use print overall, almost as likely as
Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers. Millenials are more likely to visit a DMO website.
Baby boomer: 1946 – 1964 Gen X: 1965 – 1981 Gen Y/Millennial: 1982 – 2000
51 – 69 yrs. old 34 – 50 yrs. old 15 – 33 yrs. old
Destination Analysts’ Traveler Psychographic IntensityTM Indices show that members of the
Millennial Generation are active, highly connected travelers with a desire for urban culture and
culinary experiences. Baby Boomers are more interested in less active, rural experiences that yield a
sense of exploration. GenX sits at the halfway point between the two generations, with one key
unique differentiator: slightly higher levels of price sensitivity.
Millennials now number 83.1 million and represent more than one quarter of the nation’s
population. Their size exceeds that of the 75.4 million baby boomers according to the U.S. Census.
Millennials Define Themselves: Mobile-centric, urban, seeking authenticity, interesting cuisine
and cultural experiences are characteristics that describe Millennial travelers. They are also the most
ethnically diverse and liberal (on social issues) of any US generation to date.
Takeaway: Destinations seeking younger travelers need to take a closer look at their specific needs
and tailor their content, marketing and media to this new audience.
*Sources: Miles Media and The State of the American Traveler
The Power of Travel & Tourism Promotion*
While advertising and promotion spending may be seen as easy targets in a time of tight budgets,
experience shows that failing to invest in promotion reduces a destination’s competitiveness in
the travel marketplace. States and cities that neglect their promotion budgets weaken their
destination brands and lose market share, and end up receiving lower tax revenues.
Nationwide, 14.6 million Americans, or one in eight in the private sector, are employed in jobs
dependent on travel and tourism. Travel is a top 10 employer in 48 states and the District of
Columbia. Unlike jobs in industries such as manufacturing and information technology, travel
jobs cannot be shipped overseas.
The most recent data show that the travel industry continues to outpace the rest of the U.S.
economy when it comes to adding jobs. As of June 2013, the travel industry added jobs at a 20
percent faster rate than the rest of the economy since March 2010.
Travel represents an important and growing source of revenue for cash-strapped state and
local governments. In 2012, travel generated $129 billion in tax revenue to government at all
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 13
levels. This travel-generated revenue represents the equivalent of a $1,100 tax break for each
American household, which is what they would have to pay in additional taxes without travel’s
contribution.
In addition to helping states and localities build a strong tax base, a vibrant travel and tourism
industry improves the quality of life for local residents and makes a community more
attractive to potential employees and businesses. Developing a region’s travel-related assets,
therefore, serves the dual purpose of attracting both. More guests and more businesses is a win-win
proposition for a local economy. A 2013 survey of corporate executives offers compelling evidence.
More than one-fifth (22%) of corporate executives cited “quality of life concerns” as the primary
reason for the need to relocate a facility, ahead of factors such as healthcare costs (19%), poor
infrastructure (17%) and labor availability (17%).
Although we do not need to look beyond the stark reality of Colorado’s experiment in 1993, when the
tourism budget of $12 million was slashed to zero (dropped the state from 1 to 17 in national
ranking for summer visitation, and lost over $2 billion in tourism revenue), let us cite another more
recent example to show the results have not changed.
In 2011, Connecticut eliminated its entire tourism budget. After just one year of this disastrous
experiment, Connecticut’s travel-related tax revenue growth slowed to half the pace it achieved even
during the deep recession of 2009. To reverse this decline, the travel industry helped lead a
campaign to educate state and local officials about the virtuous cycle of travel promotion in terms of
its positive impact on tax revenues, jobs, and economic development. By changing course quickly
and pumping $15 million back in to the Connecticut economy, the state rebounded quickly and began
regaining market share in 2013.
In 2011, Washington State was the only state in the country with no statewide tourism office and no
state funding to promote. No one can speak more clearly to the gravity of the situation, than Al
White, former Colorado Tourism Office Director: “Our lesson to Washington is that it’s been 18 years
since we went dark in 1993, and we still haven’t gotten back to the national market share we had.”
Colorado, which lost all financing in 1993 did not regain a steady revenue stream until 2000. “It’s
really difficult to affect market share positively, but it’s really easy to affect it negatively if you’re not
out there.” March 2014, Washington Governor signed a bill that supports the development of
funding for a long-term tourism marketing program, so they, too, found out the hard way what
happens when marketing is disabled.
San Diego is also suffering the negative effects of budget cuts, further proving the catastrophic
financial decline that occurs when tourism investment is slashed.
The Bottom Line: Legislators and policymakers often face a hard task in balancing the desire for
fiscal responsibility with the need to make strategic investments that produce long-term benefits for
states and communities. When it comes to investing in travel promotion efforts, however, the
decision should not be difficult. Wise investments in travel promotion programs feed a virtuous cycle
of economic benefits, growing the number of travelers boosts spending at community businesses,
which supports more jobs and increases tax revenue.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 14
Study after study points to a consistent outcome in relation to the tourism industry. Travel is a vital
contributor toward local communities. Travel spending not only sustains local jobs and businesses; it
represents a critical source of tax revenue for funding local services such as fire and police protection
and education. Additionally, it creates an appealing environment to recruit even more travel and
non-travel related businesses. Investment in travel promotion is crucial to maintaining market
share. Destinations that view travel promotion budgets as easy savings rather than strategic
investments pay the price in the self-defeating form of fewer visitors, less travel spending, and lower
tax revenue. Enhanced travel-related offerings produce dividends for destinations. Destinations
with stronger travel assets and more developed product offerings improve the quality of life for local
residents, attract new businesses and skilled employees, and increase the appeal to potential visitors.
*Source: U.S. Travel Association – The Power of Travel Promotion 2013
Travel and tourism is the second-fastest growing sector globally, with 3.9 percent per annum over
the next ten years. Now the challenge is to get the right kind of talent to build for that growth.*
*Skift Report, June 2015, Quote by Rafat Ali
Direct Employment in 2014*
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 15
Travel and tourism directly sustains more jobs than the automotive and chemicals manufacturing
industries combined across every region of the world. *
*Skift Report, June 2015
While the U.S. trade deficit in 2014 was $505.0 billion, the travel and tourism industry boasted a
trade surplus of $75.6 billion in 2014.* *U.S. Travel Association
Colorado set all-time records in terms of visitor volume, visitor expenditures and tax revenue in
2014, welcoming 71.3 million visitors to the state who spent $18.6 billion and generated $1.1 billion
in tax revenue. This is the fourth consecutive year Colorado has seen record-setting growth.
“These outstanding results prove once again that tourism is one of the top drivers of positive
economic impact and job growth in Colorado,” said Governor John Hickenlooper.*
*Colorado Tourism Office
Destination Product Development
A destination cannot promote products and experiences it doesn’t have. Destination product
development (DPD) is a continuous process of coordination and development of amenities, facilities,
products and services that supports a community, delivers quality experiences for visitors and
enhances residents’ well-being. Managing destination development is fundamental to successful
implementation of tourism management, where destination managers and stakeholders put into
action the priority strategies and plans developed during the destination planning process. *
*Sustainable Tourism Online
http://www.sustainabletourismonline.com/destinations-and-communities/implementation/destination-development
The destination product development opportunity is the primary reason why many destination
marketing organizations have evolved to destination management organizations. Tourism grows
increasingly competitive within this rapidly evolving industry. As our world becomes smaller,
destinations now compete directly with each other across the globe. As destinations take on
additional responsibility toward a sustainable business plan, their roles have evolved to destination
developers primarily by acting as a catalyst and facilitator to create tourism opportunities and
developments.
Although marketing will continue as the principal focus for Visit Estes Park, the shift towards a
management role becomes a necessary evolution for destinations seeking to remain relevant. You
can only market the same assets for so long. It is necessary to refresh your product within the
destination, even with Rocky Mountain National Park in your backyard. Niagara Falls, NY, a natural
wonder of the world, is a perfect example of what happens when a destination rests on one’s laurels.
Tourism in Niagara Falls, NY has failed due to lack of product development, and the population has
plummeted from 102,000 to 50,000. If the population falls below 50,000, it will lose its classification
as a city, and will lose federal financial support as a result. Niagara Falls, Canada, however, has
invested in product development and has flourished over the years. The same destination (literally
separated by the Rainbow bridge, a ¼ mile long), yet different business plans, --the comparison
couldn’t be more clear. Investment in tourism infrastructure is a necessity.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 16
Tourism provides quick and efficient growth opportunities for destinations looking to embark on
new revenue sources as they build their destination of choice for would-be travelers. Because of this,
even non-tourism communities have chosen the tourism industry to ignite their economies and are
making major investments in infrastructure and marketing to ensure sustainable economic growth.
This is primarily the reason for the confusion between economic development corporations and
destination marketing organizations. Tourism = economic development. The lines have blurred on
an international, national and local basis, and thus the conversation continues between the two
organizations in a very dynamic way. Raising a destination’s profile through tourism promotion
builds awareness in commercial networks and increases exposure among potential new residents,
which results in driving higher levels of skilled workers to a destination.
“Statistical analysis over the past two decades shows that destinations with substantial and growing
visitor economies have outperformed their peers in the general economy,” says Adam Sacks,
director, Oxford Economics. “Cities and states that coordinate destination marketing and economic
development are generally better positioned to compete for new investments and corporate
relocations.” Supporting that argument, statistics show that hospitality and tourism has
outperformed the aggregate of all other export sectors since 1998, with employment expanding
nearly 10% in tourism while others showed negative gain of almost -1%. In addition, the rise of
consumer spending on travel is outpacing the average rise of national income levels. And as of July
2014, employment in the visitor economy was 7.9% ahead of June 2009 levels, compared to a 6.1%
gain for the broader economy. This report aligns with what is presently the biggest trend in
destination tourism promotion globally. Forward-thinking DMOs are aggressively seeking new ways
to collaborate with local economic development organizations to drive tourism product
development, while maintaining their traditional roles as sales and marketing vehicles.*
Visit Denver, Pure Michigan, Choose Chicago and Visit California are all successful partnerships
where the Economic Development Corporation involved the destination marketing organization’s
brand as a collaboration with shared messaging to attract a similar audience for different purposes.*
*Skift, December 22, 2014
Estes Park competes on this international scale, as well as regionally in Colorado. We have witnessed
the most dramatic effects of tourism infrastructure expansion as other Colorado mountain
communities grow their seasons to attract year-round guests. Primarily, the ski resorts have ignited
their fall, spring, and summer season by developing national forest land and investing in high-
adventure activities that cater to multi-generational families. Estes Park must begin to analyze our
current assets and evaluate what can be expanded on, what needs to be replaced, and what
development opportunities are available that could attract private investors and developers.
Collaboration among Visit Estes Park, Town of Estes Park, and Estes Park Economic Development
Corporation is an important partnership as we look to implement a destination product development
(DPD) strategy.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 17
Discussions regarding an Urban Renewal Authority grow more urgent as we look to fund much-
needed development and flood plain management.
Destination product development also allows us to evaluate our current natural assets and find new,
innovative ways to maximize their impact. Our efforts in partnership with the Recreation District
proved fruitful in 2015 with the addition of paddle boards as part of the amenities available for
guests at Lake Estes. Continuing such relations with Larimer County and the national forest will
afford us opportunities that Rocky Mountain National Park cannot and will also allow for much-
needed relief to the park during peak visitation.
The formation of the Arts District and Visit Estes Park’s presence on the steering committee also
represents our focus in finding opportunities to congeal our community’s creative assets and ways to
package them in such a way that allows Visit Estes Park to market the experience for maximum guest
appeal. We will continue to champion “Only in Estes” products that craft beverages, carved wooden
toys, paint, leather goods, jewelry, photography, soaps, lotions and sculpture.
Visit Estes Park stays involved with other opportunities like the proposed Community Center, which
will provide additional product and services for both guests and residents to enjoy year-round.
Visit Estes Park is not just the marketing arm of the community, providing for a quality and
memorable experience for guests. We also work with community partners to cultivate a quality of
life for our residents that will strive to strike a balance between sustainability, calculated, and
profitable growth.
Visitors are now storytellers who turn experiences into stories, primarily through social media. They
share not only their story, but their reviews and recommendations as well. In the past, the DMO was
primarily the only storyteller, and thus controlled each chapter of the brand. Because the DMO is no
longer the most important storyteller anymore, managing the destination experience is more
important than ever. ‘Because the only way to control the stories that are told is to manage the
experience. The only way to manage the experience is to get involved in destination management,
which includes destination product development.
Outdoor Recreation*
According to the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade, outdoor
recreation and tourism are woven through the fabric of Colorado’s culture and define the state.
Domestic and international visitors are invited to “Come to Life” in Colorado. And while experiencing
the outdoors is a large part of the lifestyle in Colorado, it is also a significant economic driver.
Colorado’s tradition and passion for outdoor access is due in large part to unparalleled natural
resources, as well as a long history of environmental conservation and stewardship.
The most visible outdoor recreation activities for the state are skiing and snowboarding. Colorado is
#1 in the nation for overnight ski visits. In addition to winter recreation offerings, the state offers
numerous opportunities for hiking, backpacking, camping, visiting state and national parks, biking,
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 18
rafting, boating, mountain climbing and hunting. Outdoor overnight trips equate to 22 percent of the
total overnight visitor spending, ranking Colorado 8th in the country for outdoor overnight trips.
Colorado is an international hub of outdoor recreation, with a concentration of outdoor industry
companies estimated to be about 12% of the national total. The Outdoor Industry Association found
that the outdoor industry accounted for over 107,000 jobs and $10 billion annual economic output in
Colorado alone.
* Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade
Although Visit Estes Park cannot create the activity or product, we plan to continue our destination
management conversations and serve as a catalyst to inspire and influence better trail connectivity,
new activities with the Estes Valley Recreation District, new and enhanced events with the Town and
local event project managers, and create a relationship with the National Forest Service to utilize the
available terrain in a responsible way.
Rocky Mountain National Park
It is important to note our partnership with the national park and the responsibility we have in
marketing the “two parks in one” experience that is virtually seamless for our guests. The Visit Estes
Park staff and board maintain close relationships with park staff, including their communications
team, to ensure alignment between our marketing efforts and the park’s needs and objectives,
including resource protection and conservation. With that in mind, we include park efforts such as
‘hike early/hike late’, weekdays in the fall, emphasizing winter and spring travel, etc. Visit Estes Park
works closely with our partner Rocky Mountain National Park to provide accurate and timely
information on park activities, programs and events. Our programs constitute a large amount of
advertising and publicity highlighting activities and programs in Rocky Mountain National Park in
addition to Estes Park.
Through July 31, 2015, Rocky Mountain National Park visitation increased 19.9% year-to-date
compared to the same seven-month period in 2014. If this trend continues, we will certainly focus
on innovate strategies, in partnership with Rocky Mountain National Park, to balance visitation with
resource protection.
Staff Partnerships with the Town of Estes Park
Visit Estes Park staff will continue to work collaboratively with applicable areas of the Town’s
Community Services Division, including the Visitor Center staff, Ambassadors, and Events staff, all
funded and managed by the Town of Estes Park. We look forward to partnering with the Town as
wayfinding signage, Urban Renewal Authority, flood mitigation, economic development and
destination product development come into focus as part of the strategic plan for the Estes Valley.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 19
Regional Tourism
Visit Estes Park will continue to collaborate and participate in regional tourism that complements
our current branding direction and enhances our ongoing marketing plan.
Front Range Travel Region – The exposure that we receive through the Front Range Region
cooperative allows Estes Park to be regionally positioned and reminds guests of the incredible
variety of experiences they can have within the Front Range region. We will continue our
collaboration with multi-day Northern Colorado trip itineraries, craft brewery tours, history
and scenic byways.
Grand Lake – Collaboration with RMNP Centennial, Geocache program, and scenic regional
byways promotion.
Colorado National Park Destinations - Working together to promote the Colorado national
park experience and encompassing itineraries.
State Tourism
Visit Estes Park looks forward to partnering with the State of Colorado in its efforts toward branding
Colorado as a wellness destination.
Colorado is building health and wellness into the state brand and aims to be the healthiest state in
the nation. The state is collaborating with the public and private sectors, as well as nonprofit
foundations. With more than 253,000 health and wellness workers across the state and a $11.3
billion annual payroll, the health and wellness industry has a compelling economic impact within
Colorado.*
*Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade
We will continue discussions with the State of Colorado, Colorado Tourism Office and Colorado
national parks and destinations to consider a state-wide campaign, similar to Utah, celebrating the
national parks of Colorado. Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black
Canyon of the Gunnison, are home to some of the world’s most breath-taking and diverse scenery.
The state of Utah is spending millions of dollars promoting its "Mighty 5" national parks. The
marketing campaign features a one-minute commercial of a family exploring Utah's five national
parks, which are Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion. The ad blitz includes
billboards and online content, as well an international marketing campaign.*
*Public News Service – Utah, March 2014
Utah’s Mighty 5 campaign has been very successful and has created renewed awareness of what that
state has to offer.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 20
International Tourism
International travel will play an increasingly prominent role, with the growth in overseas visitors
expected to increase by approximately five percent per year for the next five years.*
*Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, Department of Commerce, 2013.
