The Great West Priority Strategies

• Strengthen partnerships between land trusts and communities to educate visitors and residents about the ecological importance of Colorado rivers, including cold-water aquatic habitats, wetlands, water rights, working ranches, and outdoor recreation.

• Develop and implement a virtual mapping system and live feed webcams for the Colorado and Yampa Rivers to support scientific studies, asset management, and policy development.
• Improve infrastructure for responsible river recreation including river put-ins, associated parking, and interpretative signage in lesser-serviced areas.
• Collaborate with the Yampa River Fund and Colorado Headwater Land Trust to explore grant opportunities and conservation initiatives.
• Establish a public-private partnership for a stand-up paddle board (SUP) rental service. This includes installing automated distribution centers at put-in locations where users can pick up and return SUPs downstream.
• Develop unified water conservation messaging for travelers.
• Create educational programs and develop partnerships with Colorado universities and colleges to engage students in water conservation and sustainability efforts.

• Colorado Water Plan grants
• Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Project Bill gGrants
• CWCB Participation and Outreach grant program
• CWCB Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund grants
• Federal Technical Assistance Grants for Colorado Water Projects
• Keep Shoshone Flowing Shoshone Water Right Preservation Coalition and Campaign

• The Colorado Water Conservation Board provides grant opportunities to water providers and other eligible entities for a variety of water-related projects, studies, awareness campaigns, and other activities. An example of this is the Colorado Water Plan.
• Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group is composed of more thanover 100 individuals from more than 20 organizations and proposes alternatives and advice in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service (USFS) resource management planning processes.

• Number of community-based water conservation and quality projects supported in tourist areas
• Number of businesses participating in water conservation initiatives
• Value of investments made in water conservation and quality initiatives, including aquatic and wetland biodiversity health
• Overall development of virtual mapping platform and installation of webcams
• Economic and environmental impact studies on the installation of put-ins on land trust, BLM, and USFS lands

Support river clean-up projects and fund conservation programs that maintain and restore river ecosystems. Inform visitors about the importance of preserving rivers and collaborate with environmental organizations to implement conservation measures, including energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conservation.

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Communities
  • 4: Encourage Responsible Visitation in our Communities
  • 8: Enhance Water Conservation and Quality Initiatives
• Local Tourism Businesses and Organizations
  • 3: Empower Tourism Entrepreneurs

• Headwaters Trail Alliance, Friends of the Yampa, CWCB, Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN), industry associations

• Collaborate with local colleges such as Colorado Mountain College and Colorado Northwestern Community College to develop tourism-focused courses and programs led by regional industry leaders.
• Facilitate public-private partnerships to support the year-round operation of businesses, enabling seasonal workers to transition to full-time roles in destination communities.
• Support the development of deed-restricted housing projects aimed at integrating long-term workers into local communities, beyond traditional workforce housing.
• Leverage the CTO’s Dark Skies programming to expand more hospitality offerings in rural areas.
• Promote longer stays in lesser-visited destinations to increase tourism spending within local communities.
• Work to eliminate the roadblocks hindering small business development, including streamlined permits and licenses for food trucks, climbing guides, and others.

• Foster collaboration between regional chambers of commerce to enhance local job sharing and training opportunities.

• Establish an annual Great West entrepreneur lab, modeled after Shark Tank, where residents can pitch ideas to boost local economies.
• Establish a new SBDC office in a strategic location within The Great West region, expanding accessibility for local entrepreneurs and businesses.
• Engage with SBDC for localized programming.
• Promote career advancement for frontline staff through the CTO Learning Lab platforms.

• CTO Destination Development programs
• SBDC programs
• CTO Learning Lab platforms

• Vail Valley Partnership CareerWise Apprenticeship program coordinates apprenticeships among businesses, students, and educators to create opportunities for long-term impact.
• Visit Fort Collins utilized the CTO Learning Labs and the Colorado Concierge program to offer free online education for frontline tourism workers to enhance their skills, build Colorado expertise, and deliver exceptional hospitality.

• Number of tourism businesses participating in workforce development programs
• Number of destination partners participating in the CTO Destination Development programs
• Number of tourism businesses participating in the SBDC’s programs
• Number of community colleges working or partnering with the tourism industry

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Communities
  • 2: Increase Knowledge on the Value of Tourism for Residents
• Local Tourism Businesses and Organizations
  • 6: Promote Employee Ownership for Tourism Entrepreneurs

• SBDC, Colorado Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (CADMO)

• Enhance promotional campaigns to update regional transportation authorities and chambers of commerce on project progress.
• Integrate with travel booking platforms to streamline booking processes and raise awareness.
• Establish partnerships and communication channels between rail providers, state, and regional municipalities.
• Develop a hop-on/off-train route connecting Winter Park to Craig with stops at key destinations across the region.
• Design a cultural train tour featuring stops showcasing diverse ‘wild-west’ cultural attractions.
• Create a 25-year strategy to expand stops across The Great West and link infrastructure with other rail lines in Colorado.
• Offer discounted rates for commuters upon implementation.

• Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) Office of Innovative Mobility grants
• CDOT’s Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund
• Transportation Alternative program
• CTO Destination Development programs

• The Winter Park Express, in conjunction with Amtrak, reduced traffic and carbon emissions by revitalizing the ski train in 2017 and transporting tens of thousands of visitors between Denver’s Union Station and Winter Park each winter.

• Levels of resident awareness and support for a train line
• Creation of regional feasibility studies
• Number of visitors utilizing rail travel as part of their Colorado itinerary
• Role of Tourism Industry
• Actively promote rail travel packages and options to visitors.

Support local entrepreneurship and the growth of tourism-centric small businesses by disseminating information through resources like the CO Business Resource Book and the Small Business Navigator.

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Transportation
• 1: Increase Availability of Eco-Friendly Transit Methods
• 3: Raise Awareness and Ridership of Bustang, Snowstang, and Pegasus Services
• 4: Encourage Rail Travel for Visitors

• Amtrak, CDOT, Regional Transportation Authority, DMOs

• Incentivize employers to provide affordable housing for their employees.
• Explore incentives for second-homeowners and short-term rental owners to convert their properties into workforce housing.
• Collaborate with local banks to offer regional down payment loan assistance programs.
• Develop rent stabilization programs specifically for non-seasonal residents to help businesses to retain staff.
• Create a database for housing resources that center around the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) network of housing development specialists and DOLA’s gap funding for acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction projects.

• Homeshare, an online platform that matches compatible home providers and renters
• Colorado Association of Ski Towns
• Colorado Mountain Housing Coalition partner programs
• Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
• DOLA programs
• Local funding and grants programs such as the Yampa Valley Housing Authority Down Payment Assistance program and Grand County Housing Assistance Ffund

• Colorado Mountain Housing Coalition connects housing professionals to foster creative solutions, providing a hub for information and networking to support local housing initiatives. The group focuses on advocacy and collaborative efforts to improve local workforce housing in rural mountain areas.
  
• Aspen Skiing Company’s Tenants for Turns program provides ski passes to homeowners who offer rooms or rental properties to the company’s employees.
• West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition is a private-public collaboration effort between various counties in the central and western counties of Colorado to work on finding solutions for workforce housing.
• NoCo Housing Now is a leader in the region in advocating and finding solutions for affordable housing.
• Boulder Housing Authority is tracking their progress towards goals of housing and training.
• Estes Park Housing Authority offers a range of housing options and services to support low-to-moderate-income households, providing rental assistance and home purchase programs to foster stability and success in the community.

• Percentage of the workforce living inside the county in which they work
• Reduced workforce turnover/increased retention rates
• Number of new affordable housing solutions aimed at supporting the tourism workforce
• Number of businesses offering employer-assisted housing programs

Collaborate with local governments and housing authorities to advocate for and facilitate the development of affordable housing solutions.

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Communities
  • 1: Prioritize Local Community Involvement in Tourism Planning
• Tourism Workforce
  • 3: Share Solutions to Support Workforce Housing Challenges
  • 4: Implement Employer-Assisted Housing Programs

• DOLA Division of Housing

• Facilitate and engage in discussions on sustainable outdoor recreation management to understand need areas and to help conserve Colorado’s natural landscapes.
• Develop regional trail ambassador programs that incentivize guests from Steamboat and Winter Park to explore lesser-visited regions during peak summer and winter seasons where visitors are offered lift tickets in exchange for two days of volunteering.
• Establish ambassador programs and volunteer projects on trails through a comprehensive analysis of volunteer needs and enhanced partnerships among land managers, DMOs, and volunteer organizations.
• Implement a Do Colorado Right campaign in collaboration with local businesses to promote responsible outdoor practices and ethics.
• Enhance backcountry safety education by incorporating more information and signage at trailheads, including details on avalanche safety.
• Craft a slogan for The Great West that celebrates the region’s rural cultural heritage while educating both visitors and residents on outdoor ethics.
• Develop a regional hiking trail that traverses various communities and incorporates interpretive signage to enhance the visitor experience and promote responsible outdoor recreation.
• Feature responsible outdoor recreation messaging on the Winter Park Express and major thoroughfares throughout the region to educate travelers on best practices and stewardship.

• CTO Destination Development programs
• CTO competitive grants and co-ops
• Care for Colorado Coalition

• The Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance is a partnership between outdoor companies, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and individuals who acknowledge the importance of Colorado’s recreational resources to the community’s economy and well-being.
• Do Estes Right Campaign is an example of a destination that partnered with CTO to adapt the statewide Do Colorado Right campaign to the local context.
• The Cheyenne Mountain State Park Trail Ambassador program engages volunteers to patrol trails, interact with visitors by answering questions, and promote safe and responsible trail use, while also educating them about the park’s unique historical and natural features.
• Vail Valley Partnership and Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) Respect the Vail Valley campaign is an inspirational collection of educational videos to build awareness and engagement on responsible visitation.
• Discover Vail’s Love Vail campaign and platform feature QR codes that offer interpretative information translated into multiple languages.
• Live Wild Visit Responsibly marketing campaign created by Clear Creek County Tourism Bureau to promote all the destinations in the county leading with Leave No Trace and responsible visitation best practices.
• Stand Grand is Grand County’s stewardship campaign and an example of a county-tailored use of Leave No Trace Principles.

