Annex 1: Abbreviations and Acronyms

  • ACES: Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
  • ACRA: Aspen Chamber Resort Association
  • AGNC: Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado
  • BLM: Bureau of Land Management
  • CADMO: Colorado Association of Destination Marketing Organizations
  • CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center
  • CAST: Colorado Association of Ski Towns
  • CCCS: Colorado Community College System
  • CCI: Colorado Creative Industries
  • CDOT: Colorado Department of Transportation
  • CEO: Colorado Energy Office
  • CHFA: Colorado Housing and Financing Authority
  • CLHA: Colorado Lodging and Hotel Association
  • CPW: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • CTO: Colorado Tourism Office
  • CWF: Colorado Wildlife Federation
  • DMO: Destination Management/Marketing Organization
  • DEN: Denver International Airport
  • DMO: Destination Management/Marketing Organization
  • DOLA: Department of Local Affairs
  • DSC: Destination Stewardship Council
  • ECE: Early Childhood Education
  • EVTA: Eagle Valley Transportation Authority
  • GOCO: Great Outdoors Colorado
  • NWCCOG: Northwest Colorado Council of Governments
  • OEDIT: Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
  • OREC: Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office
  • RFTA: Roaring Fork Transit Authority
  • RFVDA: Roaring Fork Valley Destination Alliance
  • SCORP: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan
  • STR: Short Term Rental
  • USFS: United States Forest Service
  • VVMTA: Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance

Annex 2: Destination Stewardship Partners

Local and County Governmental Agencies

The region is investing significantly in initiatives that enhance both resident quality of life and visitor experience. These efforts encompass outdoor recreation management, integrated transportation networks, workforce housing, and the development of arts and cultural attractions.

  • Communities/Towns/Cities: City of Aspen, City of Leadville, Town of Avon, Town of Basalt, Town of Carbondale, Town of Dillon, Town of Eagle, Edwards, El Jebel, Town of Empire, Town of Fraser, Town of Frisco, Town of Glenwood Springs, Town of Georgetown, Town of Gypsum, City of Idaho Springs, Town of McCoy, Town of Minturn, Town of Red Cliff, Town of Redstone, Town of Silver Plume, Town of Silverthorne, Town of Snowmass Village, Town of Vail, Town of Winter Park, Town of Wolcott
  • Counties: Clear Creek County, Eagle County, Garfield County, Lake County, Pitkin County, Summit County

Public Land Management Agencies

Rockies Playground is home to the White River National Forest which is one of the largest and most visited in the National Forest System covering 2.3 million acres including 11 ski areas. The following state and federal land management agencies are leading efforts to protect natural and cultural resources and encourage responsible recreation on public lands.

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)
  • U.S. Forest Service (USFS)

Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative

Led by CPW there are several examples of public/private, multi-jurisdictional partnerships working on creative approaches to recreational land management and wildlife protections including:

  • Eagle County Community Wildlife Roundtable
  • Grand Places 2050
  • Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition
  • Summit County Outdoor Coalition

Other Regional Associations, Alliances and Coalitions

In addition to numerous organizations working on tourism management and destination stewardship in the region, several regional alliances and coalitions are dedicated to addressing challenges and developing shared solutions.

In addition to numerous organizations involved in tourism management and destination stewardship across the region, several key groups focus on addressing challenges and facilitating shared solutions. The Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) and the I-70 Coalition offer collective vision and advocacy, while the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG) provides resources through its member counties and municipalities.

Broad stakeholder participation in these associations and coalitions fosters a framework for regional collaboration and establishes a foundation for overseeing the implementation of the regional stewardship plan and related statewide initiatives.

Two more recently established county-level collaborative public-private partnerships include:

  • The West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition, established by public, private, and academic leaders in Eagle and Pitkin counties, aims to address workforce housing challenges and identify and fund effective solutions.
  • The Roaring Fork Valley Destination Alliance was established to align the five regional tourism organizations—Aspen Chamber Resort Association, Basalt Chamber of Commerce, Snowmass Tourism, Tourism Council of Carbondale, and Visit Glenwood Springs. The alliance aims to craft and share messaging that encourages responsible and respectful tourism practices while underscoring the value of tourism throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

DMOs and Local Tourism-Related Organizations

The Rockies Playground region boasts a diverse array of organizations and initiatives focused on advancing destination stewardship. Many of these organizations work locally and often partner with municipal governments. This list is not exhaustive, as numerous emerging efforts involve collaboration among multiple DMOs, local and county governments, state and federal land managers, and other non-profit organizations.