Visit Estes Park plans to focus additional resources toward the international traveler through the
efforts of the Director of PR & Communications and Partner Development & Group Manager
positions in collaboration with the Colorado Tourism Office international division.
The Americas (+8%) saw the highest relative growth across all world regions in 2014, welcoming 13
million more international tourists, increasing the total to 181 million arrivals. International tourism
receipts in the region reached U.S. $ 274 billion, an increase of 3% in real terms. The region’s growth
was led by North America (+9%), which accounts for two thirds of international arrivals in the
Americas, driven largely by Mexico’s surge in arrivals (+20%) and strong results in the United States
(+7%), the region’s top destination and the world’s second largest destination. Canada (+3%) saw
more modest growth.*
*United Nations World Tourism Organization, Tourism Highlights 2015 Edition
Most visited countries to the U.S:*
#1 Canada #6 Germany
#2 Mexico #7 China
#3 United Kingdom #8 France
#4 Japan #9 Australia & New Zealand
#5 Brazil
*Miles Media, July 29th, 2015
Wellness Tourism
We look forward to partnering with the Estes Park Medical Center, Grand Heritage Hotel Group,
University of Colorado, and local businesses to cultivate the wellness tourism industry in Estes Park.
As Colorado begins to brand itself as a “wellness state,” we will aspire to be a leader in the $439
billion-dollar wellness industry.
We can consider branding Estes Park as a sanctuary that can be defined by each guest’s interest and
level of adventure. This angle could include everything from the awe-inspiring wildlife that is
already part of our established brand; high-altitude training; arts; spas that cater to wellness in the
form of massage, acupuncture, or essential oils; a respite for active and retired military personnel
and families; and finally adventures of every level from rock climbing to hiking in your car. This
approach allows each guest to determine their own meaning of “sanctuary.” Visit Estes Park’s role
will be to help define the facets within the wellness brand to support our local businesses in creating
profitable wellness business plans and to market such products to this growing travel sector.
We will continue to cultivate year-round business interests within the wellness industry through
collaboration with various local and regional partnerships.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 21
2016 Marketing Plan
Marketing Plan Ongoing Focus
An effective marketing campaign must be diverse, strategic and integrated across owned, paid and
earned media. Visit Estes Park accomplishes this by providing the connective tissue between out
content creation (internal & contracted), advertising creative (internal & creative firm), media
management (internal, media agency, & data agency) and public relations (internal & PR firm) teams.
We accomplish this through strategic planning, hands-on program and partner management, and
constant communications. While complex, the continued emphasis on breaking down silos between
these partners and programs enables the Estes Park marketing program to thrive in an ever-
changing communications world.
The new Century of Adventure 2015 ad creative continued to emphasize the Rocky Mountain National
Park Centennial, placing outdoor and nature experiences at the center to create emotional
connections with potential travelers. The new creative, however, evolved the presentation of such
approach to be more elegant and history-focused. See Advertising below for additional information.
A diverse media mix has proven to be effective in reaching specified target markets. The trend in
destination marketing continues to shift toward digital as travelers increasingly turn to digital and
mobile platforms for researching and making travel decisions, and as conversions continue to grow
on those platforms. Digital was used in 2015 for delivering new content, such as video, for marketing
events and for growing awareness of Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park Centennial.
In 2015, we not only refined our digital strategy, but also print, adding new partners and expanding
with others to more effectively reach both geographical and behavioral target markets. The overall
print reach included local and regional event marketing and a national awareness campaign.
Continue to read about 2015 and 2016 plans in the Media section below.
In addition to traditional marketing, Visit Estes Park has identified new areas of focus in 2015 that
expand our brand reach though content-centered co-marketing with influencers and media partners.
This new content creation approach is detailed below in the Media and Public Relations sections.
Public Relations has been a major focus of Visit Estes Park since the beginning. From award-winning
crisis communications to proactive, goal-focused media relations, Visit Estes Park continues to
expand these efforts with new tactics, strategies and efforts - all of which are explained below.
Finally, Visit Estes Park recognizes the importance of continuing the brand experience and guest
conversation before, during and after a guest’s visit. To this end, we implemented new in-market
strategies in 2015 and will continue to expand on those in the coming year. See additional details
below in the In-Market Engagement section.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 22
Through all of these efforts, in 2015 we have been able to maintain a solid mix of national and
regional marketing to reach our audiences, while delivering the right message at the right time and
continuing the practice of large, inspiring creative in both print and digital.
Marketing Plan 2016
Highlights will include new social media programs, local campaign support, promotional campaigns
to drive new guest traffic, NPS 100th Anniversary promotion, and a series of seminars for business
stakeholders to help them not only capitalize on our marketing efforts, but refine their own as well.
In addition, we will continue to leverage the new Century of Adventure creative campaign, first
introduced in spring of 2015, which positions Estes Park as an inspiring, historic and diverse
destination that serves as the ideal base camp for a variety of Rocky Mountain adventures. We will
continue to expand on and utilize new photography ‘hero shots’ to showcase new scenes and
activities, targeting a variety of adventure levels for couples, adventure travelers and families.
Visit Estes Park has formed a team of marketing experts to extend our internal resources in the areas
of Advertising and Marketing, Public Relations, Data Analysis and Media Strategy & Buying.
Cultivator Advertising and Design, Turner PR, Tourism Intelligence and Backbone Media have come
together to create an extended marketing team to support Visit Estes Park’s ongoing efforts.
Advertising
Advertising Objectives
Advertising Objectives Ongoing Focus:
In 2015, Visit Estes Park worked with Cultivator Advertising to advance previous efforts in
advertising creative design and strategic delivery by developing the new creative Century of
Adventure campaign and expanding on previous strategies. The new creative offers a more
sophisticated appeal by retiring the cartoonish animals and adding a dark wood treatment - meant to
emulate trail signs - with new, more adventurous photography. By featuring moving quotes form
important historical figures, such as Isabella Bird and Enos Mills, we are able to highlight the
longevity and inspiration of the Estes/Rocky experience.
The new photography included three shots by one of our influencers, Jeff Spackman, showing
fall/spring and winter hiking scenes featuring incredible scenery of Estes and Rocky. Additionally,
we commissioned Alan Kennedy, photographer for previous campaign “hero” shots to produce a
snowshoe, a stargazing, a campfire, an additional hiking and a stand-up paddle boarding shot for the
campaign. We focused on featuring a variety of models, including a mutli-generational family,
mother-son duos and couples, to appeal to a variety of audiences.
The new Century of Adventure campaign was translated from print brand ads to digital banners in
HTML5 and Estes Park event ads celebrating both the diverse event calendar and individual events.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 23
Through our content-centered co-marketing partnerships with Active Interest Media, we were able
to obtain footage needed to contract digital video ads - furthering the diversity of advertising
opportunities available to us and allowing us to deliver compelling, relevant ads.
• Reinforce the awareness that Estes Park is the premiere Rocky Mountain destination
• Build awareness of the NPS 100th Anniversary programs and celebrations
• Continue to encourage overnight stays in Estes Park by highlighting all amenities,
activities, and events
• Reinforce the emotional connection with guests
• Continue to drive awareness, attendance and lodging surrounding key events
• Continue to position Estes Park as a unique mountain village getaway by emphasizing our
unique wildlife viewing, RMNP, and adventure opportunities
• Continue to convey diversity of outdoor adventure
• Increase awareness of Estes Park as a year-round and winter destination
• Highlight affordability and accessibility during the winter season, including lack of traffic
jams, and peaceful, serene village & landscapes
Advertising Objectives 2016:
Expand Advertising Creative: Utilize the creative assets created in recent years to build on the
Century of Adventure campaign to feature new photography and to highlight the NPS 100th
Anniversary.
Secure our summer business: We will continue to provide core focus on sustaining our summer
season tourism business through a collection of proven marketing tactics that not only drive
awareness and consideration for visits to Estes Park, but also encourage both new and seasoned
travelers to make Estes Park their destination of choice for next season’s travels. In addition, we
want to reinforce trip duration by helping guests understand the full scope of activities and
amenities that Estes Park offers. In addition to marketing, to succeed in protecting our summer
season, destination product development must be a priority.
Generate awareness for diversity of activities: While visits to RMNP continue to lead the charge of
destination activities, we want to build greater awareness for the diversity of activities that lead to
extended stays and more “braggable” moments for our guests. This expanded array of featured
experiences will continue to include more active and recreational activities in Estes Park, the
national forest and Rocky Mountain National Park, complementing the authentic, unique experiences
throughout the village. In 2016 we will lean heavily on the NPS Find Your Park campaign to help
maintain summer travel, shifting some resources to both the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 winter
seasons.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 24
Grow our year-round base: While we appreciate the importance of our summer base business, we
also realize the opportunity we have to grow our shoulder season and winter business with more
regional drive-market guests and high-adventure winter travelers. This largely untapped market has
the single biggest opportunity for year-over-year growth, not only with our lodging base, but with
stakeholders across the spectrum of guest services. Celebrating “adventure at every level” will
provide us year-round opportunities to highlight Estes Park and RMNP.
Advertising Strategy 2016:
Be a bigger brand: Our competitive set includes an ever-expanding set of world-class mountain
destinations that have the potential to erode our core base. With the evolution of our advertising
campaign, we have taken a look-of-the-leader attitude in our communications, with large-format ad
units, and a campaign platform that differentiates Estes through the Rocky Mountain National Park
experience - one that we can live up to.
Inspire our loyalists: Our “tribe” includes not only those guests who consider Estes Park their
regular destination, but also our local workforce and residents who have the opportunity to live the
brand in the community and deliver on our promise to the guest. We need to assure that everyone
that knows and loves Estes Park has the information on our brand character so they are empowered
to present the brand to our guests in their own, unique way.
Extend our seasons: To many, the “off” season is really the “on” season, when the character of the
village takes on a decidedly more relaxed attitude, trail traffic diminishes to a whisper, and the
mountains unveil an entirely new style of breathtaking beauty. While the activities may shift, the
quality and diversity of adventure does not. Also, with our generally gentle climate, guests can
experience everything from golf and fly fishing to snowshoeing and Nordic skiing, all within a short
excursion from the ultimate Colorado base camp.
Leverage the 100th Anniversary: The onset of the year-long NPS 100th Anniversary celebration
offers the destination a unique opportunity to leverage the national Find Your Park campaign,
reminding guests of the rich history of the park and the destination; to reconnect them with the
nostalgia of past visits and family connections; to raise awareness of the diverse adventures offered
within the park; and to compel them to visit during this special anniversary year.
Leverage upcoming events: Visit Estes Park plans to optimize the opportunities created by the
Town of Estes Park for the Town’s 2017 Centennial Anniversary.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 25
Media Objectives
Media Spend: 2010-2015
Media Objectives Ongoing Focus:
A diverse media mix has proven to be effective in reaching specified target markets. The six-year
comparison (see chart above) shows a clear shift in the allocation of media dollars across mediums
over the years. Digital and print advertising continue to be important, with a larger emphasis being
placed on digital year-over-year. As we move forward, content-centered marketing, including both
commissioned and native content, will continue to grow in importance within this mix. With a
limited budget, we need to be efficient in our targeting and our delivery - making strategic planning
and on-going analysis equally important.
Specializing in destination and mountain lifestyle brands, Backbone works hard to maximize our
advertising investment. They collaborate with Visit Estes Park staff regularly to execute the media
plan, review and present new opportunities, brainstorm ideas, and negotiate advertising contracts.
They successfully implemented Cultivator’s Century of Adventure creative platform across all
mediums. The campaign plays up the breadth of Estes Park’s year-round activities, while engaging
with potential guests in a sophisticated, inspiring way.
The post-flood advertising creative and media strategy of 2014 focused more (relative to 2013 pre-
flood) on conversions in an effort to increase visitation in the short-run in order to assist in recovery.
In 2015, the media strategy shifted into more of an awareness strategy for both the destination in the
long-term, while incorporating conversion elements with event marketing and by highlighting the
Rocky Mountain National Park Centennial.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
201520142013201220112010
6-Year Media Mix Comparison
Newspaper (2015)Out-of-Home (2015)Newspaper/OOH (2010-2014)
Broadcast/Radio Magazine Digital/Social
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 26
In 2015, our targeting took a different form, as well. Rather than focusing on demographics (families,
empty nesters and millennials), we recognized the cross-over and lack of definition by traditional
means that apply to traveler behavior. With that in mind, we shifted to seeing our target markets
more as types of travelers within our adventure theme: low-adventure, mid-adventure and high-
adventure - while recognizing that one group may be inspired by the message meant for another.
This approach enabled us to further recognize the stories that needed to be told, how to best tell
them and what tactics to use to deliver them.
The trend in destination marketing continues to shift toward digital as travelers increasingly turn to
digital and mobile platforms for researching and making travel decisions, and as conversions
continue to grow on those platforms. Additionally, digital advertising allows for a more efficient and
effective media program, with the opportunity to glean insight about the value of markets, the
effectiveness of ads, and the efficiency of ad delivery. Digital not only gives us the ability to be highly
targeted, but also to continually optimize the ad program toward our media objectives. During the
past year we employed Tourism Intelligence (TI) to assist us with audience and ad assessment
through data collection and analysis. Initial reports showed that we are gaining traction through our
marketing efforts and we will continue partnering with TI to assess programs in real time.
In 2015, our print advertising investments evolved, streamlining some national placements and
adding the Chicago region to the short list of metro targets of Denver, Kansas City and Dallas-Fort
Worth. Print advertising for events continued to focus on state-wide and Front Range publications
reaching a variety of audiences. Additional regional and national print assisted with the awareness
campaign for Estes Park as a multi-seasonal travel destination to a variety of audiences and for the
RMNP Centennial.
Finally, 2015 brought forth two major content-centered co-marketing opportunities. One with Active
Interest Media (Backpacker, Climbing, Yoga Journal Magazines, among others) included a
partnership with their film studio, Warren Miller Films, to produce a series of 6 short internet videos
cross-promoting their brands with Estes Park, as well as a variety of media delivery in Backpacker
Magazine, on multiple websites and via related social media channels. The other, with the Colorado
Tourism Office, will ultimately include a print insert in the Official State Visitor Guide, a “brand
channel” on the colorado.com website, and four promotional videos highlighting the variety of
activities in Estes Park throughout the year. These partnerships not only enable quality content
production, but also an efficient deliver mechanism with an attractive diversity of media.
• Develop a thorough media plan that delivers best mix of reach and frequency
• Identify best media placements and executions for communicating Estes Park messaging
to the target audience
• Optimize the media plan towards advertising objectives
• Raising awareness, increasing competitive share of voice and building relevancy
• Maintain regional, national and international media mix
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 27
• Continue to reach previous and familiar consumers with a high propensity to travel to
Estes Park
• Continue to deliver the right message at the right time – creative should match the media
environment
• Highly targeted advertising placements, optimizing for reach and frequency
• High-impact creative sizes (full pages, dynamic digital)
• Utilize content, storytelling and rich media to driver consumers through conversion funnel
• Reach customers in high-visitation areas and related demographics
• Maintain high investment in digital advertising
• Speak to the appropriate target audience based on overall marketing goals and budget
• Target the leisure market, including high, mid and low adventure travelers
Media Objectives 2016:
Through the implementation of a progressive and forward-thinking strategy, the 2016 media
strategy will continue to raise awareness, increase competitive share of voice and build relevancy
resulting in greater overnight visitation. Backbone will develop the media plan to maintain a healthy
mix of national and regional advertising. They will create a well-balanced, integrated mix comprised
of print, digital, radio, and social media, as well as continue to look for new opportunities for co-
marketing.
Backbone will deliver the best mix of reach and frequency that will speak to both current and new
guests. The message will be scaled to effectively engage our target markets in an authentic and
credible way. Our media will reach consumers at all stages of the funnel – from awareness to
consideration to conversion, relying heavily on content and storytelling below the awareness stage.
The Visit Estes Park team will work with agency, media and contract partners to create and deliver
compelling and inspiring content.
Estes Park’s guests continue to cover a spectrum of traveler types – our media will seek out the
appropriate target audiences, always taking into consideration overall marketing goals and budget.
Backbone will work closely with Visit Estes Park staff to identify the best media placements and
executions for communicating the Estes Park message to the target audience, working hard to
deliver the best mix of reach and frequency.