• Number of outdoor management sessions held to gather input on tourism planning
• Reduction in land manager-reported negative impacts of tourism
• Number of marketing campaigns implemented to promote lesser-known outdoor destinations
• Vehicles at one time (VAOT) in parking lots of public lands
• Number of public lands participating in the volunteer initiatives
• Number of volunteers participating in programs
• Number of volunteer hours on public land

Participate in and promote educational campaigns to reinforce responsible outdoor behavior among visitors.

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Dreaming
  • 1: Prioritize Stewardship in Conjunction with the Colorado Brand
• Experiencing
  • 2: Optimize Do Colorado Right Messaging at Points of Market Entry
  • 3: Amplify Do Colorado Right Messaging for Colorado Residents
• Communities
  • 4: Encourage Responsible Visitation in our Communities
• Outdoor Recreation
  • 1: Expand Do Colorado Right Campaigns on Public Lands
  • 10: Educate on Responsible Backcountry Vehicle Use

• CTO, CPW, DMOs

• Implement cultural heritage destination development initiatives focused on the agricultural and ‘wild-west’ roots of The Great West region.
• Leverage CTO competitive grants and co-ops to provide DMOs with essential financial support and marketing resources to enhance promotional efforts, reach broader audiences, and effectively showcase unique attractions and experiences.
• Establish tourism-based aerial experiences in unrestricted airspace over rural destinations like Rangely.
• Promote rural destinations like Granby or Craig as alternative lodging options to nearby resort areas like Winter Park and Steamboat.
• Create region-wide marketing materials to promote unique agritourism experiences and events, such as the Great American Horse Drive, across the state.

• CTO Destination Development programs
• CTO competitive grants and co-ops
• Rural Opportunity Office (ROO) Rural Technical Assistance program
• CSU-Extension Team for Agriculture

• Roaring Fork and Farm Map is an initiative led by Carbondale Tourism that brings together various central Colorado producers and promotes local buying and eating in a region known mostly for outdoor recreation.
• Yuma County Economic Development Corporation assisted in building agritourism for producers to diversify economic drivers and celebrate the region’s rural roots.

• Number of destination partners participating in CTO Destination Development programs
• Marketing campaign impressions and engagement
• Number of destination partners reporting increased organizational capacity and/or new sustainable funding mechanisms implemented

Devote time and resources to collaborate effectively with CTO support. Additionally, the tourism industry can assist in cultivating and showcasing agritourism experiences, tours, and activities that honor Colorado’s rural heritage

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Local Tourism Businesses and Organizations
  • 1: Provide Support to Rural Tourism Organizations

• CTO, ROO, DMOs

• Foster increased partnerships between CPW and local hunting and fishing associations, as well as outfitters.
• Implement educational programs and workshops for frontline staff to enhance their understanding of wildlife behavior and patterns in The Great West.
• Establish a certification program that recognizes hunters and anglers who adhere to sustainability standards.
• Collaborate with wildlife experts to develop a curriculum for local colleges and high schools focused on wildlife conservation.
• Engage with the oil and gas industry, a major land user in The Great West, to promote wildlife preservation on their lands and on BLM lands where they hold tenancy.
• Develop seasonal access restriction messaging in partnership with local schools, empowering students to create educational information displayed at trailheads and put-ins for various outdoor recreation sectors such as boating, hiking, and hunting.
• Promote advocacy and stewardship among frontline staff through platforms like the CTO Learning Lab.
• Launch a Do Colorado Right campaign, leveraging partnerships with local businesses to promote responsible outdoor recreation practices.

• Colorado Wetland program
• CPW’s Wildlife Rehabilitation grants program
• Colorado Wildlife Habitat ​program
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Clean Vessel Act grant program​
• Ranching for Wildlife program
• Great Outdoors Colorado grant programs

The following case study illustrates examples of this strategy implemented in other communities:

• CPW Wetlands Conservation program is a voluntary, incentive-based program supported by CPW that aims to protect wetlands and wetland-dependent wildlife on public and private lands.
• Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflicts on Vail Pass in Colorado was a four-year study conducted to help reduce incidents between humans and wildlife in one of the state’s more trafficked backcountry areas.

• Number of human-wildlife encounters
• Number of frontline tourism employees that complete the learning course
• Number of businesses adopting sustainable fishing and hunting operations
• Reach and impact of marketing campaigns to promote hunting and fishing

Advocate for and support the conservation of wildlife habitats.

This regional strategy aligns closely with the following strategies from the statewide plan:

• Wildlife and Biodiversity
  • 4: Champion Wildlife Habitat Protection and Restoration
• Outdoor Recreation
  • 2: Facilitate and Convene Collaborative Outdoor Management Discussions
  • 3: Identify the Need for Timed Entry Permit Systems and Seasonal Closures

• Department of Natural Resources, CPW, National Park Service (NPS), BLM, USFS, DMOs