The following DMOs and Chambers of Commerce work to promote destinations within the Rockies Playground region. These organizations are at varying stages of incorporating sustainability and responsible visitor management in their communications, outreach efforts, and business practices.

Aspen Resort Chamber Association (ACRA) is a 501c(6) functioning as a hybrid chamber of commerce and destination marketing organization. ACRA is dedicated to supporting the Aspen business community, attracting visitors to the resort, and enhancing the visitor experience. They are also the lead organization for Aspen’s Mountain IDEAL destination stewardship certification.

Basalt Chamber of Commerce builds a strong community through the promotion of sustainable economic growth and commerce with guiding principles of sustainability and community.

Breckenridge Tourism Office / GoBreck works to enhance and promote the unique character and experience of Breckenridge as a world-renowned destination resort and to represent, serve and perpetuate the common interest and character of its membership and community. They are a key partner with the Town of Breckenridge for the Mountain IDEAL destination stewardship certification.

Clear Creek County Tourism Bureau is the destination marketing and management organization working to maximize visitor spending in ways that support our businesses, benefit our communities, and protect our home and heritage.

Carbondale Chamber and Tourism Council of Carbondale is committed to working together with businesses and the community to provide leadership, education, and support for its members in order to make the Carbondale Area a more vital and dynamic place to live, work, and visit.

Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) is an organization of 28 municipalities whose economies are largely dependent upon the ski industry and tourism. CAST members use the power of the coalition to seek support for legislation to benefit and sustain the mountain communities. They support actions to keep communities livable, protect their pristine environment, and promote affordable housing, multi-modal transportation, climate action and sustainable tourism. Their goal is to ensure an exceptional quality of life for citizens and a positive experience for visitors.

Discover Vail is the town’s marketing and resource mechanism including creating a platform to share destination stewardship efforts.

Eagle Chamber is a member organization recognized as the business leadership arm of Eagle. They take a leadership role in working for Eagle’s Economic Vitality in our town’s uniquely challenging environment.

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association / Visit Glenwood Springs helps businesses thrive and the community to prosper. They focus on broad community engagement and offer programs such as Latino Business Connect and Building Futures and Inspiring Leaders.

Grand County Colorado Tourism Board operates commercially as Visit Grand County and assists in the management and marketing for the towns of Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur Springs, Kremmling, and Winter Park

Gypsum Chamber is focused on supporting and advancing existing businesses as well as inspiring new businesses to develop in the community.

Go Snowmass/Snowmass Tourism is the marketing and advocacy organization for the Town of Snowmass Village.

Headwaters Trail Alliance works to preserve, promote, and enhance trails in Grand County, all while minimizing their impact on the environment. The Alliance operates on the ancestral lands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Native American Tribes.

I-70 Coalition is a non-profit organization representing 28 local governments and businesses along Colorado’s I-70 mountain corridor. Their mission is to enhance public accessibility and mobility in the I-70 Central Mountain Corridor and adjoining dependent counties and municipalities through the implementation of joint public and private transportation management efforts.

Leadville/Lake County Chamber of Commerce works to facilitate business success, enhancing economic growth, and partnering for a stronger future for Leadville and Lake County.

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers was established in 1995 by a group of locals wanting to support public land managers and conservation efforts, the organization aims to foster a diverse and engaged community of outdoor stewards working collectively for the benefit of our public lands.

Summit County Chamber of Commerce helps to ensure business success for its members, foster economic vitality, and promote community-wide growth. They provide resources, educational opportunities, and business connections to achieve this. With a clear vision for the future, they lead, unite stakeholders, and support collaborative efforts across Summit County.