The 2016 plan will be built with consideration of learnings from 2015 about engagement and
conversion. While Backbone strongly supports a data-driven approach, they also understand the
importance of the human element in the media planning process. Alignment with Visit Estes Park
and our stakeholders' goals, thoughts and objectives are paramount to the continued success of this
campaign.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 28
Media Tactics
Media Tactics Ongoing Focus:
• Data-driven approach
• Targeted ad delivery
• Beautiful and inspiring, full-page print ads in relevant print and digital sites
• Target people who have shown interest in Estes Park and/or similar destinations
• Drive traffic to the website
• Ensure media is working at the most relevant times
• Continued focus on online advertising for efficiency, tracking, and precise targeting
• Put a learning plan in place to track performance for continued optimization and
improvement
• Test digital with findings from pixel placement, along with view-through and click-through
conversion reporting while continually optimizing
• Leverage the NPS 100th Anniversary and related events to encourage visitation, overnight
stays and brand engagement
• Be thoughtful in creative direction and use the appropriate call-to-action in each and every
application to drive results
• Implement video in digital ads to increase consumer engagement
• Take advantage of new technologies, applications and opportunities to make ad programs
more efficient and effective
• Engage our guests in social media partnerships
Media Tactics 2016:
In 2016 we will continue to optimize the ad program to reach new travelers, focusing on target
markets, weaving in brand pillars to tell the destination story in a new, more intentional way. Digital
advertising will continue to be an integral part of the advertising mix. Not only does digital enable
our messaging to be highly targeted and tailored to the relevant audience(s) and to deliver the right
message at the right time; it also improves efficiency and tracking ability. We’ll continue to feature
beautiful and inspiring creative content that speaks to adventurists and focuses on outdoor, active
lifestyles. We will continue to invest in newspaper and radio to effectively reach select regions (Front
Range and surrounding areas, as well as Texas and other key markets that drive traffic), and we will
continue to look for and implement new advertising methods that will help us reach our goals.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 29
In 2016, Visit Estes Park will continue to promote the NPS 100th Anniversary through advertising,
tying in to social media and public relations efforts on the same theme. As with the RMNP Centennial,
the NPS 100th Anniversary will be leveraged to position Estes and Rocky as an easy-access adventure
retreat for Front Range residents, re-branding Estes Park in the eyes of Colorado residents from a
“tired and worn tourist trap” to a high-adventure and modern destination. Realistically, this
transition will need to include new tourism infrastructure. We plan to partner closely with the Town
of Estes Park as we move in this direction. Our focus on new and expanded events for Estes Park will
essentially buy us time, until the infrastructure can be built.
The expansion of video ads in 2016 will enable a more dynamic and engaging presence in the quickly
progressing digital advertising arena. This addition will continue to advance Estes Park’s campaign,
catching the attention of more online consumers and enticing them to engage. Having executed a
digital marketing test in 2015, VEP will use that performance data, along with ongoing performance
data, to assess and refine our digital strategies going forward. Strategy and scope will be aligned
with opportunities that fit within the budget.
Backbone will ensure our media is working at the most relevant times, and that the creative matches
the media environment across all platforms. We will engage existing customers who have shown
interest in Estes Park and people who live in Colorado or neighboring states, to capitalize on
opportunities for conversion. The call-to-action will primarily center on Visit Estes Park’s website,
offering opportunities for deep brand engagement and conversions through coupons, packages and
special offers, as well as online booking and engaging content. The content will continue to use
dynamic elements, such as video, and will integrate the seasons and brand pillars to tell a variety of
destination stories to the three target markets with the intention of moving consumers through the
conversion funnel to the point of purchase.
Visit Estes Park will continue efforts to reach out to local tourism partners, helping them to develop
packages and promotions that are compelling to guests and beneficial to businesses.
A focus on educational classes for stakeholders will be emphasized in 2016, in order to optimize and
improve our overall campaign objectives.
Creative Assets
Creative Assets Ongoing Focus:
Visit Estes Park continues to expand our collection of creative assets for use in paid, earned and
owned media. In 2015 we have done this with assistance from our creative agency, Cultivator, to
expand our collection of ‘hero’ shots created by Allen Kennedy for use in the new Century of
Adventure campaign. In 2015, we have also expanded more general photos through contracts with
local and regional photographers, as well as influencers, for use in ads, social media, website and the
annual visitor guide. Video was a key focus of 2015 and we conducted several video shoots through
content development contracts with Active Interest Media and the Colorado Tourism Office, resulting
in 10 internet-friendly videos and a plethora of B-roll.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 30
Creative Assets 2016:
Objectives for 2016 remain consistent with, yet expand on, those of prior years. We plan to increase
overnight visitation and awareness for Estes Park as the ideal Rocky Mountain destination and
position ourselves as a unique getaway. Expanding on the storytelling we are able to do will increase
the active adventure brand and will convey the plethora and variety of activities available,
encouraging longer stays. We will work to inspire people by establishing an emotional connection
with guests and celebrating all that Estes Park has to offer through expanded and updated visual
assets in still and video. We will also work to develop compelling and interesting graphics, such as
infographics, to engage people via digital and social media.
In 2016, Visit Estes Park will continue to expand on the existing library of photography and video, for
use in earned owned and paid media. To expand the photo library for use in the Visitor Guide, as
well as online and with the media, we will plan photo shoots at local stakeholder establishments.
Specific areas of need include groups and weddings, family reunions, adventure activities, winter
photography, new and recently added events, and sports/recreation. It is important that these
photos feature models that are of a variety of ages and ethnicities and vary within group
composition.
Visit Estes Park will also grow the library of “hero” shots used in the Century of Adventure campaign
by contracting a photographer through Cultivator that will exhibit a similar look and feel to existing
campaign photos. These will continue to expand on adventure travel and the variety of experiences
available in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Additionally, Visit Estes Park will work to
obtain video assets over the coming year. This could include partnering with local tourism partners
to take footage on behalf of Visit Estes Park and/or contracting a videographer to shoot and edit the
video.
In-Market Engagement
In-Market Ongoing Focus:
Visit Estes Park recognizes that, more than ever, our conversation with guests no longer ends at the
entrance to the destination. To properly serve our guests and stakeholders, to keep the brand/guest
experience going, and to take advantage of potential guest referrals (word-of-mouth, social media
sharing, in-app reviews, etc.) we need to keep Estes Park top-of-mind for our guests before,
throughout and after their visits.
In order to meet that need, we increased our investment in “out of home” marketing in 2015. This
investment included the new mobile visitor center used at the Estes Park Farmers Market and
various events to provide guest information, as well as to feature local artists and craftspeople. In-
market efforts also include expanding the distribution of the Official Visitor Guide in brochure racks
throughout the destination and the forthcoming digital, interactive kiosks at the Visitor Center and
the distribution of event information and visitor guides in brochure racks throughout the
destination.
Additionally, though our partnerships with Front Range destinations, we developed rack cards,
postcard coasters and scenic byway brochures to communicate with guests within the region and
encourage them to visit multiple destinations.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 31
In-Market Strategy 2016:
Visit Estes Park will be expanding our guest reach into the destination, implementing tools that will
engage guests while they are in Estes Park and having real-time experiences. To be effective, these
in-market engagement tools will need promotion support in order to drive awareness and increase
interactions. These supportive tools could include elements such as posters, stickers, coasters and
table tents.
Additionally, VEP will look for new opportunities to expand the reach of the Official Visitor Guide
throughout the destination. Additional information and tools will be used to promote events,
especially during high-visitation times.
Public Relations
PR Ongoing Focus:
Thus far, 2015 has been a very productive year in earning publicity and media interest for the Estes
Park destination and our stakeholders, surpassing 2014 year-to-date (YTD) performance. We have
continued to work with media partners to gain recognition for Estes Park as a “top” destination for a
variety of activities and have assisted with earning several such titles. We continue to work with
Turner Public Relations (with offices in Denver and New York), to expand our media relationships,
increase awareness of Estes Park, and garner attention from the media.
The media landscape continues to evolve with changing demands of consumers. Shorter articles,
round-ups, and more “authentic” experiences grow in relevance and writers continue to search for
related content. Consumers also continue to rely more and more on digital media and trusted
referrals in making travel decisions. Estes Park has developed successful strategies to continue
expanding our relevance to writers and editors as these changes are taking place, resulting in a
healthy consumer reach.
In addition to the continued changes in consumer interests, media landscapes, and digital content
needs, results tracking for PR measures also continues to evolve. The prior article measures of ad
value and impressions become increasingly difficult to accurately track as more and more media go
online and through social channels. To keep up with these changes, and to balance these less-than-
accurate measurements, in 2014 Visit Estes Park included the Barcelona Principles in their PR
tracking toolbox. The Barcelona Principles assign a point value (based on a 100-point scale) to
articles or published stories, based on predetermined goals and target publications. While this
system will better enable Visit Estes Park to target, monitor, and track the effectiveness of PR efforts,
the traditional tracking methods of impressions and ad value could decrease as a result of this shift
in focus.
With limited funding relative to our competition, Visit Estes Park depends heavily on earned media,
or press exposure, to supplement our national, regional and local advertising campaign. For this
reason it is imperative that we continue to garner national and regional attention to increase
awareness of the Estes Park destination brand, as well as to stay top-of-mind in the local and
statewide markets. As of this writing (YTD July 2015), Visit Estes Park’s reach is 593.8 million people
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 32
through media outreach with articles running in a variety of mediums from local to international,
newspapers to digital. Press coverage is often measured by ad equivalency, the price paid for
advertising of the same size in each publication. Occasionally, businesses will put a multiplier on that
number to represent the value added from the information being produced and delivered by the
publication, rather than through a paid ad; however, Visit Estes Park does not use multipliers.
• Total advertising equivalency is up from $4.70M July YTD in 2014 to $6.65M in 2015, a
boost of 41%
• Media impressions have also risen significantly from 225M July YTD in 2014 to 594M, up
164%
• The Barcelona Principles’ average score for articles through July 2015 is 56 points, one
point up from a year ago at an average 55 points out of 100
Notable Stories Include:
• “Snowshoeing In Rocky Mountain National Park” on AFAR.com; 942K impressions; $9K AE
• “Family travel: Celebrate 100 years of Rocky Mountain National Park” on DallasNews.com
5.7M impressions; $53K AE
o Syndicated 15 times online and in print, including in Chicago, North Carolina,
Wisconsin, Kentucky, Idaho, Florida, and more!
• “Happy 100th! 10 U.S. centennials to celebrate” on CNN.com; 53.5M impressions $494KAE
• “Perpetual Motion” in Denver Life Magazine; 40K impressions; $6K AE
• “Celebrate the Rockies' centennial from trails to peaks” in Newsday (New York City,
Nassau, & Suffolk) print; 669K impressions; $54K AE
• “Once-in-a-Lifetime Fitness Retreats for Women” on Shape.com; 4.3M impressions; $40K
AE
• “World's Most Unique Concierge Services” on Fodors.com; 2.6M impressions; $24K AE
o Picked up by HuffingtonPost.com for an additional 48M impression & $440K AE
o And by MSN.com for 157M impressions & $1.45M AE
o USAToday.com for an additional 15M impression & $140K AE
• “FamilyFun Travel Awards - Top 10 Tourist Towns” in print & online; 2.1M impressions;
$27K AE
• “The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2015” in Smithsonian Magazine; 7.9M impressions;
$73K AE
o Syndicated 20 times throughout the country!
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 33
• “Easy Fishing - Estes Park” in AAA Colorado EnCompass Magazine; 357K impressions;
$10.5K AE
• “20 Family-Friendly Ideas to Get You Going” in the New York Times; 1.3M impressions;
$426K AE
o Picked up by multiple newspapers and websites, including the Orange County
Register; SeattleTimes.com, Riverside (CA) Press Enterprise, St. Paul (MN) Sunday
Pioneer Press, TwinCities.com, and more.
• “Best of Rocky Mountain National Park with kids” on Fox News; 35M impressions; $327K
AE
o Originally appeared on TakingtheKids.com and also picked up by the Chicago
Tribune and the Sun Sentinel.
• “11 Of America's Best Small Towns, Perfect For A Long Weekend Trip” on
HuffingtonPost.com; 33.6M impressions; $311K AE
• USA Today 10Best: totaling 2.4M impressions & $25K AE
o Top July Destinations
o Top National Park for Hiking (included in USA Today e-newsletter)
o Best ways to celebrate RMNP Centennial
Travel Writer FAM (Familiarization Tour) Program Highlights:
• Conducted a desk-side FAM trip to New York in August 2015 to meet with 14 prominent
outdoors, athletic, family, group, and travel writers and editors to pitch year-round and
winter travel stories.
• Hosted a group FAM in June in conjunction with an “Adventure at Every Level” theme.
• Participated in the 2015 Destination Marketing Association International Influencer Rally,
resulting in 12 influencer meetings and 30 new influencer connections.
• In partnership with Grand Lake, hosted a media reception at History Colorado to celebrate
RMNP Centennial through their RMNP exhibit. RMNP and Rocky Mountain Conservancy
representatives also participated.
• Added a Texas deskside tour visiting with press in Austin and San Antonio resulting in
multiple FAM trips in 2015 and 2016, currently in planning stages.
• Year-to-date have hosted five domestic and five international FAM tours and media visits –
another four are in the planning stages.
• Arranging for a regional desk-side FAM tour in Denver in the fall.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 34
• Hosted influencers in winter/spring as part of the CDBG-DR grant program, as well as
additional influencers throughout the year – a total of 4 influencers hosted YTD.
PR Plan 2016:
We will continue to integrate public relations (earned media) strategies and tactics with those of
paid and owned media. Public relations efforts in the coming year will have an increased emphasis
on reaching the national audience, targeting key national media with pitches geared at increasing
awareness of the destination, promoting the NPS 100th Anniversary, and positioning Estes Park as
the ideal mountain base camp for low, medium, and high adventure travelers. This will be done by
highlighting the outdoor adventures and experiences unique to Estes Park within our media
outreach, pitches, FAM tours, wire stories, and press events.
In addition to traditional and digital media, Visit Estes Park will continue to expand efforts in 2016 to
build relationships with online influencers – especially to promote niche markets such as adventure
travel, weddings, group travel, and family travel. There are several hosting/partnership
opportunities currently in the discussion or planning phases.
The coming year will continue to present challenges in educating the media and the public as to
travel conditions and road construction. As the permanent repairs on Highway 36 have ceased, we
will shift our focus to the closures on Highway 34. Visit Estes Park will continue to collaborate with
area and state officials to best position this information and to inform stakeholders through
education and by offering talking points and up-to-date information for them and their guests. Visit
Estes Park will also continue outreach efforts to the local news media both in anticipation of and
reaction to potentially negative stories.
In 2016, Visit Estes Park’s PR team will continue to track and rate articles based on the Barcelona
Principles. This system focuses on qualitative reporting (based on reach and impact on audiences)
and creates transparency and replicable results by setting tangible goals, by measuring the effect of
media placements on outcomes and business results, and by determining both quality and quantity
of coverage. Turner PR and Visit Estes Park will continue to transition from a traditional advertising
value/impressions results measurement system to one that focuses on the following:
• A predetermined list of top 100 targeted publications
• The inclusion of visuals, such as photos or infographics
• Headline positioning for Estes Park and/or local tourism partners
• Messaging
• Coverage prominence (feature story vs. roundup)
• Call to action/brand mention
• Advertising Equivalency
• Impressions/reach
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 35
Through stakeholder communications - utilizing educational sessions, the extranet and Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) functionality, e-newsletters, and traditional means - the team will
increase the collaboration with stakeholders on developing media-friendly packages, specials and
stories. In 2016, we will expand our efforts in providing advice and education to stakeholders
surrounding media relations. This may include media training, planning resources, FAM trip tips,
product development ideas, and story development, among other things.
We will continue to explore, through relationships with Cultivator, Backbone and Turner, the
possibility of partnering with a complementary brand to do cross- or co-promotions in advertising,
social media and/or public relations. This type of collaboration can be very beneficial in furthering
our brand strength, expanding reach and awareness, increasing consumer trust, and creating long-
term relationships and associations.
International Marketing & PR
International Marketing Ongoing Focus:
Visit Estes Park will continue to collaborate with the Colorado Tourism Office’s international division
and their International Promotion Committee to engage with and learn from their efforts.
Additionally, we will expand our relationships with tour operators and planners through
tradeshows, FAM hosting, and sales tours.
In 2015, Visit Estes Park grew efforts in attracting international travelers through international
travel trade and media outreach, as well as collaboration with local and state tourism partners. This
included attending Go West, an international travel tradeshow, where Visit Estes Park promoted the
destination and met with trade representatives to increase interest in Colorado products featuring
Estes Park.
Year-to-date, Visit Estes Park has hosted six international travel trade group FAM trips with
representatives from China, Panama, the UK, Korea, India, Brazil, France and the US, in partnership
with CTO, to introduce them to Estes Park. Additionally, we have hosted group media trips from
India, Panama, China and the UK, as well as individual media trips from the UK, Germany,
Netherlands and China.
Visit Estes Park is also working with Travel on Global to develop an international traveler survey to
better understand the current international guest of Estes Park and to help identify opportunities.
We are also contracting them to build foreign language landing pages for VisitEstesPark.com, to offer
foreign-language and international guests a warmer welcome to Estes Park.
International Marketing 2016:
Visit Estes Park will continue to work with local tourism partners to establish a better understanding
of the value and the market processes within the destination, and further identify local partners who
want to more actively pursue international markets.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 36
As budget allows, Visit Estes Park will expand digital content for our website that will speak directly
to additional international target markets in their language, tying in their culture and addressing
their specific travel trends and preferences.
