Tourism conference - Thursday update

Lisa Amend, communications manager for Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak, e-mailed this update on developments today at the Governor's 2007 Colorado Tourism Conference in Grand Junction:

"We had a great general session this morning with updates from the CTO (Colorado Tourism Office) and MMG on their plans for leveraging our marketing dollars in 2008. The goals are to increase visitor spending by 9.5%, increase overall visitation by 4%, and attract 30 million visitors by the end of 2008. Strategies to achieve these goals include:

• Evolution of "Let's Talk Colorado" ad campaign
• Addition of all-season messaging
• Progression of segmented approach to focus on retention strategies
• Increased use of emerging technologies (mapping, social media)
• Advancement of partnership outreach
• Continuing to integrate online and offline campaigns with public relations efforts

The T-shirt program implemented by MMG (Colorado.com advertises free T-shirts for those who stop by Colorado Welcome Centers) has done exceptionally well. Over 15,000 people signed up for the T-shirts online and more than 12,500 have actually been picked up. People who visit the Welcome Centers stay in the region longer and they spend more money. A new Welcome Center will open in Alamosa in the summer of 2008.

International marketing efforts continue to focus on UK, Germany, France and Mexico, but the state is now also targeting Japan, Canada and Benelux.

The campaigns this year have performed very well. Colorado.com web sessions are up 148% and State Visitor Guide requests are up 216%.

Winners of the 2007 Governor's Tourism Industry Awards:

• Outstanding Tourism Volunteer Award: Les Turner (posthumous), Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau
• Outstanding Community Initiative Award: City of Manitou Springs Economic Development Council
• Chairman's Award: Senator Jim Isgar
• Outstanding Individual Contribution Award: Jeff Potter, CEO of Exclusive Resorts