CRAFT Case Study: Jackson County

The Jackson County Lodging Tax Panel was awarded a CRAFT Recovery Mentor program by the Colorado Tourism Office in fall 2020 to advance recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this CRAFT Recovery Mentor program was to assist the Jackson County Lodging Tax Panel (JCLTP) champion the value of tourism locally, enhance website management and lead conversion, and build the case for continued investment in tourism management, historic assets, and improved visitor services. 

CRAFT Mentor Program Results

The JCLTP was paired with Heidi Pankow, a CRAFT Mentor with over 30 years experience in tourism marketing, rural and collaborative destination development, communication, and public relations, to achieve the following outcomes: 

  • Research of cost effective website assistance from one of the local colleges.
  • Facilitated discussions with JCLTP members to assess barriers and opportunities for stronger website management.
  • Facilitated discussions with JCLTP staff about the creation of itineraries, with a focus on strengthening existing itineraries.
  • Compilation of a list of local tourism businesses that were identified during the itinerary discussions.
  • Discussion with JCLTP staff about lead generation, management, and conversion and how to build a strong database for e-newsletter marketing.
  • Creation of a draft welcome email to be sent to Visit North Park leads to invite recipients to sign up for the seasonal e-newsletter. Creation of the seasonal e-newsletter template.
  • Outreach to JCLTP members, past and current to assist with transition to new leadership.
  • Peer-to-peer training to develop messages that support the JCLTP champion the value of tourism locally.
CRAFT

About CRAFT Mentor

The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) developed the Colorado Rural Academy For Tourism (CRAFT) to support communities across the state integrate tourism into their economic development strategies and develop new visitor experiences aimed at attracting increased traveler spending.  

The CRAFT Recovery Mentor program provides up to 50 hours of mentoring for Colorado tourism partners to advance one or more tourism strategies that bolsters their response to a recent crisis or natural disaster.