Visit Estes Park will increase the budget for international marketing in 2016 in order to enable
additional tactics, such as tradeshows, sales tours, FAM hosting, collateral development, in-language
digital content, and more.
VisitEstesPark.com Website
2015 Website Ongoing Focus:
The Visit Estes Park website was launched in June 2013 with Simpleview Inc, the leader in
destination marketing solutions. This new website was a result of a planned and purposeful multi-
year strategy. As expected, this strategy has led to the new website exceeding the performance of the
previous website. The result is a website that elevates the online Estes Park experience through
inspiration and information.
The Visit Estes Park website is creative and feature rich, utilizing the latest technology and
destination marketing best practices. The goal of the website is to improve internal efficiencies,
provide real value to our stakeholders, reflect the Estes Park brand promise, delight the consumer
planning their trip, effectively compete with any other destination website, and increase visitor
conversion. The website was developed with the consumer in mind, giving them the features they
have come to expect from a top-tier travel website.
Since the start of 2015, the Visit Estes Park website continues to see key indicator growth for website
performance and engagement, as reflected in Google Analytics reporting. As of July 2015,
VisitEstesPark.com has been visited by 588,299 people. This is 80,858 more people compared to the
same time frame in 2014 (which was 507,441 people), a 15.93% increase. We are continuing to see
that with additional and authentic content, easy navigation, intriguing features, and an SEO-friendly
navigation structure, more first-time users are visiting the site, users are visiting more pages on the
site, and they are using the BookDirect feature more to research availability and book their stay.
Year-to-date July 2015 improvements to site engagement:
15.93% increase in users – new & returning users that had at least one session within
the time period
3.2% increase in page views – more individual pages overall are being viewed
6.46% increase in new visitors – more first time visitors to the site
2.80% (Tablet) and 119.71% (Mobile) increase in sessions on mobile and tablet
devices
1,802 average daily JackRabbit BookDirect lodging click-throughs to lodging
website/booking
engine, a 57.79% increase over the same time period last year
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 37
The Events page is consistently in the top four pages of the website, preceded only by
the homepage and vies with two lodging specific pages.
o July 31, 2015 year-to-date:
Home page 278,021 page views
Lodging All 121,001 page views
Lodging – Cabins & Cottages, 115,824 page views
Events Calendar – 101,197 page views
The VisitEstesPark.com blog continues to see increased traffic (22, 717 sessions so far in 2015, with
average time on site reaching times of over six minutes) and proves to be a powerful tool for hosting
specialized content users are looking for.
In early 2015, Visit Estes Park began the process of upgrading our current website to a responsive
design site. Responsive design offers an optimal viewing experience with easy reading and
navigation with a minimum of scrolling, panning and resizing across a variety of devices from mobile
phones, to tablets, to desktop computers. It allows the site to adapt to the layout of the viewing
environment. As we see a continued growth in the use of VisitEstesPark.com from a mobile devices
and announcements by search engines such as Google focusing on returning responsive and mobile
optimized results in their search, this upgrade will keep the Visit Estes Park.com website in the
highest level of optimized websites.
Visit Estes Park continues to partner with Destination Travel Network (DTN), an agency
representing over 100 destination marketing organizations throughout North American. DTN
enables our stakeholders to reach millions of prospective visitors with targeted, relevant advertising
packages and solutions on the Visit Estes Park website. This partnership provides our stakeholders
custom and expert assistance with website advertising that fits within their budget. The added
exposure they receive brings traffic to their individual sites, in addition to growing their revenue.
Website 2016:
After seeing positive and affirming growth throughout the two years of the new VisitEstesPark.com
website, we continue to focus on making large long-term enhancements and fine-tuning
improvements, to content on the website, as well as the Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
system and Content Management System (CMS). These enhancements across various areas
throughout the website will increase satisfaction in user experience, result in longer time spent on
site, more pages visited and a decreased bounce rate. With the increase of support hours contracted
through Simpleview Inc., Visit Estes Park will be focusing on implementing “phase two” items
including additional web cams, enhanced social integration and content enhancement for optimal
user experience.
With the development of the responsive site, Visit Estes Park will no longer be managing two CMS
systems (desktop and mobile), as the mobile site will be replaced with the full version of our website
presented in mobile-friendly responsive view. Responsive offers an opportunity for all desktop
website advertisers the ability to be featured on the mobile version without having to purchase
separate listings within the mobile version.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 38
Simultaneously, during the responsive build, the VisitEstesPark.com website will be upgrading the
CMS (content management system) platform to the CMS 2.0 version offered by Simpleview Inc. This
upgrade will allow Visit Estes Park staff to have more flexibility with design, easily apply widgets to
interior pages to create a more visual and engaging page rich with content and streamline the
process for changes, saving staff valuable time. CMS 2.0 also offers the ability to develop microsites
within the VisitEstesPark.com website that will allow us to customize in-house landing pages created
to specifically speak to individual events, holidays, promotions and contests.
The year 2016 will also showcase a revised homepage on VisitEstesPark.com. After reviewing click-
through analytics of the current homepage, Visit Estes Park identified key areas where improvement
could be made in design to increase visibility and click-through rates of seasonal content. The new
homepage features highly visual content in an easy-to-read format while still offering the favorite
links offered on the current homepage and retaining space for Destination Travel Network
advertising options including banners and spotlight text links.
The process of monitoring, analyzing, and making necessary updates to the website is an ongoing
and fluid process that develops with changes stemming from industry standards, internal review,
website best practices, analytic reporting and consumer use trends & feedback.
The VisitEstesPark.com blog will see a back-end makeover in 2016, as we re-evaluate tags and
authors to increase the SEO power of the blog and create niche authors and audiences with themed
blogs that focus on the pillars of our brand.
BookDirect - JackRabbit
BookDirect Ongoing Focus:
JackRabbit Systems lodging online BookDirect feature was implemented with the new website with
the goal of driving higher lodging revenue to the Estes Park market.
Visit Estes Park chose the BookDirect solution because unlike online travel agencies (OTA), such as
Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline and Orbitz, --JackRabbit’s BookDirect solution:
1) is the only solution dedicated to driving booking reservations directly to the lodging property
website, 2) there is no cost to our stakeholders, 3) does not require lodging properties to manage
separate inventory, 4) there are no additional ‘middleman’ fees incurred by our stakeholders, 5)
provides a better guest experience through a direct relationship with the lodging property, 6)
properties without an online booking engine can still participate and be listed, 7) includes Facebook
and mobile integration for DMO’s, 8) drives high quality leads directly to our lodging partners
increasing bookings for our stakeholders from VisitEstesPark.com, and 9) is cost effective.
Visit Estes Park continues to see rapid growth in referrals to stakeholders’ online booking engines
during 2015. In August 2015, VisitEstesPark.com became Jackrabbit/BookDirect’s number one
most referring website in the country, reporting the highest number of referrals to stakeholder’s
websites of over 273 Jackrabbit/BookDirect clients. This exhibits the success in Visit Estes Park’s
marketing strategies by driving guests to the website, thereby resulting in direct lodging referrals. Of
course, this success translates to growth for retail, restaurants and activities as well.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 39
Highlights from 2014 JackRabbit BookDirect performance on VisitEstesPark.com include:
399,178 total referrals to lodging properties in 2014. 1,094 average referrals per day in
2014.
3,223 referrals for highest referral day on July 2, 2014
Assuming 3.47% Conversion Rate (industry average):
o 14,969 reservations made in 2014
o Estimated $ 7,537,939 Booking Revenue
Highlights from year-to-date July 2015 JackRabbit BookDirect performance on
VisitEstesPark.com:
382,123 total July 2015 YTD referrals to lodging properties compared to 242,203 total July
2014 YTD referrals in 2014
1,802 average referrals per day YTD July 2015
4,355 referrals for highest referral day on July 7, 2015 compared to 3,223 referrals for
highest referral day on July 2, 2014
Referrals averaged 3,533 per day in July 2015, compared to an average of 2,361 per day in
July 2014.
Social Media
Social Media Ongoing Focus:
Social Media includes multiple digital channels where individuals interact in a virtual, yet social way.
These channels also provide opportunities for brands and organizations, such as Visit Estes Park, to
directly interact with guests and potential guests. These conversations can take place in real time
and offer the opportunity for consumers to become brand advocates by sharing their positive
experiences with their followers, friends and family. Visit Estes Park works to leverage these
conversations to provide information, encourage engagement/sharing, answer questions and tell the
Estes Park story to tens of thousands of ‘followers’ and, in turn, their friends and followers as well.
These efforts grow the reach of the Visit Estes Park messaging and enhance the guest experience
through transparent and authentic online conversations.
In 2015, the focus and goal of the Visit Estes Park social channels has been to continue increasing the
number of fans & followers who are actively exposed and engaged to the Estes Park message, create
strategic content for all channels that encourages engagement through comments, shares, likes and
retweets, using our followers and influencers as ambassadors who share our message. We strive to
have an appropriate mix of marketing and social content, while focusing on increasing traffic from
our social channels to the Visit Estes Park website. So far in 2015, we have seen a 97% increase in
traffic from Facebook to the Visit Estes Park.com website, a 49.33% increase from Twitter and a
450.28% increase from Pinterest. Social media continues to gain speed as a significant traffic driver
to the VisitEstesPark.com website.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 40
As social media continues to grow exponentially in both exposure and users, it will continue to be a
vital part of telling the Estes Park story to key targeted audiences, creating brand ambassadors,
converting past guests to returning guests and being the tipping point for consumers considering
booking a trip to Estes Park.
Notable Key Indicators in 2015: Visit Estes Park has achieved considerable growth in social media
followers so far in 2015, expanding our reach and increasing the opportunities for delivering a
branded message, building authentic relationships and converting online fans into physical visitors
to Estes Park.
Facebook: Grew by 22.5% in number of ‘Likes’ (followers) from 79,802 followers to 83,837
(4035 new followers so far in 2015), making us the number two city destination marketing
organization in Colorado in number of followers, led only by Visit Denver. Visit Estes Park’s
Facebook page leads the DMO industry in Colorado for sustained engagement, though we may
not have the most followers, our fans are more engaged and interactive with the content we
post.
Twitter: Offering an opportunity to share real-time information, news and tidbits, Twitter has
been a growing channel for direct communication to our followers, media and influencers.
The use of hash tags (#EstesElkWatch & #OnlyInEstes) and the inclusion of other prominent
handles (such as @Colorado) allows topic-based conversations and indirect exposure to our
messaging. Tracking of keyword mentions (such as “Estes Park” or “Rocky Mountains”) also
gives us a chance to engage guests in conversation, make recommendations and dispel
misinformation. Our following grew by 21.07% in number of followers, from 5,581 to 6,757
(1,176 new followers) so far in 2015.
YouTube: 21,271 cumulative YouTube views since account was formed Jan. 2011. So far in
2015, we have seen an increase of 5,579 views, or 35.55%, attributing that growth to the
collaboration videos with Active Interest Media (Backpacker Magazine, Yoga Journal and
Climbing Magazine)
Pinterest: A virtual bulletin board for sharing images and linking to additional information,
Pinterest allows branded messaging to potentially drive traffic to our website and blog. Our
following grew by 15.60% in number of pin-board followers, from 2,608 to 3,015 (407
followers) so far in 2015.
Google+: Used mainly as a tool to enhance our search engine optimization (SEO) by helping
us rank better organically through keyword-related content, Google+ was a focus of
rebuilding and regrowth beginning in March of 2014. After extensive research and discussion
with Simpleview SEO experts, a strategic plan was developed to launch a new Visit Estes Park
Google+ page under the original Visit Estes Park Google/YouTube account. This move to
house all Google profiles under one main account significantly increases SEO presence for the
VisitEstesPark.com website and keyword searches to relevant Estes Park terms. We have seen
consistent growth since the relaunch and a growth of 28.08% from 235 to 301 followers (66
followers) so far in 2015 and an increase in traffic to the VisitEstesPark.com website from the
Google+ page as compared to previous periods. We have also seen an increase in Visit Estes
Park Google+ content that now appears on first-page search results for events and general
Estes Park keyword searches.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 41
Instagram: The fastest-growing social media channel the past two years, with 300 million
monthly active users (third only behind Facebook and Twitter), Instagram has given Visit
Estes Park the opportunity to engage a new, younger audience through photo sharing and
interaction with those who post photos taken in and around Estes Park. Our following grew
by 58.21% from 3,664 to 5,797 (2,133 new followers) so far in 2015.
Social Media 2016:
Visit Estes Park recognizes that travel influencers aren’t what they used to be. Anyone with a cell
phone and an audience of friends, family and followers is a potential influencer. With 74% of
travelers accessing social media during their vacation and 76% of those travelers using a social
platform to share their experiences through updates, photos, and videos while traveling, Visit Estes
Park sees the critical importance of using social media to create authentic relationships, encourage
sharing and celebrate social users with those Estes Park travelers, before, during, and after their
visit.
In 2016, Visit Estes Park will continue to expand our social reach and engagement in both paid and
organic efforts to attract followers and grow engagement through promotion, interaction and
branded content creation. With increased hyper-targeted advertising options within social media,
we are able to target key audiences with Estes Park messaging resulting in high engagement, better
click through rates and a better user experience as they are receiving content they are truly
interested in.
We will achieve this by using strategic online social tactics and a diverse social advertising mix that
utilizes targeting tools. Using authenticity and transparency as a guide, Visit Estes Park will develop
content that is a mix of fan-generated, partner-generated, and our own content. The goal of the
content is to provide an online Estes Park experience, provide useful and entertaining content to our
followers, drive traffic to the VisitEstesPark.com website and increase SEO performance.
Additionally, as video content continues to overtake content consumption, we will be focusing on
development and increased placement of video on appropriate social platforms including Instagram
video, Facebook and YouTube. Our video production ramped up in 2015 with short social videos
surrounding events and “slice of life” videos and larger-production videos partnering with Active
Interest Media. 2016 will continue this trend of video production with additional video content
produced on a variety of professional levels.
Email Marketing
Email Marketing Ongoing Focus:
Email marketing continues to be a strong and successful method for awareness and engagement for
Visit Estes Park’s digital communications mix. Email allows us to convey our message with past and
potential guests about the Estes Park brand to a group of recipients who have opted-in to receive
email communication. Within the past year, our email newsletters have become regular, targeted
emails that contain carefully created and strategically placed content that encourages interaction and
conversions to our blog and website.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 42
Our visitor e-Newsletter gained a total of 8,283 subscribers, a 138.29% increase so far by July 2015
and maintains an average open rate of 28.7% (travel industry average of 21.53%) and an average
click through rate of 22.9% (travel industry average of 2.55%) since the start of 2015. We continue
to see high open rates and engagement since switching to Distribion email software in September
2013 (from Mailchimp), which allows integration with the new CRM and a branded template that
mimics the look and feel of the new website.
Email Marketing 2016:
Each newsletter will continue to be strategically crafted to increase awareness of Estes Park news &
events, focusing on driving traffic to pages that have high performance rates in conversions to
lodging properties booking engines. The performance of every newsletter is carefully monitored and
evaluated to make necessary enhancements to receive maximum views and conversions.
In 2016, the email newsletter program will expand to include dedicated advertising opportunities for
stakeholders with the goal of driving traffic to specific listings or websites. These advertising
opportunities provide increased exposure to participating businesses and engage readers with
informative partner-related services, news, or events.
Increased emails purchased through Distribion will allow Visit Estes Park the flexibility to send
dedicated emails focused on events, holidays, promotions and contests. These dedicated emails will
be in addition to our highly successful once-a-month round-up newsletter, allowing Visit Estes Park
to make more frequent appearances in our subscriber’s in-boxes and increasing our “top of mind”
placements. These niche emails will provide more customized information to our audience and more
in-depth information surrounding one topic or event.
Collateral Development
2015 Estes Park Official Visitor Guide Ongoing Focus:
After having the guide as a digital-only publication for one year (2014) an all-out concentration on
creating a relevant and desired printed Visitor Guide for 2015 that would be relevant and desired
began during the summer months of 2014. Estes Park’s stakeholders responded positively, with ad
sales collections reaching an all-time high that exceeded $158,000. With the high level of advertiser
support, it was decided to increase the number of guide printed from 140,000 to 185,000 in
preparation for a desired increased local distribution, as guests are using the guide for both pre-
planning their trip to Estes and during their stay. Arrangements are being made to distribute the
Guide locally through Eve’s Brochure Racks beginning September 2015, in addition to the current
distribution at the Estes Park Visitor Center.
2016 Estes Park Official Visitor Guide:
The 2016 Official Visitor Guide is in production and includes major changes: heavier paper on both
the cover and inside pages, use of perfect binding versus a staple stitch, redesigned quality maps,
including a fold-out map on the back cover with shuttle map, and content changes throughout to
meet changing reading habits. To better meet guest demand for specific content and
recommendations, a few sponsored content (paid editorial) ad opportunities have been added. Also
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 43
new to the Official Guide in 2016 will be the addition of stick-ease tabs so readers can mark their
favorite pages, as they peruse the guide, for quick reference while planning their trip to Estes, --a fun
way to interact with the guide.
