Destination Blueprint
The Colorado Tourism Office seeks to serve as the extended strategy and implementation team for Colorado destination organizations through Destination Blueprint. Program outcomes include increased alignment between local tourism stakeholders and completion of one or more priority tourism projects. Up to 8 destination organizations will be selected to participate.
Destination Blueprint provides an opportunity for destinations across Colorado to join the Colorado Tourism Office in its effort to advance destination stewardship and adopt recommendations identified from the Destination Stewardship Strategic Planning Initiative.
Participating destinations will be paired with a tourism consultant that will serve as their lead point of contact on the implementation of the following activities throughout the duration of the program:
- Destination assessment
- Background research
- Core team survey and core team meetings
- Resident sentiment survey
- Tourism stakeholder survey
- Visitor profile study
- Other opportunities based on need
- Full-day community visioning and action planning workshop
- 100 hours of project-based consulting to advance priority projects
Each participating destination will receive an action plan that includes a series of recommendations identified during the workshop. Participating destinations will also work with their assigned tourism consultant to design a scope of work for 100 hours of consulting to advance one or more of the priority recommendations included in the action plan.
Destination Blueprint builds on the lessons learned and results that have been achieved statewide through the Colorado Recovery Assistance For Tourism program and the Colorado Rural Academy For Tourism program. A key finding from this work included the identification of seven shared industry priorities for advancing tourism. Participating destinations are encouraged to focus their program on one or more of these shared industry priorities or advance recommendations identified from the Destination Stewardship Strategic Planning Initiative.
Shared Industry Priorities
- Advance off-peak tourism opportunities
- Identify opportunities to extend the benefits of tourism throughout the year and increase demand for tourism outside of existing busy seasons.
- Advance tourism workforce
- Provide professional development opportunities for tourism-related staff and foster a stronger community of workforce in your destination.
- Champion the value of tourism
- Build awareness of the value that tourism provides to your destination and the role that destination organizations have in enhancing local quality of life.
- Develop and enhance visitor experience
- Diversify tourism offerings that showcase the unique potential of your destination by advancing outdoor recreation, agritourism, cultural tourism, stargazing, etc.
- Encourage responsible and respectful use
- Inspire visitors to engage in low-impact travel within Colorado, such as launching a Do Colorado Right campaign or advancing climate action strategies.
- Foster inclusive travel opportunities
- Develop strategies and resources to ensure your destination is welcoming and accessible to everyone.
- Promote local businesses and experiences
- Enhance promotional efforts through strategic marketing and storytelling tactics.
Applications are now closed.
Overview
Type: Program
For: Destination organizations
Application deadline: 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2024
OEDIT division: Colorado Tourism Office
Date: | Timeline: |
---|---|
May 7, 2024 | Applications open |
June 20, 2024 at 4 PM MDT | Applications close |
July 18, 2024 | Award notifications |
August 1, 2024 | Program kick-off |
October to December 2024 | Workshops held |
January 2025 | 100 hours of consulting begins |
June 2025 | Programs completed |
Each applying destination is required to identify one or more local champions to serve as the lead applicant for the application. As a condition of selection to participate in a program, local champions must commit to at least 50 hours of work throughout the duration of the 11-month program.
Roles and responsibilities of the local champion include:
- Engage in regular communication with the Colorado Tourism Office and their assigned tourism consultant.
- Identify 4 to 6 local tourism stakeholders that will serve on a core team and provide at least 20 hours of work to support the design and delivery of the workshop.
- Participate in program design, including sharing background research and ideal outcomes from participation in the program.
- Secure a venue and A/V for the workshop.
- Colorado Tourism Office covers catering expenses.
- Conduct local outreach related to the workshop and surveys.
- Provide ongoing leadership to advance the action plan.
Eligible Colorado destination organizations include:
- Recipients of jurisdictional lodging taxes, such as:
- Destination marketing organizations
- Lodging tax boards, committees, or panels
- Other tourism leadership organizations that are responsible for developing, promoting, and managing tourism on behalf of a destination that does not have a lodging tax, such as:
- Chambers of commerce or chamber resort associations
- Government entities in Colorado (local governments and federally recognized tribes) engaged in tourism development, promotion, and management
Other considerations:
- Only one application can be submitted for an individual destination
- Multiple organizations within a single destination should collaborate on a single program application.
- Participation in previous Colorado Tourism Office programming does not impact eligibility or competitiveness.
- Participants in previous Destination Development programs are encouraged to apply to advance the action plans that were created and/or update the existing action plan.
The following destinations are participating in the FY25 Destination Blueprint Program:
- City of La Junta
- City of Monte Vista
- Fremont County Tourism Council
- Grand County Colorado Tourism Board
- Pagosa Springs Area Tourism Board
- Manitou Springs CC Visitors Bureau
- Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce
- Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce
A panel of industry partners and Colorado Tourism Office staff reviews applications and recommends awards based on destination priorities, capacity to participate, and demonstrated need. A representative from the Colorado Tourism Office will respond to your application within one month of the application deadline.