Telluride Tourism Board Elevates Partners’ Stewardship Efforts

Collaborations and communications protect the natural world and elevate DEIA

In Telluride, a town surrounded by towering peaks, preserving the natural environment is a priority. Numerous community organizations are working to conserve energy, maintain trails, reduce plastic use, and more, and the Telluride Tourism Board (TTB) is a valuable partner in collaborating to share these groups’ messages with visitors. The TTB is also pursuing projects with local businesses and organizations to ensure all feel welcome. 

These efforts help advance the CTO’s Destination Stewardship Strategic Plans, which aim to protect Colorado’s natural wonders, communities and cultural heritage for future generations.  By amplifying the messages of local organizations, the TTB has created an accessible and effective model that communities and tourism partners can adopt throughout the state.

Encouraging Visitors and Residents to Protect the Natural Environment

“Communication is a main priority for the Telluride Tourism Board, which can assist in educating visitors on all of the great work partners have done,” said Kiera Skinner, executive director of the Telluride Tourism Board.

The TTB leverages its communications channels to promote responsible visitation and environmental stewardship, a tenet of the Mountains and Mesas Regional Plan. Messages encouraging visitors to respect the natural environment are delivered throughout the visitor journey, from initial trip planning to arrival in Telluride.

Attracting Sustainably-Minded Guests

From the outset, the TTB provides stewardship messaging to attract environmentally-conscious visitors.

• Visitor Guide:  In the official summer and winter Telluride and Mountain Village Visitor Guides, distributed locally, nationally and internationally to 70,000 people, travelers will find messages on “How to Visit Right.” 

• Focus on International Guests: The TTB partners with the CTO’s International Program to attract international visitors, who contribute significantly more in revenue than domestic tourists, to ensure a higher-value, lower-impact approach to visitation.

Sharing Stewardship Messages During Trip Planning

As guests plan their trips, the TTB equips lodging partners with sharable stewardship content, promotes green businesses and provides opportunities for guests to support local trails through Telluride.com.

• Live Like a Local Campaign: Developed in collaboration with the towns and local ecology commission, this campaign encourages visitors and the public to Leave No Trace, save water and energy, be bear aware, and properly dispose of waste. The TTB shares digital content with lodging partners to distribute during the booking process, while printed posters are displayed at accommodations throughout town.
  

• Sustainability Page on Telluride.com: Visitors can explore the Telluride Tourism Board’s website for information on local businesses that have earned green certifications through EcoAction Partners’ Green Business Program, which is intended to create a sustainable business community while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Telluride.com also educates guests on responsible recreation through its How to Visit Right page.
  
• Calendar Sales to Support Trails: Telluride calendars, which feature stunning images from the Telluride Tourism Board’s staff photographer, are available for purchase through Telluride.com. Proceeds go to Telluride Mountain Club’s Opt-In for Trails fundraising campaign, which supports ongoing trail maintenance and new trail projects in the Telluride region.

Welcoming Guests to Town, Sustainably

The TTB reinforces its stewardship messaging at every touchpoint of the visitor experience, from arrival in town to the services they receive.

• Airport Ads: Visitors are greeted with impactful stewardship messaging at the Montrose Regional Airport, including an ad featuring the phrase “Play Hard; Tread Lightly,” and images showcasing the beauty of the region.
  

• Front-Line Staff Training: Leveraging the CTO Destination Learning Labs program, the TTB has launched a training program for local employees to become ambassadors for stewardship, equipping them with knowledge about the destination’s values and sustainability efforts.
  

• Visitor Center Collateral: The Telluride Visitors Center welcomes approximately 17,000 guests per year, and banners and maps with stewardship tips are helpful tools for the guest services team. The summer and winter maps were developed in collaboration with the towns of Telluride and Mountain Village, San Miguel County and the U.S. Forest Service.
  

• Visitor Education on Plastics Bans: As the towns of Mountain Village and Telluride implemented bans on single-use plastics, the TTB partnered to create communications supporting the Planet Over Plastic campaign, educating residents and visitors about the requirements of the new ordinances.
  

• Paid Social Media to Encourage Stewardship: To keep stewardship top of mind on the trails, the TTB targets paid social media posts with trail etiquette tips to visitors and residents within a 35-mile radius of Telluride and Mountain Village.
  
  The Telluride Tourism Board has found paid social media to be a highly effective communications tool, because of its immediacy and flexibility. For example, with locals noticing a need for trail etiquette in the summer of 2024, the TTB changed its messaging from Leave No Trace principles to tips such as “bikers yield to hikers” and “uphill traffic has the right of way.” The switch was quick and easy to make as well as track. By monitoring social media data, the board found that the trail stewardship messaging garnered a higher click-through rate than general stewardship messaging—providing important direction for future communications.

Advancing Inclusivity and Accessibility

The Telluride Tourism Board is equally committed to advancing inclusivity and accessibility. The TTB advocates for diverse and accessible outdoor experiences, using its platform to amplify the voices of the local LGBTQ+ and adaptive communities, and focuses on welcoming marketing.

• Gay Ski Week Celebration: In celebration of Telluride Gay Ski Week, the TTB participates in the event’s annual window decorating contest for town businesses to welcome the LGBTQ+ community to the destination. The TTB also supports and amplifies the inclusive event through its website, Visitors Center banners, and social media. 
• Inspirational Speaker for Adaptive Sports Program: Last winter, the TTB hosted professional surfer Bethany Hamilton, founder of the Beautifully Flawed Foundation, to inspire participants with disabilities in the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program.
  
• Diversity in Marketing: Along with new whimsical and animated creative, the TTB has prioritized incorporating diversity in photo shoots and marketing materials to welcome all travelers.

Learn More About Telluride’s Stewardship Efforts

The Telluride Tourism Board continues to demonstrate its commitment to responsible tourism, environmental stewardship and inclusive practices. To discover more about their destination stewardship initiatives, visit Telluride.com.

Share Your Success Story

Do you have a destination stewardship success story to share? We’d love to hear about the impactful work you’re doing in Colorado! Please reach out to the CTO and let us know how you’re making a difference.