Is the Visitor Guide Still Relevant?*
As much as we’re tied to our tablets, smartphones, apps and computers, there’s still no substitute for
holding something tangible in your hands. In 2012 the Center for Marketing Technology at Bentley,
University in Waltham, Massachusetts conducted a research study to answer the question about the
need for printed materials. What they uncovered was very interesting and can guide decision-making
when it comes to printing and distribution. Here’s what they found:
The primary sources that impacted final decisions during the planning of a trip were based on:
57% - The Internet
48% - Word of mouth – recommendations from friends & relatives
32% - Printed brochures
25% - Maps or guides
15% - Mobile apps
8% - Billboards, signage & advertising
Printed brochures, maps and guides impacted the final decision a third of the time – behind the
Internet and word of mouth.
During the trip additional decisions were made as follows:
81% - Locally distributed brochures
70% - Internet
66% - Friends, relatives
63% - Maps or guides
34% - Mobile apps
31% - Billboards, signage and advertising
Seven out of ten visitors pick up at least one brochure while on a trip. Of those, nearly half
(42%) plan on purchasing goods or services as a result of picking up brochure(s).
*Source: Roger Brooks International
According to Destination Analysts July 2015 State of the American Traveler report, print has reached
a recent record high of 50% of travelers using print resources to help plan their leisure travel. Those
that have read a lifestyle or travel magazine for trip planning is 26% of millennials, 25% Generation
X, and 18.2% Baby Boomers.
The Colorado Tourism Office also confirms the demand for their print materials continues to grow
for both their state vacation guide and Alive magazine subscription.
Happenings:
Visit Estes Park continues to publish Estes Park Happenings, a weekly publication designed to
enhance the guest experience. Happenings, a one-page publication, highlights Estes Park’s events
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 44
and entertainment for a specific timeframe, and is a very popular piece that is consistently published
by the two local newspapers and shared on social media. The piece is emailed to all stakeholders and
is used by our local businesses, Visitor Center, and residents.
We are working with the Town of Estes Park to display Happenings at each of the public restrooms.
One of the #1 questions guests have when they arrive to town is, “what is there to do in Estes Park?”
Since not all guests visit the Visitor Center, especially if they have been to Estes before, we need to
find unique ways to share what is “Happening” around town. When the sign code permits, we hope
to work with the Town of Estes Park with displaying outdoor touchscreen information kiosks
outdoors to offer guests additional resources for this information in a more modern, efficient way.
Visitor Center
Visitor Center 2015 Ongoing Focus:
Providing visitor materials that reflect the Estes Park brand will continue to be of significant
importance. Working in collaboration with the Estes Park Visitor Center, collateral to be distributed
will include the lodging and group grids.
To assist guests who visit the information desk in the Town of Estes Park’s Visitor Center,
Ambassadors and Visitor Center staff rely on an annual multi-page ‘Lodging Grid’ publication that
details the features of lodging properties, bed and breakfasts and campgrounds. The grid-format
guide is created internally by Visit Estes Park. Cost to print the brochure is covered by The Town of
Estes Park.
The Visitor Center will continue serving as one of the primary distribution points for the Official
Estes Park Visitor Guide, soon to be enhanced in September 2015 with further distribution via Eves
Brochure Rack (over 120 locations in the Estes area).
Visitor Center 2016:
Efforts in 2016 will include revising both lodging and group grids used to assist Visitor Center staff in
answering questions from drop-in guests who are seeking information pertinent to weddings,
reunions and meetings.
Working in partnership with the Town of Estes Park, we will begin implementing digital
touchscreens at the Visitor Center to offer guests an interactive way to gain information, plan their
stay, and receive special offers. Touch screens will also provide stakeholders the opportunity to
present information to guests without the costs of printing brochures, as well as the flexibility and
tracking that digital advertising offers.
Although our Visitor Center visitation numbers are strong, we follow the industry standard for lack
of repeat Center visitation from return guests. It is important we constantly look for opportunities
throughout town to share with guests everything there is to do in Estes Park.
The Visit Estes Park portable visitor center has proved very impactful at the weekly Farmers Market
and also area events. This furthers our reach with guests who may not enter the Visitor Center, and
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 45
allows us to share information with the guest, rather than hoping they find us. The booth has also
provided us the opportunity to mingle with the the local residents more often to answer questions,
ask for their input regarding their vision for Estes Park, and be more engaged with them.
Partnership Development
Partnership Development objectives entail three main areas:
1. Destination Partnerships
2. Destination Brand Strategy
3. CRM & Extranet Enhancements
All three areas provide a great opportunity for Visit Estes Park to augment its role in the Estes Park
community.
Destination Partnerships
The need for collaboration and partnership between Visit Estes Park and the community has become
increasingly evident. It is clear that Visit Estes Park’s relationships with local business owners and
tourism stakeholders are an integral cornerstone to the success of the destination. Visit Estes Park’s
goal is to continue to build strong, productive stakeholder partnerships that help to enhance the
destination experience and its associated growth. The Visit Estes Park role is essential to creating a
community-wide effort to improve and elevate Estes Park industry, and the Estes Park Destination
Brand.
Destination Partnerships 2015 Ongoing Focus :
Focused on open communications and advocacy by continuing successful programs and
launching new partner communication channels.
Continued to develop in-depth, detailed partner communication strategy to define tactics
that will allow Visit Estes Park to further enhance the quality of relationships between the
Visit Estes Park team and the Estes Park community.
Continue to enhance communication structure between Visit Estes Park and stakeholders,
beyond traditional methods and utilizing new DMO tools, including the CRM and
stakeholder extranet
Continue to assume the role of destination partner with the Town of Estes Park, Rocky
Mountain National Park, tourism and business associations, and other community groups
(Estes Valley Partners for Commerce, Estes Area Lodging Association, Estes Park Wedding
Association, Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center, Rocky Mountain Performing Arts
Center, Arts District, Rotary, Estes Park Sports & Fitness Cooperative, and others).
Annual Visit Estes Park Tourism Summit, held on May 13 at The Stanley Hotel. The
Summit included general session review of 2014-2015, as well as breakout sessions
allowing for direct partner participation and feedback.
Visit Estes Park’s President & CEO, Elizabeth Fogarty, sits on the Estes Area Lodging
Association Board of Directors, representing Visit Estes Park as a key supporter and
partner of the local community.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 46
Visit Estes Park’s Board Member, Jon Nicholas, sits on the Estes Valley Partners for
Commerce Board of Directors.
o Visit Estes Park will continue to work with the Downtown Business Partners (part
of Estes Valley Partners for Commerce), an organization dedicated to the
promotion of downtown Estes Park as a center of business, culture and
entertainment.
Visit Estes Park President & CEO, Elizabeth Fogarty, is a board member and executive
committee member of the Estes Park Economic Development Corp. Jon Nicholas, Local
Marketing District Board Member, is President and CEO of the Estes Park EDC.
By continuing to lead the Association Forum (which includes participation from the Town
of Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park Economic Development
Corporation, Estes Valley Partners for Commerce, Estes Area Lodging Association, Estes
Park Wedding Association, Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center, Arts District, and
others), Visit Estes Park will look to increase the level of cooperation and collaboration for
a destination-wide approach to driving travel and tourism in Estes Park, while cultivating
and balancing a high quality of life for our community.
Provide exceptional customer service to stakeholders, including one-on-one visits.
Destination Partnerships 2016:
In 2016, Visit Estes Park will continue to focus on community outreach to solicit ongoing feedback,
and inform stakeholders about the role of Visit Estes Park as the marketing and destination expert in
the Estes Park community. To further enhance and strengthen these relationships, Visit Estes Park
will focus on educational programs based on the needs of stakeholders. The sessions will be
designed to help businesses capitalize on Visit Estes Park’s marketing efforts, as well as to enhance
and improve their own marketing efforts. Sessions will include topics such as social media, delivering
the Estes Park Promise, co-op advertising, and how to read and interpret website analytics reports.
Visit Estes Park will concentrate on further developing partner advertising programs, both for in-
market pieces and for website opportunities. Strict attention will be paid to enhancing current
offerings and appraising new products, reevaluating pricing and placement structures, and reporting
current and accurate performance indicators. Visit Estes Park partner advertising programs allow
local tourism businesses to participate in Visit Estes Park national and international message, engage
in the destination brand, and reinvest in Visit Estes Park’s marketing efforts.
Destination Brand Strategy
Integrated brand strategy creative content and messaging continues to be implemented across all
marketing platforms including print, digital, social, broadcast, and website.
We are in the final stage of Brand Strategy Culturization, where we help partners understand that
creating and providing exceptional experiences for Estes Park guests is one of the most significant
impacts they can have in creating a positive guest experience resulting in guest loyalty and return
visitation. This phase of Brand Strategy is an ongoing process, and will continue throughout 2016
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 47
and beyond in order to ensure community involvement, engage new and seasonal staff, grow
resident participation, and more.
In 2016, Visit Estes Park will continue to share and implement destination brand strategy within the
Estes Park community. By continuing to provide community-wide interactive sessions detailing the
work of the project and focusing specially on the promise concept, “Everyone’s A Guest.” Visit Estes
Park will be able to target not only business owners and managers, but also front-line workers,
seasonal employees, international employee and residents. It is imperative now more than ever that
Estes Park experiences are exceptional for guests, and this can be achieved by building emotional
connections and delivering a consistent brand experience. Visit Estes Park will also focus on
opportunities for local businesses to develop tangible “brand promise signals.” These signals will
include creative implementations of the brand strategy in external marketing, guest interactions,
product development, and more. These concepts will allow guests and residents alike to understand
the power and value of the brand’s economic impact on the destination.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Enhancements
CRM Enhancements Ongoing Focus:
In 2013 Visit Estes Park implemented the Simpleview Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
System, which is integrated with the VisitEstesPark.com website. Along with the implementation of
the responsive website, Visit Estes Park will also receive a CRM upgrade with new features to allow
for greater efficiency and creativity. The Simpleview CRM, created specifically for destination
marketing organizations, allows Visit Estes Park to centralize all operational data and as a result,
work more cohesively across all aspects of the DMO.
CRM - Stakeholder Relations & Communications:
The CRM’s effectiveness is based on the concentration and housing of all DMO interactions in one
system to allow communications to be more effectively integrated across Visit Estes Park’s
operations. The following are organized within the CRM: Partner records, website listings,
communication logs, amenities, invoices, media articles, reports, site visits, local business host
records, leads, consumer information (including e-newsletter signups, Contact Us records, Visitor
Guide requests, and more). The CRM allows Visit Estes Parks operations and efforts to be integrated,
rather than isolated in several different databases. This allows the Visit Estes Park team to work
more cohesively and efficiently.
The Simpleview CRM also allows all staff members to effectively review other facets of stakeholder
engagement, including responsiveness to group leads, participation in media groups, and more.
CRM - Public Relations:
The CRM system allows for easier and more in-depth tracking of media relations. This includes
tracking of media articles, press visits and press relationship management. Articles can be entered
into the CRM and tagged to stakeholder accounts. Similarly, when media representatives visit Estes
Park we are able to compile the experiences they had in the CRM and link those experiences to the
associated stakeholder account. All of these entries, articles, and visits are also linked to the
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 48
journalist and publication accounts so that we can easily track how productive a particular visit,
journalist, or publication has been for Estes Park’s media exposure. Communications are also tracked
in the CRM, making it easy to report on and keep up with media connections and relationships.
Stakeholder benefits, such as media tour participation and/or article mentions, are also tracked in
the CRM and will be displayed in the extranet, so both the stakeholder and Visit Estes Park can see, at
a glance, the impact of our media efforts.
By having a single system whereby we track communications with media and with stakeholders, the
Visit Estes Park team is able to keep current on connections and communications made with each
stakeholder. This vastly improves the efficiency of our stakeholder relations and enables us to be
more informed on how each relationship is developing.
CRM - Group Sales & Services:
Features now available within the Visit Estes Park CRM have greatly improved reporting for the
group sales business. Several reports, including leads sent to stakeholders and leads pending, are
available in real-time in the CRM. This allows Visit Estes Park to more effectively monitor lead status
information for each individual stakeholder. The communications feature makes it possible to track
when the lead was sent, which stakeholder received the lead, and continue to communicate with
those stakeholders as additional requests are made by the group guest. This tracking through the
CRM communication feature creates a clearer picture of the steps taken by Visit Estes Park to assist
the stakeholder in booking the group.
This enhanced level of communication also extends to the extranet, in which stakeholders are now
able to track their leads from Visit Estes Park. By responding to leads via the Visit Estes Park
extranet, a stakeholder provides information which can then be used to better assist the guest. The
collaboration between Visit Estes Park and the business stakeholder increases the potential for
group business conversion. In addition, response data entered by stakeholders builds a more
accurate record for each lead and allows Visit Estes Park to supply stakeholders with more definitive
results.
Allowing increased opportunities for Visit Estes Park and our stakeholders’ group sales managers to
share information, and housing this information in one place, results in a better picture of how Visit
Estes Park provides value to our stakeholders. It also gives Visit Estes Park a more realistic picture
of how our group market business is being captured, leading to more effective and efficient
destination-wide group sales and services efforts.
In July 2015 Visit Estes Park programmed a lodging lead portal to assist the Town of Estes Park with
communicating lodging leads that evolved from Event Complex contracts. This portal provided the
Town a fair and equitable way to distribute the lodging lead to all businesses within town limits (and
throughout the Visit Estes Park District).
CRM 2016:
The Visit Estes Park CRM has allowed the DMO to work more effectively, and the full utilization of
this system will continue in 2016.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 49
Visit Estes Park will make it a priority to work with stakeholders to encourage and sustain the use of
the extranet. This forum allows stakeholders to view the benefits of their partnership and
engagement with the DMO, while also allowing the DMO to expand their communications’ reach and
education of the partner base.
Additionally, stakeholders are able to use the extranet to manage their listings and coupons directly,
improving efficiencies and reducing errors.
Group Sales & Services
Groups Ongoing Focus:
Visit Estes Park’s group sales and services operates as an inside-sales operation and an extension of
local business partners’ sales teams. The goal is to increase room nights booked by providing
exceptional customer service, quickly qualifying leads, sharing lead information with stakeholders,
and following through with both partners and guests.
Primary sources of leads include Estes Park Visitor Center (phone and walk-ins), Visit Estes Park’s
website and trade show attendance. In 2016, groups will continue to be provided with utmost
service, ensuring they reserve their reunions, weddings, conferences, and retreats in Estes Park.
Key Performance Indicators
Tracking and performance reporting will continue, as we monitor the return on investment for each
initiative, allowing for adjustments where necessary. Measurements include: Lodging tax, Town
sales tax, media impressions, PR value, website & Jackrabbit performance, Visitor Guide, social media
engagement, Visitor Center traffic, and Rocky Mountain National Park visitor counts among others.
The Key Performance Indicator Report is updated monthly, with explanations of variances as noted.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 50
Month
Collected YTD 2013 YTD 2014 YTD 2015 2014 vs. 2015
% Difference
OVERALL PERFORMANCE
Visit Estes Park Lodging Tax July 499,008.31$ 816,679.34$ 1,003,960.79$ 22.93%
Town of Estes Park Lodging Sales Tax July 1,218,874.98$ 1,387,449.15$ 1,931,667.07$ 39.22%
Media Impressions July 224,974,311 196,008,685 597,469,974 204.82%
PR Value July 4,612,447$ 4,417,308$ 6,649,654$ 50.54%
Average PR Points per Article July N/A 50.20 61.29 22.08%
VISITESTESPARK.COM WEBSITE PERFORMANCE
Sessions July 807,945.00 793,600.00 863,240.00 8.78%
Users July 482,097.00 553,615.00 634,146.00 14.55%
Page Views July 2,635,203.00 2,765,729.00 2,854,128.00 3.20%
Pages per Session (Average)July 3.17 3.44 3.31 -3.74%
Average Session Duration (Minutes)July 3.33 5.20 4.54 -12.69%
Jackrabbit Lodging Referrals July N/A 242,203.00 382,123.00 57.77%
OTHER CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT
Digital Visitor Guide Unique Readers July 6,285.00 12,086.00 7,878.00 -34.82%
Digital Visitor Guide Page Views July 269,520.00 580,933.00 400,154.00 -31.12%
Visitor Guide Average Visit Duration (minutes)July 7.56 6.70 7.26 8.36%
E-Newsletter Subscriber Growth July 6,154.00 3,723.00 8,417.00 126.08%
Facebook Followers July 42,233.00 65,052.00 83,837.00 28.88%
Visitor Guides Mailed to Households (Comparing 2013
to 2015) July 80,557.00 - 35,258.00 -56.23%
OTHER COMMUNITY BAROMETERS
Town of Estes Park Sales Tax - with 1% tax increase July 4,554,286.18$ 5,100,277.53$ 6,446,294.40$ 26.39%
Town of Estes Park Sales Tax - without 1% tax increase July N/A 4,733,587.65$ 5,166,522.09$ 9.15%
Town of Estes Park Dining Sales Tax July 818,174.62$ 872,626.92$ 1,187,421.24$ 36.07%
Town of Estes Park Retail Sales Tax July 784,963.68$ 946,392.66$ 1,183,518.70$ 25.06%
Estes Park Visitor Center Visitor Count July 209,787.00 207,127.00 211,504.00 2.11%
RMNP Recreational Visitor Counts July 1,881,198.00 1,803,633.00 2,162,247.00 19.88%
ROCKY MOUNTAIN LODGING REPORT
Occupancy in July 2015: 97.9%
Occupancy YTD (July) 2014: 47.4%
Occupancy YTD (July) 2015: 51.2%
Difference YTD: 3.8%
Report Date: September 22, 2015
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 51
Notes
Media impressions have been continual throughout 2015. Two specific stories, one on MSN.com
titled "World’s Most Unique Concierge Services," the other in the New York Times titled "How to
Get the Most Out of the National Parks this Summer" were two examples of high volume
placements in both impressions and PR Value.
