Customer Needs we might satisfy

• I need peace and quiet: I want to get away from it all and get in touch with nature.
• I need thrills and adventure: I want to break out of my boring environment and do something exciting and maybe a bit risky!
• I want to make a memory with my family: The kids are growing up, and I want to have special family trips they will remember for a lifetime. Maybe they will even bring their own kids one day…
• I am just here for business, but I want to see the area: If this place is good, maybe I will bring my family back here sometime!
• I just need to fill up my car and my stomach: Perhaps I will come back another time, or at least recommend it to someone else.
• I need a place to retire someday: I am thinking about where I want to spend my next years, and I want to find a place that meets my needs.

Classification of Attractions

We completed a brainstorming session on the assets in our community or region. Now, let’s start thinking how we can move forward.

Thinking about attractions in terms of quality, authenticity, uniqueness, drawing power, and activity options immediately suggest that all attractions are not created equal. Some have more potential than others to draw tourists.

Primary attractions → Attractions that influence a traveler’s decision about where to go. They are often the main reason for visiting an area, and are intricately linked to the image of the destination and promoted in marketing campaigns.


Secondary attractions → Attractions that enhance the tourist experience, but are not part of the major destination selection process.

What are the primary attractions? We need a table to rank them on the adjectives.

What are the secondary attractions? We need a table to rank them of the adjectives.

Once we identify the primary set of attractions, we can combine them with complementary secondary attractions to develop specialized “packages” or “itineraries”. Then, we can market to different special interest markets. The more diverse the attractions mix, the more success we will have on repeat visitation.

We must consider seasonality here as well.

Agenda February 27th

Tourism depends in a large part on attractions and activities that are related to the natural environment and cultural heritage of the region. After last meeting agreed we would spend time thinking/demonstrating figuring out how to solve communication issues as we sort of had one of those aha moments... Folks think they tell others about the events and activities but the receivers of information are not processing it. We must figure out how we align our communications strategy between industry (hotels, restaurants, shops) and activities (arts, culture, museum) and city (public parks, facilities, infrastructure).

Brainstorm:

How to communicate the diverse functions/activities and happenings in and around Ouray in an effective and timely manner.

• Vehicles: calendars, newspapers, posters, flyers, weekly cards for examples
• Ownership and Accountability
• Training & process implementation
  

Folks from CAC (Colorado Activity Centers) will be dropping by and talking to group about what they do and how they do it.


Thanks,
Karen

Meeting Minutes Feb 20th

Karen emailed everyone the diagram of the brainstorms, Who are our customers and an Initial SWOT analysis night of Feb. 25th. If you don't have it, email her directly and she will send it to you. Her email is boxcanyonlodge@gmail.com

Who are our customers?
• Retreat (Businesses, Church, Alternative Lifestyle)
• 2-day stay passing through on way to other major attractions within 500 miles

• Grand Canyon, Taos, Yellowstone, all of CO, Utah parks

• Conferences – up to a week for (industry groups, seminars, workshops)
• VFR (family and friends)
• 3-5 day stay – 1-2 hr drive (visitors from Grand Junction, Montrose, Durango)
• DINKS (dual income, no kids)
• OMs (older mature-retired or semi-retired)
• Recreational enthusiasts/professionals

• Photography, rock climbing, ice climbing

• Vacationing entertainers – Ex. Trio Solisti,

Daily happening card – Event Calendar
• Bandon, OR, example
• Even includes garage sales and everything that was happening that day/week
• Calendar provided by the newspaper in OR on a weekly basis
• Incredibly effective way to communicate information
• Could be done in Ouray in the Plaindealer or with story boards in lodging or other ways

Comment: “Shopping locally is not appreciated in any way, shape, or form”
• Only consistent for 6 weeks from July 1 through mid-August
• All the restaurants are closed on Tuesdays for meals
• Shop schedules are erratic

Lack of professionalism in hospitality
• Overhead costs make it difficult to keep consistent help
• Hobby businesses interested in their own families, understandably
• Inconsistent messages to customers

City doesn’t have enough money
• Heavy reliance on volunteers
• Suspicion that spending not officially scrutinized (fountain on 6th Avenue)
• Questions about why we’re doing certain projects
• Unexpected costs like excessive snow removal

A few strengths
• Christmas Day to church in jeans
• Step back in time
• Winter climate for winter activities
• Not too many pine beetles . . . yet
• Air quality, water quality
• Economic – in-state travel increases in a weakening economy

Great opportunities to learn something
• Historical
• Workshops and performing arts (not well packaged or bundled with other services)
• Places for kids to go to take a class