Summit County Outdoor Coalition strives to foster equitable access to outdoor recreation and to serve as a hub for engagement and collaboration for planning landscape projects for wildlife, water, and carbon.

Vail Valley Partnership – created in 1964, the organization has evolved to provide extensive resources to the community and area businesses. Their mission is focused on five primary goals: Building communities to which residents, visitors, and investors are attracted; Promoting the communities; Striving to ensure future prosperity via a pro-business climate; Representing the unified voice of the employer community; and Reducing transactional friction through well-functioning networks.

Vail Chamber and Business Association responsibly and professionally advocates for economic development and communication for the Vail merchant community to foster collaborative relationships and revenue development opportunities for its members.

Visit Leadville-Twin Lakes is a dedicated group of volunteers committed to promoting tourism in Lake County, Colorado supported by the Lake County Tourism Panel. The Tourism Panel is funded by Lake County lodging taxes and acts as the Destination Stewards for Leadville – Twin Lakes.

Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance advocates for soft surface trails, manages trail stewardship programs, maintains and builds trails, coordinates and trains volunteers, educates outdoor recreational users, and creates opportunities to access the outdoors. They provide expertise, resources, and experience to support local land managers in various soft surface trail initiatives.

Walking Mountains Science Center is a convener of many sustainability initiatives and programs in the Eagle Valley, their mission is to awaken a sense of wonder and inspire environmental stewardship and sustainability through natural science education. They created the Mountain IDEAL Destination Stewardship Certification program accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Winter Park / Fraser Valley Chamber of Commerce is comprised of approximately 350 area business owners and operators who are directly or indirectly engaged in commerce fueled by the tourism industry of Winter Park, Fraser, and surrounding areas.

Somewhat unique to this region, is the development of destination-specific tourism management and stewardship plans. Over the past decade, Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, and more recently Winter Park/Fraser and the Grand County Colorado Tourism Board as well as Glenwood Springs/Visit Glenwood have convened a diverse composition of community stakeholders to take more control over their tourism economies and to formalize commitments with their own destination and tourism management plans.

To further illustrate these commitments Vail, Breckenridge, and Aspen pursued third-party verification and certification with the Mountain IDEAL destination standard. This certification is aligned with and recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. In addition to holding these communities more accountable for continuous improvement, it also places them among a very elite group of global tourism destinations that have achieved this designation. The commitments of these destinations and their experiences have offered valuable insights, informing scalable opportunities for other regional communities.

NGOs, Academia, and Community Entities

Below is a list of other groups, organizations, and entities in the Rockies Playground travel region currently engaged in resource stewardship at a community or county level. It is important to note there are many other public and private sector individuals and organizations supporting the work of the listed entities as well as championing other initiatives.

 

  • Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
  • Aspen Community Foundation
  • Aspen Pitkin County Housing Authority (APCHA)
  • Aspen Historical Society
  • Aspen Mobility Lab
  • Aspen Valley Land Trust
  • Aspen Food and Wine
  • Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
  • BreckCreate
  • Breckenridge History
  • Carbondale Arts
  • Cloud City Conservation Center
  • Colorado Agritourism Association
  • Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
  • Colorado Mountain College
  • Colorado Snowsports Museum
  • DarkSky Colorado
  • Eagle Valley Land Trust
  • Eagle County Natural Resources and Open Space
  • Friends of Dillon Ranger District
  • Glenwood Springs Downtown Development Authority
  • Georgetown Loop Railroad
  • Habitat for Humanity for Roaring Fork
  • High Country Conservation Center
  • Keystone Policy Center
  • Kids First – Pitkin County
  • Get Outdoors Leadville
  • Leadville 100
  • Latinos Lideres
  • Pitkin County Open Space/Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition
  • Red Brick Center – Aspen
  • Roaring Fork Fishing Guide Alliance
  • Roaring Fork Leadership
  • Roaring Fork Transit Authority
  • Roaring Fork Valley Wildfire Collaborative Summit County Outdoor Coalition
  • The Summit Foundation
  • Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance
  • Vail Art in Public Places
  • Walking Mountains Science Center
  • West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition
  • Wheeler Opera House