Visit Estes Park Lodging Tax: The large increase in 2015 lodging tax revenues reflects increased
business activity due to many factors including successful marketing campaigns, Rocky Mountain
National Park’s Centennial celebrations, awards from prestigious publications, and an improved
global travel industry.
E-Newsletter Subscriber Growth: Last year at this time, we were seeing a lower than average
subscriber growth number, due to the CRM not reporting a certain number of subscribers that
came from Visitor Guide Request forms. This issue was not resolved until December of 2014.
Note: all email subscribers were collected, but not all were reported, so we did not “lose” any
subscribers who requested to receive our email newsletters.
Jackrabbit Lodging Referrals: As we continue to see increased, qualified traffic to the
VisitEstesPark.com website, we also see the amount of Jackrabbit Lodging Referrals rise. This
very demographically targeted traffic converts easily because users are already qualified to be
interested in booking a trip to Estes Park.
Visitor Guides Mailed to Households: The marketing program for the first half of 2013 was a
continuation of programs heavily invested in print accompanied by bubble cards. Since that time,
the marketing program has become more sophisticated. Print advertising no longer lends itself to
the use of bubble cards. The drop in bubble card responses was anticipated. The percentage
difference compares 2013 to 2015 because no guides were printed or mailed in 2014.
Digital Visitor Guide Unique Readers and Page Views: The Digital Visitor Guide’s decline in use
is a natural outgrowth of having a printed version available in 2015 as the 2014 version of the
guide could only be viewed in a digital format.
Average Session Duration (minutes): As the number of website sessions and users increases,
there is often a fluctuation of other key performance indicators — average session duration will
go down, bounce rate may rise, etc. Since more people are coming to the site, there is a greater
amount of variance to how long people are staying on the site, how many pages they visit, etc.
Another factor is that we did a promoted post, which resulted in the highest traffic day to our site
ever, trailed closely by the highest day of the flood. The CTO promoted post was "Top 5 Colorado
Off the Slopes Experiences," campaign date Jan 2 – Jan 4, 2015. These posts from CTO drive a
huge amount of traffic to the designated landing page, which was Top Things To Do during the
winter, but this traffic doesn’t “research” the website like our traditional organic user. They come
to the page, read the info. and then go back to browsing on social, which increases the bounce
rate and lowers average time on site.
Pages Per Session (average) has gone down because users are finding the content they are
looking for more quickly and efficiently as reflected in the increase in JackRabbit lodging
referrals. As of August 2015, VisitEstesPark.com is the number one DMO JackRabbit referring site in
the country.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 52
Local, Regional, National Advocacy & Professional Development
Actively engage in leading industry associations, conferences, meetings and organizations.
Four staff members attended the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)
Conference.
Elizabeth Fogarty will continue with CDME certification (Certified Destination Management
Executive). Phase 1 began at the 2014 DMAI Annual Conference. It is a program that must be
completed within four years.
Tourism Industry Association of Colorado (TIAC) attended by Elizabeth Fogarty, Scott
Webermeier, Jon Nicholas and Adam Shake.
Governors Tourism Conference attended by Elizabeth Fogarty and Becky Gruhl.
The Assembly – Year Round Mountain Tourism Symposium, sponsored by DestiMetrics, LLC,
was attended by Elizabeth Fogarty
Adventure Travel Tourism Association Conference attended by Elizabeth Fogarty
Simpleview Summit – An annual conference for online tourism marketing and sales for
destination marketing organizations was attended by Kellen Toulouse.
Staff participated in community key initiatives and committees including Association Forum,
Rotary, Economic Development Corporation, Performing Arts Center, Arts District, America in
Bloom, Visitor Center Parking Garage Structure, Shuttle Committee, Events Committee,
Community Wellness Committee, Front Range Travel Region Committee, Mayor’s Coffee Chat
monthly meeting, County Commissioners monthly meeting, and others
Several meetings per year with the Colorado Association of Destination Marketing
Organizations (CADMO) attended by Elizabeth Fogarty
Annual Estes Park Tourism Summit
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 53
2014 Actual 2015 Budget 2015 Forecast
Year End 2016 Budget
Revenues
Visitor Guide 108,405.00$ 179,000.00$ 226,367.50$ 226,367.50$
2% Lodging Tax 1,596,346.62$ 1,414,616.00$ 1,700,000.00$ 1,751,000.00$
Stakeholder Services 170,785.08$ 190,000.00$ 191,092.00$ 191,092.00$
Town of Estes Park Marketing Investment - - 25,000.00$ 95,000.00$
Larimer County Marketing Investment - - - 25,000.00$
Larimer County Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILT)10,615.18$ 10,000.00$ 10,804.96$ 3,421.96$
Alternative Funding Sources (Town & County)*145,000.00$ - - -
Worker's Compensation Dividend Income**1,940.00$ - - -
Grants & Awards 194,513.61$ - 114,173.09$ -
Foothills Contribution - - - -
Other Income 13,250.00$ - 4,888.00$ -
Investment - Interest Income 52.83$ - 55.16$ 55.16$
Total Revenues 2,240,908.32$ 1,793,616.00$ 2,272,380.71$ 2,291,936.62$
Expenses
Personnel Services 458,923.77$ 525,775.00$ 502,177.44$ 585,750.00$
Marketing & Operations 1,019,543.94$ 1,644,583.00$ 1,762,303.36$ 1,753,125.45$
Town Events Marketing***- - 25,000.00$ 95,000.00$
Grants & Awards 270,821.86$ - 42,960.00$ -
Total Current Expenses 1,749,289.57$ 2,170,358.00$ 2,332,440.80$ 2,433,875.45$
Total Expenses 1,749,289.57$ 2,170,358.00$ 2,332,440.80$ 2,433,875.45$
Excess (Deficiency) of Revenues Over Expenses 491,618.75$ (376,742.00)$ (60,060.09)$ (141,938.83)$
Other Financing Sources (Transfers In) - - - -
Other Financing Uses (Transfers Out)- - - -
Increase (Decrease) in Fund Balance 491,618.75$ (376,742.00)$ (60,060.09)$ (141,938.83)$
Beginning Fund Balance 887,122.17$ 1,378,740.92$ 1,001,998.92$ 941,938.83$
Ending Fund Balance****1,378,740.92$ 1,001,998.92$ 941,938.83$ 800,000.00$
Restrictions
Strategic Reserve 200,000.00$ 200,000.00$ 200,000.00$ 200,000.00$
TABOR Reserve: 3% of Expenses 52,478.69$ 65,110.74$ 69,973.22$ 73,016.26$
*Emergency post-flood contribution.
**Pinnocol Assurance dissolved the dividend-paying insurance program on April 1, 2014.
***Town of Estes Park dedicated funds for specific event marketing in addition to Visit Estes Park's investments in marketing
all events, including Town events.
****Ending Fund Balance includes restricted funds.
Estes Park Local Marketing District
2016 Annual Operating Plan Budget
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 54
Glossary
Ad Equivalency (AE): The value of a public relations article or story secured. Represents the
estimated cost of purchasing the same space and reach as an advertisement. Visit Estes Park uses
Burrelles Luce tracking service (via Turner PR) and reports their estimates with no multiplier.
Average Session Duration: The average session duration metric reflects the average amount of
time a user has remained on a website in a single session.
B-Roll: Raw video footage that can be used in multiple ways. Visit Estes Park uses b-roll to share
with media and to use in future video projects.
Bounce Rate: The bounce rate is the percentage of sessions that leave a site from the entry page
without visiting other pages or taking a specified action (such as scroll to the bottom of a page,
indicating they consumed the content). The bounce rate can be calculated as an overall total, by page
or by keyword.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Click-through rate is the number of users that click on a specific link out
of the total users that view a page, email, or advertisement. It is commonly used to measure the
success of an online advertising campaign, a piece of content, or the effectiveness of email
campaigns.
Content: Information shared – typically online – via photos, videos, articles, blog posts, webpage
copy (text), social media posts, etc.
Content Management System (CMS): A CMS is a computer application (software) that allows
publishing, editing and modifying content, organizing, deleting as well as maintenance from a central
interface. Such systems of content management provide procedures to manage workflow in a
collaborative environment.
Conversion: A metric of a user’s or consumer’s intent to purchase. Without direct product sales on
VisitEstesPark.com, non-sale conversions — such as clicks to ‘Book Now’ buttons, e-newsletter sign-
ups, listing click-throughs, etc. — are used to measure the success of a particular marketing effort or
campaign.
Creative Assets: Elements used in advertising and marketing, such as photos, video, b-roll, graphics,
etc.
Customer relationship management (CRM): CRM is an approach to managing a company's
interaction with current and future customers. It often involves using technology to organize,
automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.
Deskside Tours: An effort to meet with multiple members of the media in a day or over multiple
days in their location to present Estes Park to them, share story ideas and learn about their needs
with the goal of securing coverage/articles of Estes Park in their publications and/or those they
write for.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 55
Glossary Cont’d.
DMO: Destination Marketing Organization and/or Destination Management Organization
EALA: Estes Area Lodging Association. The mission is to unify and promote the lodging and tourism
industry in the Estes Area through marketing, services, education, communication, networking and
cooperation with local businesses and to improve the profitability and success of all members and
affiliates.
EDC: Estes Park Economic Development Corporation. The mission is to build a stronger and more
broadly-based economy and tax base; advise and assist existing local businesses to reach their full
economic potential; attract new businesses that create primary jobs and new employment
opportunities.
EPWA: The Estes Park Wedding Association is a group of qualified wedding venues and wedding
services, providing the very best in destination mountain weddings.
EVPC: Estes Valley Partners for Commerce. The mission of the Estes Valley Partners for Commerce
is to support existing and future business in order to drive economic sustainability, while enhancing
the quality of life within the Estes Valley.
Entry (Landing) Pages: An entry page, or landing page, is the page on which a user entered a
website. Such pages are often customized for ad campaigns to present users with a specific set of
content to drive specific conversions.
FAM Trip or Visit: Short for “familiarization trip”, a FAM brings those who are unfamiliar with or
have outdated experience with Estes Park or a particular experience. Visit Estes Park currently
conducts FAM trips for media (domestic and international), influencers, front-line staff or
volunteers, and international travel trade (tour operators). FAMs are also conducted for meeting,
tour, or event planners.
Impressions: A term that typically refers to page views, impressions reference the number of times
an ad or page is viewed. This does not mean a click on the ad, merely a view of the ad or page.
Unique impressions represent different visitors within a 24 hr. period, to separate those visitors
clicking through multiple pages of a site and being counted each time.
Influencers: Individuals with a large and/or strong online following. Could be through their website,
blog and/or social media channels. Visit Estes Park engages with influencers online and hosts them
to share information, experiences or visuals on Estes Park with their followers. Most higher-value
influencers charge for creating and/or sharing content.
Keywords: Keywords are the words and phrases that users enter into a search engine to find
online information or a website. Organic keywords are the exact phrases or words users type into
the search engine that brought up a particular site in the results. Paid keywords are the words and
phrases an advertiser bids on, triggering an advertisement to appear in the user’s search results.
Local Tourism Partners: Also referred to as ‘stakeholders’, these are businesses, organizations, or
individuals with a vested interest in Estes Park tourism and/or Visit Estes Park’s efforts.
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 56
Glossary Cont’d.
Media:
In public relations: A term used to refer to members of the press, influencers or other
writers/journalists.
In advertising: Media refers to the placement of ads, such as magazines, broadcast/radio,
newspaper, digital, social media, etc. “Media plan” refers to the location, frequency, type and size
of ads we plan to purchase for a year or campaign. “Media buy” could refer to the media plan or a
specific ad purchase with a particular partner or outlet.
Out of Home: Advertising media that must be viewed outside the household (billboards, street
furniture, shopping carts, skywriting, theatre advertising, etc.)
Open Rate: Open rate is a measure of how many email recipients open (or view) a particular email
campaign (e-newsletter). The open rate is normally expressed as a percentage, and we calculate it as
follows: A 20% open rate would mean that of every 10 emails delivered to the inbox, 2 were actually
opened.
Organic Search: Organic search, sometimes called natural search, refers to website traffic from non-
paid online search engine results.
Page Views: A page view is when an individual observes a particular webpage, whether a unique
user or when a user refreshes the page they are currently viewing. This metric is used to measure
the number of views a page receives showing its effectiveness or popularity.
Pages per Session: The pages per session metric is the average number of pages a user visits while
on a website in each session. This metric is used to measure how engaging the site’s content is
overall.
Paid Search Traffic: Paid search refers to the traffic (number of sessions) from a pay-per-click
(PPC) campaign to the website being advertised. This metric is reported by an analytics program,
typically Google Analytics.
Pay-Per-Click: Paid keyword advertising via search engines, typically sold on a bidding basis,
enabling the purchase of website placement in the search engine results for a particular word or
phrase. Also known as ‘search engine marketing’ or SEM.
Real Time: When a communication or information happens immediately, as opposed to being
delayed in any way.
Referral (in JackRabbit Book Direct): A referral is counted when a visitor clicks on any
Jackrabbit/BookDirect listing (check availability button, etc.) and is directed to the business owner’s
reservation system or business website.
Responsive Website: Responsive web design (RWD) is an approach to web design aimed at crafting
sites to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience—easy reading and navigation with a
minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling—across a wide range of devices (from desktop
computer monitors to mobile phones).
Visit Estes Park – 2016 Operating Plan Page 57
Glossary Cont’d.
RMNP: Rocky Mountain National Park
Search engine optimization (SEO): SEO is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a
web page in a search engine's unpaid results - often referred to as "natural," "organic," or "earned"
results.
Sessions: Sessions refer to the number of times users visit a website.
Stakeholders: See “Local Tourism Partners”
Unique Monthly Visitors (UMV): An estimate or reported number of unique visitors, or individuals,
to a website, often used to estimate reach for a particular web or online article. UMV may also be
used for a social media page, specific webpage, blog site, etc. For PR reporting, Visit Estes Park uses
UMV numbers reported by Burrelles Luce tracking (via Turner PR). Often those numbers are self-
reported to Burrelles by the media outlet/publication.
Users: Users is the individual users that have visited a website. This is normally less than the
"sessions" metric as it relies on cookies to determine if that user visited a site more than once in the
specified time frame.
1200 Graves Ave • P.O. Box 4426 • Estes Park, CO 80517 • 970‐586‐0500 • www.VisitEstesPark.com
September 30, 2015
2016 Town of Estes Park Event Marketing Investment Proposal Introduction
Background:
Following this summary, you will find a breakout of the proposed investment plan for 2016 Visit Estes Park – Town of
Estes Park events marketing. As previously discussed between our organizations, Visit Estes Park is planning to evolve
further from investing in marketing for individual events to marketing the destination as part of the overall guest
experience.
This approach will enable Visit Estes Park to increase our investment in the efforts of growing awareness of, and
therefore visitation to, Estes Park as the preferred Rocky Mountain vacation destination. Visit Estes Park’s increased
efforts to grow awareness of Estes Park will attract new guests to the destination, help maintain market share for the
summer‐fall season and grow visitation in the winter‐spring season.
Proposal Summary:
We understand that investment in individual event marketing is important to the Town of Estes Park and their event
partners to maintain and grow event attendance, guest spending and the event experience. With that in mind, we are
proposing that the Town of Estes Park choose to market those individual events through Visit Estes Park with a $95,000
investment, outlined in the attached media plan.
The attached plan outlines some detail of how Visit Estes Park proposes a $95,000 event marketing investment by the
Town of Estes Park be spent, while still allowing for the flexibility needed for Visit Estes Park to implement an effective
and agile marketing campaign. Should this proposal be approved, Visit Estes Park could provide an updated, detailed
media plan at a later date.
As we developed the media plan for this proposal, it became clear that even with a $95,000 investment, Visit Estes Park
would need to continue to support these efforts financially. In order to do that, we have included all public relations,
digital communications, creative ad development and media placement & planning fees in our portion of the plan. In
addition, since 2009 Visit Estes Park has been investing in professional photography and video which would be available
to the campaigns, social sites and websites that we manage. Visit Estes Park plans to continue to invest in obtaining new,
fresh, professional and creative assets surrounding events over the coming years, adding to the library available to the
event campaign. Should this plan be approved by the Town, Visit Estes Park plans to increase our 2016 investment in
specific event photography and/or video to further grow the library of creative assets available for this program. We
have also included, in the Visit Estes Park portion, the event calendar advertising that we are committed to doing to
promote the destination as a premiere destination for events and festivals.
In all, the estimated 2016 Visit Estes Park investment in event marketing comes to $155,667. With the attached
proposal, the total event marketing investment would total $249,692 and consists of approximately 22% of the total
marketing investment through Visit Estes Park.
1200 Graves Ave • P.O. Box 4426 • Estes Park, CO 80517 • 970‐586‐0500 • www.VisitEstesPark.com
Beyond Promotion – Collaboration for Comprehensive & Effective Event Marketing:
Just as the success of this partnership depends greatly on mutual trust, collaboration and respect, the success of this
marketing program depends greatly on the quality of the events themselves. At the core, we base our efforts on the
“Four P’s of Marketing”: Promotion, Place, Price and Product. Under this proposal, Visit Estes Park will directly manage
the “Promotion”, however the Place (access to and quality of the facility/location), the Price (of tickets, goods, services,
parking, etc.) and the Product (the quality of the event experience) are all managed by the Town of Estes Park and its
event partners.
Through experience, education and continued professional development, Visit Estes Park has a great deal of event
knowledge on its staff and we welcome the opportunity to grow our collaboration with the Town Events Department
and their partners with a mutual goal of continuously improving all areas, or Ps, of event marketing. In fact, this
collaborative, mutually‐beneficial approach is imperative to the success of the events and their marketing, as well as the
desired quality of the attendee experience.
In addition, we request that the Town of Estes Park and the Events Department allow us to manage the “Promotion”
portion of the marketing plan with input from and collaboration with you, but without competition from you. Building
websites & social media pages, purchasing media, developing event calendars, and other marketing efforts by the Town
would dilute and compete with the effectiveness of the efforts of and through Visit Estes Park.
We understand there is a desire for independent, individual event presence online and we are currently working with
our web team to develop microsites that we think will provide the custom content and web presence that the Town is
looking for. Given the high traffic on our event pages, typically in the top 4 pages of the site, we also think this solution
will provide the web traffic these events have come to expect and require. This will also provide guests the
comprehensive information they seek when planning their itineraries. We ask that this solution be fully implemented
and tested before the Town looks to other solutions to meet this need.
Conclusion:
In all, we are confident that with the proposed investment and collaboration from the Town of Estes Park, Visit Estes
Park can deliver an effective, efficient and mutually‐beneficial marketing program for Estes Park events. Through this
ongoing partnership, such a program will grow visitation around events, increase visitor spending, create new return
guests and have a positive impact on the Estes Park economy. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal and for
your continued support of our organization and our partnership.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bill Almond, Chair Elizabeth Fogarty, President & CEO
VEP Event Advertising Expenses
VEP Spend TOEP
Request
Event Media Buy VEP Total: $780,382 $95,000
Print $46,340 $55,875
CTO: Colorado Visitor Guide & Online Event Listings National Print 7 $306 $2,142
CTO: VG Magazine Alive Guide ‐ Summer, Winter National Print 2 $1,550 $3,100
VISIT DENVER Summer & Winter Issues National 2 $3,899 $7,798
Front Range Individual Event Print Ads Denver Print 19 $2,900 $55,100
Front Range Event Calendar Print Ads Denver Print 7 $2,900 $20,300
Newspaper Insert ‐ Multiple Papers Colorado Print 1 $13,000 $13,000
Local Newspaper Event Ads Estes Park Print 10 $77.50 $775
Digital $4,500 $3,000
Colorado Event Calendar Banner Ads Regional Digital 3 $1,500 $4,500
Front Range Individual Event Banner Ads Regional Digital 5 $600 $3,000
Social $8,000 $8,000
Facebook Paid Ads & Promoted Posts Regional Social 20 $800 $8,000 $8,000
Radio $15,000 $15,000
Colorado & Mountain Stations Colorado Radio 12 $1,250 $15,000
Fort Collins & Denver Stations Colorado Radio 12 $1,250 $15,000
Events Media Buy Total $73,840 $81,875
2016 Total Estimated VEP Media Buy $700,000
Total Media Planning Costs $80,382
Events Media Placement Fee (8%) $11,177
Media Placement Fee All Other (8%) $48,205
Media Planning Fee $20,000
Media Planning Travel Expenses $1,000
2016 MEDIA TOTAL $780,382 $81,875
2016 EVENTS MEDIA TOTAL $85,017 $81,875
Est. Events Creative Expenses VEP Total: $90,000
Event Posters Local 15 $300 $4,500
Digital Static Event Ads (paid & added value) Regional 8 $500 $4,000
Print Ad Design (paid & added value) Regional 33 $450 $7,200 $7,650
Newspaper Insert Regional 1 $1,000 $1,000
Formatted & Radio Ads* Regional 45 $100 $4,500
2016 EST. EVENTS CREATIVE TOTAL 19%$16,700 $12,150
Est. Events Public Relations & Digital Expenses*VEP Total:$165,000
Event Press Releases Regional 15 $100 $1,500
Event Press Relations, Pitching, Visits, Meetings Reg'l/Nat'l 60 $50 $3,000
Event Meetings Regional 144 $50 $7,200
Website Events, Happenings, Event Blog Posts, etc. National 585 $50 $29,250
Social Media Updates National 260 $50 $13,000
2016 EST. EVENTS PR & DIGITAL TOTAL 33%$53,950 $0
2016 EST. TOTAL EVENTS INVESTMENT
Media Buy $85,017 $81,875
Creative Expenses $16,700 $12,150
PR & Digital $53,950 $0
2016 EST. TOTAL EVENTS INVESTMENT $155,667 $94,025
Potential Total VEP 2016 Marketing Investment (VEP + Town)
Event Investment by Entity $155,667 $94,025
Percentage of total 2016 Marketing Investment by Entity 14% 8%
Potential Total 2016 Event Marketing (22% of total VEP + Town Marketing Investment)22%
*These expenses include some VEP staff time/salaries used for event marketing, however the "VEP Total" expenses only include outside marketing
expenses, not staff time/salaries.
$1,129,407
$249,692
1
(6) (a) The board shall elect from its membership a chair, a vice-chair, a secretary,
and other appropriate officers. Officers are elected for terms of two years, taking office
on January 1 of the year directly following the election.
(b) The members of the board appointed or selected pursuant to paragraphs (a)
and ( c) of subsection ( 5) of this section serve at the pleasure of the appointing or selecting
authority.
(7) On May 9, 2012, every agency that is currently a member of the Colorado
corporation created to provide the governance structure for managing the statewide digital
trunked radio system and that qualifies to cooperate with other governments according to
section 29-1-203 becomes a member of the authority unless the governing body of such
agency specifically excludes itself from the authority. Any agency wishing to be excluded
from the authority must notify the secretary of the authority in writing.
(8) After May 9, 2012, new members of the authority shall be admitted in
accordance with any bylaws or policies established by the authority.
29-24.5-104. Exemption from taxation. The income and other revenue of the
authority and all property interests of the authority are exempt from all state and local
taxes and assessments.
29-24.5-105. Consolidated communications system authority -subject to
termination -repeal. (1) The provisions of section 24-34-104, C.R.S., concerning the
termination of regulatory agencies of the state unless extended as provided in said section,
are applicable to the consolidated communications system authority created in this article.
In the event the authority is extended as provided in section 24-34-104, C.R.S., the
general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that the authority should be
subject to review pursuant to said section at least every five years.
(2) This article is repealed, effective July 1, 2018. Prior to such repeal, the
functions of the consolidated communications system authority shall be reviewed as
provided for in section 24-34-104, C.R.S.
MARKETING DISTRICTS
ARTICLE25
Local Marketing Districts
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 306 Title 29
29-25-101. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Local
Marketing District Act".
29-25-102. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly declares that the
organization of local marketing districts having the purposes and powers provided in this
article will serve a public purpose; will promote the health, safety, prosperity, security,
and general welfare of the inhabitants thereof, the property owners therein, and all the
people of the state; will promote the continued vitality of commercial business areas
within local governments; and will be of special benefit to the property within the
boundaries of any district created pursuant to this article.
(2) The general assembly further declares that the creation of local marketing
districts pursuant to this article implements section 18 (1) ( d) of article XIV of the state
constitution and is essential to the continued economic growth of the state.
29-25-103. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise
requires:
article.
C.R.S.
(1) "Board" means the board of directors of a local marketing district.
(2) "Combination" means any two or more local governments.
(3) "District" means a local marketing district formed under the provisions of this
( 4) "Local government" means any county, city and county, or municipality.
(5) "Operating plan" means the operating plan approved under section 29-25-110.
(6) "Publication" has the same meaning as that set forth in section 32-1-103 (15),
(7) "Service area" means the area described in the ordinance, resolution, or
contract creating a district pursuant to this article. Such area may not include territory
outside of the boundaries of the members of the combination, may not include territory
within the boundaries of a municipality that is not a member of the combination, as the
boundaries of the municipality exist on the date the district is created, without the consent
of the governing body of such municipality, and may not include territory within the
unincorporated boundaries of a county that is not a member of the combination as the
unincorporated boundaries of the county exist on the date the district is created without
the consent of the governing body of such county.
(8) "Services" means the services described in section 29-25-111 (1) (e).
29-25-104. Authority of governing body. The governing body of each local
government is hereby vested with jurisdiction to create and establish one or more districts
pursuant to the provisions of this article, and such districts shall have all the powers
provided in this article that are authorized by the ordinance, resolution, or contract
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 307 Title 29
creating the district, or any amendment thereto.
29-25-105. Organization and creation -notice of hearing. (1) The organization
of a district shall be initiated by a petition filed in the office of the clerk of the governing
body. If such petition is to initiate the organization of a district by a combination, such
petition shall be filed in the office of the clerk of each governing body to be included in
the combination.
(2) The petition shall be signed by persons who own commercial real property in
the service area of the proposed district having a valuation for assessment of not less than
fifty percent of the valuation for assessment of all commercial real property in the service
area of the proposed district. The petition shall set forth:
(a) The name of the proposed district, which shall include a descriptive name and
the words "local marketing district";
(b) A general description of the boundaries and service area of the proposed
district;
( c) A general description of the types of services to be provided by the proposed
district;
( d) The names of three persons to represent the petitioners, who have the power to
enter into agreements relating to the organization of the district; and
(e) A request for the organization of the district.
(3) After receipt of a petition under this section, any local government by
ordinance or resolution, or any combination by contract, may create a district that is
authorized to exercise the functions conferred by the provisions of this article. Upon
creation, the district shall constitute a separate political subdivision and body corporate of
the state and shall have all the duties, privileges, immunities, rights, liabilities, and
disabilities of a public body politic and corporate.
( 4) Any contract, ordinance, or resolution establishing a district shall specify:
(a) The name and purpose of the district;
(b) Voting requirements for district elections;
( c) Subject to the provisions of section 29-25-108, if a governing body of a single
local government is not creating the district, the establishment and organization of the
board of directors in which all legislative power of the district is vested, including:
(1) The number of directors, which shall be at least five;
(TI) The manner of the election or appointment, the qualifications, and the
compensation, if any, of the directors and the procedure for filling vacancies;
(III) The officers of the district, the manner of their appointment, and their duties;
and
(1V) The voting requirements for action by the board; except that, unless
specifically provided otherwise in the contract, a majority of the directors of the board
constitutes a quorum and a majority of the board is necessary for action by the board;
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 308 Title 29
( d) The provisions for the distribution, disposition, or division of the assets of the
district;
( e) The boundaries of the district, which may not include territory outside of the
boundaries of the local government that creates the district. If created by a combination,
such a district may not include territory within the boundaries of a municipality that is not
a member of the combination, as the boundaries of the municipality exist on the date the
district is created, without the consent of the governing body of such municipality and
may not include territory within the unincorporated boundaries of a county that is not a
member of the combination as the unincorporated boundaries of the county exist on the
date the district is created without the consent of the governing body of such county.
(f) The term of the district, which may be for a definite term or until repealed,
rescinded, or terminated, and the method, if any, by which it may be repealed, rescinded,
or terminated; except that the district or any ordinance, resolution, or contract under
which it was organized may not be repealed, terminated, or rescinded so long as the
district has bonds outstanding;
(g) If created pursuant to contract, the provisions for amendment of the contract;
(h) The limitations, if any, on the powers granted by this article that may be
exercised by the district pursuant to this article; and
(i) If created pursuant to contract, the conditions required when adding or deleting
parties to the contract.
(5) No local government shall adopt an ordinance or resolution or enter into a
contract establishing a district without holding at least two public hearings thereon in
addition to other requirements imposed by law for public notice. The local government
shall give notice of the time, place, and purpose of the public hearing by publication in a
newspaper of general circulation in the local government at least ten days prior to the date
of the public hearing.
(6) No ordinance, resolution, or contract establishing a district pursuant to this
section shall take effect unless first submitted to a vote of the registered electors residing
within the boundaries of the proposed district. The question of establishing the district
shall be submitted to such registered electors at a general election or a special election
called for such purpose. Such question may also be proposed to such registered electors at
the same time and in the same or a separate question as an election required under section
29-25-112. The district shall not be established unless a majority of the registered
electors voting on the establishment of a district at the election vote in favor of the
establishment. The election shall be conducted in substantially the same manner as
municipal and county elections, and the municipal or county clerk and recorder of each
local government in which the election is conducted shall assist the members of the
combination of the proposed district in conducting the election.
(7) The petition for organization and creation of the district shall be accompanied
by a bond with security approved by the governing body or governing bodies of the
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 309 Title 29
members of the combination or a cash deposit sufficient to cover all expenses connected
with the proceedings, including any elections, for the organization and creation of the
district. If, at any time during the organization proceedings, the governing body or
governing bodies determine that the bond first executed or the amount of the cash
deposited is insufficient in amount, it may require the execution of an additional bond or
the deposit of additional cash within a time to be fixed, not less than ten days thereafter,
and, upon failure of the petitioners to file or deposit the bond or cash, the petition shall be
dismissed.
29-25-106. Hearing -findings -when action barred. (1) On the date fixed for
any hearing or at any adjournment thereof, the governing body or governing bodies of
each member of the combination shall ascertain, from the tax rolls of where the district is
located, the total valuation for assessment of the taxable real and personal property in the
service area. If it appears that said petition is not signed in conformity with this article,
the petition shall be dismissed and the cost adjudged against those executing the bond or
depositing the cash filed to pay such costs. Nothing in this section shall prevent the filing
of a subsequent petition for a similar district.
(2) The findings of the governing body or governing bodies upon the question of
the genuineness of the signatures and all matters of fact incident to such determination
shall be fmal and conclusive.
(3) Prior to the organization of the district, the governing body or governing
bodies may exclude property from the service area or boundaries of the district if deemed
to be in the best interests of the district.
( 4) If it appears that an organization petition has been duly signed and presented
in conformity with this article, that the allegations of the organization petition are true,
and that the types of services to be provided by the proposed district are those services
that best satisfy the purposes set forth in this article, the governing body or bodies, upon
the completion of the hearings, shall by ordinance, resolution, or contract adjudicate all
questions of jurisdiction and may, exercising discretion, declare the district organized,
describe the boundaries and service area of the district, and give it the corporate name
specified in the petition by which, in all subsequent proceedings, it shall thereafter be
known.
(5) Such resolution, ordinance, or contract shall finally and conclusively establish
the regular organization of the district against all persons unless an action, including an
action for certiorari review, attacking the validity of the district is commenced in a court
of competent jurisdiction within sixty days after the effective date of such resolution,
ordinance, or contract. Thereafter, any such action shall be perpetually barred. The
organization of said district shall not be directly or collaterally questioned in any suit,
action, or proceeding, except as provided in this subsection (5).
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 310 Title 29
29-25-107. Boundaries -exclusion proviso. The boundaries of a district may
consist of contiguous or noncontiguous tracts or parcels of property.
29-25-108. Board of directors -duties. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in
this subsection (1 ), if the governing body of a single local government creates the district,
such governing body shall constitute ex officio the board of directors of the district. In
such event, the presiding officer of the governing body shall be ex officio the presiding
officer of the board, the clerk of the governing body shall be ex officio the secretary of
the board, and the treasurer of the local government shall be ex officio the treasurer of the
board. A quorum of the governing body shall constitute a quorum of the board.
(b) The governing body of the local government may, at any time, provide by
resolution or ordinance for the creation of a board of directors of the district consisting of
not fewer than five members. Each member shall be an elector of the district appointed
by the governing body or, if designated by the governing body, by the mayor of a city and
county; except that, if possible, no more than one-half of the members of the board may
be affiliated with one owner or lessee of taxable real or personal property in the district.
Each member shall serve at the pleasure of the local government. Within thirty days after
a vacancy occurs, a successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original
appointment. Within thirty days after a member's appointment, except for good cause
shown, each member shall appear before an officer authorized to administer oaths and
take an oath that such member will faithfully perform the duties of office as required by
law and will support the constitution of the United States, the state constitution, and laws
made pursuant thereto. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum of the board.
The board shall elect one of its members as presiding officer, one of its members as
secretary, and one of its members as treasurer. The office of both secretary and treasurer
may be filled by one person.
( c) If more than one-half of the property located within the district is also located
within an urban renewal area, a downtown development authority, or a general
improvement district, the governing body may, at any time, provide by ordinance that the
governing body of the urban renewal authority, downtown development authority, or
general improvement district shall constitute ex officio the board of directors of the
district. In such event, the officers of such entity shall be ex officio the officers of the
board. A quorum of the board of directors of such entity shall constitute a quorum of the
board.
( d) If the petition initiating the organization of the district or any subsequent
petition signed by persons who own real or personal property in the service area of the
proposed district having a valuation for assessment of not less than fifty percent, and who
own at least fifty percent of the acreage in the proposed district so specifies, the members
of the board of the district shall be elected by the electors of the district. If such a petition
is approved, the terms of members of the board shall be specified by resolution or
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 311 Title 29
ordinance of the governing body. The initial election for members of the board shall be
held within sixty days after approval of the resolution or ordinance organizing the district
or the filing of any subsequent petition. All subsequent elections for members of the
board shall be on the date specified in the resolution or ordinance. The number of
directors, the quorum requirements, and the oaths of office shall be the same as those
provided for directors of special districts pursuant to article 1 of title 32, C.R.S. Any
vacancy on the board shall be filled in the same manner as provided in paragraph (b) of
this subsection (l ). Until the members of the board are elected and qualified, the
governing body shall serve as the board of the district. Elections pursuant to this
paragraph ( d) shall be held in accordance with the provisions specified in the resolution
or ordinance providing for the election of directors. The cost of any election held pursuant
to this paragraph ( d) shall be borne by the district.
(e) The governing body of the local government may remove a member of the
board of a district or the entire board thereof for inefficiency or neglect of duty or
misconduct in office, but only after the member or the board has been given a copy of the
charges made by the governing body against such member or such board and has had an
opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel before the governing body. In the event of
the removal of any member of the board or of the board pursuant to this paragraph ( e ), the
governing body shall file in the office of the clerk of the local government a record of the
proceedings, together with the charges made against the member or the board and the
findings thereon.
(f) Ten percent of the electors of a district may petition the governing body for the
removal of a member of the board of the district or of the entire board thereof for
inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, and the governing body may
remove the member or the board, but only after the member or the board has been given a
copy of the charges made against such member or such board and has had an opportunity
to be heard in person or by counsel before the governing body. In the event of the
removal of the member or of the board pursuant to this paragraph (f), the governing body
shall file in the office of the clerk of local government a record of the proceedings,
together with the charges made against the member or the board and the findings thereon.
(2) The board shall adopt a seal. The secretary shall keep in a visual text format
that may be transmitted electronically a record of all proceedings, minutes of meetings,
certificates, contracts, and corporate acts of the board, which shall be open to inspection
by the electors of the district and other interested parties. The treasurer shall keep
permanent records containing accurate accounts of all money received by and disbursed
for and on behalf of the district and shall make such annual or other reports to the local
government as it may require. All budgets and financial records of the district, whether
governed by a separate board or by the governing body of the local government, shall be
kept in compliance with parts l and 5 of article 1 of this title.
(3) Each member of the board of a district or the governing body or other entity
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 312 Title 29
acting ex officio as the board of a district is required to disclose any potential conflicting
interest in any transaction of the district pursuant to section 18-8-308, C.R.S. A board
member with a potential conflicting interest in a district transaction may not participate in
the considerations of and vote on the transaction, may not attempt to influence any of the
contracting parties, and may not act directly or indirectly for the board in the inspection,
operation, administration, or performance of any contract related to the transaction.
Ownership, in and of itself, by a board member of property within the district shall not be
considered a potential conflicting interest.
(4) When the governing body of a local government establishes a board of
directors pursuant to paragraph (b ), ( c ), or ( d) of subsection (1) of this section, it may set
such conditions, limitations, procedures, duties, and powers under which the board shall
conduct its business. Such conditions and limitations may be in the form of a binding
contract on both the governing body and the board and may include provisions requiring
the dissolution of the board after a specified length of time, at which time the governing
body of the municipality shall assume all powers and duties of the district, including the
payment of any outstanding indebtedness.
29-25-109. Meetings. Upon notice to each member of the board, the board shall
hold meetings which shall be held in a place to be designated by the board as often as the
needs of the district require. The meetings of the board shall be subject to the provisions
of part 4 of article 6 of title 24, C.R.S. The board shall act by resolution or motion.
29-25-110. Approval of actions by local government or members of
combination. No district created under the provisions of this article shall levy a
marketing and promotion tax or provide services unless the local government or each
member of the combination has approved an operating plan for the district. The operating
plan shall specifically identify the services to be provided by the district, any marketing
and promotion tax to be imposed by the district, and such additional information as
required. The district shall file an operating plan and its proposed budget for the next
fiscal year with the clerk of the local government or each member of the combination no
later than September 30 of each year. All of the business records of the district shall be
considered public records, as defined in section 24-72-202 (6), C.R.S., and shall promptly
be made available upon request. For the purposes of this section, the business records of
the district shall not include the business records of the owners of property in the district.
The local government or the members of the combination may require the district to
supplement the district's operating plan or budget where necessary. The local government
or each member of the combination shall approve or disapprove the operating plan within
thirty days after receipt of such operating plan and all requested documentation relating
thereto, but not later than December 5 of the year in which such documents are filed.
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 313 Title 29
Thereafter, the services and financial arrangements of the district shall conform so far as
practicable to the operating plan. The operating plan may, from time to time, be amended
by the district with the approval of the local government or each member of the
combination in substantially the same manner as the process for formulating the operating
plan for each year. Any material departure from the operating plan, as originally
approved or amended from time to time, may be enjoined by an order of the local
government filed with the board.
29-25-111. General powers of district. (1) The district has the following
powers, except as limited by the operating plan:
(a) To have perpetual existence;
(b) To have and use a corporate seal;
( c) To sue and be sued and be a party to suits, actions, and proceedings;
(d) To enter into contracts and agreements, except as otherwise provided in this
article, affecting the affairs of the district, including contracts with the United States and
any of its agencies or instrumentalities;
(e) (I) To provide any of the following services within the district:
(A) Organization, promotion, marketing, and management of public events;
(B) Activities in support of business recruitment, management, and development;
(C) Coordinating tourism promotion activities.
(II) No revenue collected from the marketing and promotion tax levied under
section 29-25-112 may be used for any capital expenditures, with the exception of tourist
information centers.
(f) To have the management, control, and supervision of all the business and
affairs of the district and of the operation of district services therein;
(g) To appoint an advisory board of owners of property within the boundaries of
the district and provide for the duties and functions thereof;
(h) To hire employees or retain agents, engineers, consultants, attorneys, and
accountants;
(i) To adopt and amend bylaws not in conflict with the constitution and laws of
the state or with the ordinances of the local government affected for carrying on the
business, objectives, and affairs of the board and of the district; and
G) To exercise all rights and powers necessary or incidental to or implied from the
specific powers granted in this article. Such specific powers shall not be considered as a
limitation upon any power necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and intent of
this article.
29-25-112. Power to levy marketing and promotion tax. (1) (a) In addition to
any other means of providing revenue for a district, the board has the power within the
district to levy a marketing and promotion tax on the purchase price paid or charged to
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 314 Title 29
persons for rooms or accommodations as included in the definition of "sale" in section
39-26-102 (11), C.R.S. Such tax shall be specified in the petition organizing the district
under section 29-25-105. No such tax shall take effect unless approved by a majority of
the eligible electors voting thereon at a general election or a special election called for
such purpose. Elections held pursuant to this section shall be conducted in substantially
the same manner as municipal or county elections and in accordance with the provisions
of section 20 of article X of the state constitution. The municipal or county clerk and
recorder of each local government in which the election is conducted shall assist the
district in conducting the election. The district shall pay the costs incurred by each local
government in conducting such an election. No moneys of the district may be used to urge
or oppose passage of an election required under this section.
(b) (I) The marketing and promotion tax shall be collected, administered, and
enforced, to the extent feasible, pursuant to section 29-2-106.
(TI) The department of revenue shall perform, on an annual basis, an analysis to
determine the net incremental cost of such collection, administration, and enforcement.
The department of revenue shall retain only the amount determined to be necessary by the
cost analysis, and in no event shall that amount exceed three and one-third percent of the
amount collected. Such amount retained shall be transmitted to the state treasurer who
shall credit the same to the general fund and such amount shall be subject to appropriation
by the general assembly for the net incremental cost of such collection, administration,
and enforcement.
( c) A marketing and promotion tax levied in accordance with this section is in
addition to any other sales or use tax imposed pursuant to law.
(2) Any person or entity providing rooms or accommodations as included in the
definition of "sale" referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section shall be
liable and responsible for the payment of an amount equivalent to a percentage rate set by
the board of all such sales made and shall quarterly, unless otherwise provided by law,
make a return to the executive director of the department of revenue for the preceding
tax-reporting period and remit an amount equivalent to such percentage rate on such sales
to said executive director.
29-25-113. Inclusion or exclusion -petition -notice -hearing. (1) The
boundaries of any district organized under the provisions of this article may be changed in
the manner prescribed in this section, but the change ofboundaries of the district shall not
impair or affect its organization or its rights in or to property or any of its rights or
privileges whatsoever, nor shall it affect or impair or discharge any contract, obligation,
lien, or charge for or upon which the district might be liable or chargeable had any such
change of boundaries not been made. The owners of property proposed to be included or
excluded may file with the board a petition, in writing, requesting that such property be
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 315 Title 29
included in or excluded from the district. The petition shall describe the property owned
by the petitioners and shall be verified. The petition shall be accompanied by a deposit of
moneys sufficient to pay all costs of the inclusion or exclusion proceedings. The clerk of
the board shall cause notice of the filing of such petition to be given and published, which
notice shall state the filing of such petition, the names of the petitioners, descriptions of
the property sought to be included or excluded, and the request of said petitioners.
(2) The notice of the filing of a petition shall inform all persons having objections
to appear at the time and place stated in said notice and show cause why the petition
should not be granted. The board, at the time and place mentioned or at any time to which
the hearing may be adjourned, shall proceed to hear the petition and all objections thereto
that may be presented by any person showing cause why said petition should not be
granted. The failure of any interested person to show cause shall be deemed as an assent
on that person's part to the inclusion or exclusion of such property as requested in the
petition. If the change of boundaries of the district does not adversely affect the district
and if the petition is granted, the granting of which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
the governing body shall adopt a resolution to that effect and file a certified copy of the
same with the county clerk and recorder of each county in which the property is located.
After a certified copy of the ordinance is filed, the property shall be included or excluded
from the district.
29-25-114. Confirmation of contract proceedings. (1) In its discretion, the
board may file a petition at any time in the district court in and for any county in which
the district is located praying for a judicial examination and determination of any power
conferred, or of any taxes or service charges levied or otherwise made or contracted to be
levied or otherwise made, or of any other act, proceeding, or contract of the district,
whether or not such act, proceeding, or contract has been taken or executed, including
proposed contracts for any services and the proposed acquisition of any property
pertaining to such services, or any combination thereof.
(2) Such petition shall:
(a) Set forth the facts whereon the validity of such power, taxes, charges, act,
proceeding, or contract is founded; and
(b) Be verified by the presiding officer of the district.
(3) Such action shall be in the nature of a proceeding in rem, and jurisdiction of
all parties interested may be had by publication and posting, as provided in this article.
(4) Notice of the filing of the petition shall be given by the clerk of the court,
under the seal thereof, stating in brief outline the contents of the petition and showing
where a full copy of any proceeding or contract mentioned in such outline may be
examined.
( 5) The notice shall be served:
(a) By publication at least once a week for five consecutive weeks by five weekly
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 316 Title 29
insertions in a newspaper of general circulation in the geographic area where the district
is located;
(b) By posting in the office of the district at least thirty days prior to the date fixed
in the notice for the hearing on the petition.
(6) Jurisdiction shall be complete after such publication and posting.
(7) Any owner of property within the boundaries of the district or any other person
interested in the proceeding or contract or proposed proceeding or proposed contract or in
the premises may appear and move to dismiss or answer the petition no less than five days
prior to the date fixed for the hearing or within such further time as may be allowed by
the court. The petition shall be taken as confessed by all persons who fail so to appear.
(8) The petition and notice shall be sufficient to give the court jurisdiction, and,
upon hearing, the court shall examine into and determine all matters and things affecting
the question submitted, shall make such findings with reference to the question submitted,
and shall render such judgment and decree on the question submitted as the case warrants.
(9) Costs may be divided or apportioned among any contesting parties in the
discretion of the trial court.
(10) Review of the judgment of the court may be had as in other similar cases;
except that such review shall be applied for within thirty days after the time of the
rendition of such judgment or within such additional time as may be allowed by the court
within thirty days.
(11) The Colorado rules of civil procedure shall govern in matters of pleading and
practice where not otherwise specified in this article.
(12) The court shall disregard any error, irregularity, or omission that does not
affect the substantial rights of the parties.
(13) All cases in which there may arise a question of the validity of any matter
provided for under this section shall be advanced as a matter of immediate public interest
and concern and shall be heard at the earliest practicable moment.
29-25-115. Dissolution procedure. Any district organized pursuant to this article
may be dissolved pursuant to the resolution, ordinance, or contract creating the district or
pursuant to the provisions of this section. Under this section, any such district may be
dissolved after notice is given, publication is made, and a hearing is held in the manner
prescribed by sections 29-25-105 and 29-25-106. The dissolution of the district may be
initiated by filing in the office of the clerk of the governing body or bodies either a
petition signed by the persons described in section 29-25-105 (2) or, in the case of a
district that has not filed an operating plan as required by section 29-25-110 for two years,
a resolution of the governing body or bodies. After hearing any protests against or
objections to dissolution and if the governing body or bodies determines that it is for the
best interests of all concerned to dissolve the district, the body or bodies shall so provide
by an effective resolution or ordinance, a certified copy of which shall be filed in the
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 317 Title 29
office of the county clerk and recorder in each of the counties in which the district or any
part of the district is located. Upon such filing, the dissolution shall be complete.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, upon petition of persons who own
real or personal property in the service area of the proposed district having a valuation for
assessment of not less than fifty percent of the valuation for assessment of all real and
personal property in the service area of the proposed district and who own at least fifty
percent of the acreage in the proposed district, the district shall impose its existing taxes
solely to meet any existing financial obligations, and shall be dissolved as soon as the
district has no outstanding financial obligations.
29-25-116. Correction of faulty notices. In any case that a notice is provided for
in this article in which the governing body or bodies find for any reason that due notice
was not given, the governing body or bodies shall not thereby lose jurisdiction, and the
proceeding in question shall not thereby be void or be abated; however, the governing
body or bodies, in that case, shall order due notice given and shall continue the
proceeding until such time as notice is properly given and thereupon shall proceed as
though notice had been properly given in the first instance.
29-25-117. Department of transportation and local jurisdiction
unimpaired. Nothing in this article shall affect or impair the control and jurisdiction that
the department of transportation has over streets and highways that are part of the state
highway system or that a county, city and county, or municipality has over all property
within its boundaries. All powers granted by this article shall be subject to such control
and jurisdiction.
29-25-118. Method not exclusive. Nothing in this article shall repeal or affect
any other law or any part thereof, it being intended that this article shall provide a
separate method of accomplishing its objectives and not an exclusive one.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DWELLING
UNIT ADVISORY BOARDS
ARTICLE26
Affordable Housing Dwelling Unit
Advisory Boards
29-26-101. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby fmds and
Colorado Revised Statutes 2013 318 Title 29
November 2, 2015
Final Avalanche Economic
Development Strategy Report
November 10, 2015
Discussion of Noise Ordinance
Items
Approved
– Unscheduled:
(Items are not in order of priority)
Update and Report on Public
Engagement Regarding International
Maintenance Code
Update on Upcoming Construction
Schedules for Major Projects Through
2020
Fish Hatchery Property Discussion
Review Draft Code Amendments and
Determine if They are Ready for Public
Review
Town’s Role in Economic
Development as Related to Other
Organizations (Possibly a Work
Session with the EDC & VEP)
Local Preference Purchasing Policy
Briefing on Storm Drainage and Flood
Management Issues and Management
Options. Discussion of Storm Water
Utility.
Update on Environmental Assessment
NEPA Process Draft Concerning the
Loop
Discussion of Noise Ordinance
Study Session Items for Board
Consideration:
Transportation Advisory Board Parking
Strategy Recommendations
Briefing on Small Water Districts and
County Improvement Districts
Future Town Board Study Session Agenda Items
October 27, 2015