• Telluride Summer Academy
• Voyager Youth Program
• Tracy Imhoff drop-in classes for kids
• Proposed program for kids at Weehawken

• Not consistently communicated
• Lack of data regarding needs and level of demand
• Yoga classes – numerous, but not well publicized

Comments about sharing, gathering, and responding to information:
“Every lodging place could have a board in the lobby with the daily activities in Ouray. Using a centrally located kiosk instead of signs on Duckett’s windows or emails could be more effective.”
• May require city approval
• Requires cooperation and manpower to support and update
• Business owners must be informed
• Strong need to share more information back and forth along with data collection
• Use collective information from retail, restaurants, and lodgers
• Utilize restaurants to publicize (True Grit has John Wayne history on back of menu.)
• Retailers could provide survey forms with their notes and observations
• Some business owners just want to run their business and not get involved in information gathering or community related growth (education of the benefits to everyone needed)

Cultural, historical
• Not enough theatre – in a mountain town should be available all summer
• History of buildings not valued by business owners (not all interested in maintaining historical appearance of their own business)
• Should have a blurb about each building at the site (St. Elmo has a good example about the history of the hotel.)
• Town and city government not perceived to value the arts
• Again not communicating cultural and historical information effectively


Other, miscellaneous comments
• Salida does an excellent job of publicizing their art and culture.
• I don’t read the newspaper because I don’t get anything out of it.
• The newspaper should have an arts page
• Perception of OCRA is mixed; some view it as a lodging focus, others see it as focusing major support on all businesses that are OCRA members, but not ignoring non-members
• Events conflict on the schedule without people knowing (avalanche presentation was scheduled at the same time as another activity.
• People have been sent for pizza to a restaurant by a lodging owner only to find out the restaurant had been closed when it had promised to be open.

COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION
• The root cause of many of our community issues

Communication

I receive an email daily from Telluride regarding ski conditions. A PDF is attached with the current run conditions and in the body of the email is additional info - IE weather forecast and daily events - I wonder if we can modify this to work for us????

I've attached a "snap shot" of the email. If you click on the image it will enlarge to a readable format.

Ouray & Tourism

Native Americans came to Ouray to hunt, escape the heat, enjoy the beauty and use the hot springs. Chief Ouray had a winter home here next to the Wiesbaden Hot Springs. The spectacular scenery and the transportation system built to service the mines made the San Juans a natural tourist destination. The "Rainbow Route", which took passengers by stage from Ouray to Ironton and then by train to Silverton, Durango, Rico, Telluride, Ridgway and back to Ouray, was billed as the "most magnificent mountain trip in the known world." Today the "San Juan Skyway" is a National Scenic Highway and still among the most magnificent mountain trips you can take. By the turn of the century, Ouray was already becoming a tourist town called the "Gem of the Rockies" and "The Switzerland of America."

What is Ouray's brand?

Here are various definitions of what a "Brand" Are as copied from here

The Dictionary of Business and Management defines a brand as:

"a name, sign or symbol used to identify items or services of the seller(s) and to differentiate them from goods of competitors."

Maybe a better definition is:

"A brand is a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer."

Why is it best? Well, first of all it is easy to remember, which is always useful! But it is also best because it works to remind us of some key points:

1. This definition makes it absolutely clear that a brand is very different from a product or service. A brand is intangible and exists in the mind of the consumer.
2. This definition helps us understand the idea of brand loyalty and the 'loyalty ladder'. Different people have different perceptions of a product or service, which places them at different points on the loyalty ladder.
3. This definition makes it clear how to build a brand. A brand is built not only through effective communications or appealing logos. A brand is built through the total experience that it offers.

Some interesting articles on Branding -- How are we going to use these information pieces for our benefit? Even more interesting is that these are about Estes Park, a much larger but very similar destination.

http://brandingwire.wordpress.com/2007/07/07/backgrounder-estes-park-co/
http://www.lonelymarketer.com/2007/07/09/my-experience-with-the-estes-park-brand/
http://www.conversationagent.com/2007/07/take-a-walk-in-.html
http://lgbusinesssolutions.typepad.com/solutions_to_grow_your_bu/2007/07/getting-a-rocky.html
http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/07/09/coming-back-for-more-in-estes-park-colorado/

February 20th Agenda

Meeting on Wednesday February 20

9am - 12pm

Customer Analysis & SWOT Analysis

• Customer/Prospect Analysis – Understanding Visitor Motivations
• Customer/Prospect Decision Process
• Concentration of customer base for particular products/experiences
• Critical Benefits
• How choices are made between competitors (pass throughs or stayovers)
• What is Ouray’s competitive Edge?
• Sensitivity to price, quality, service, and value
• To what are they attracted
• Value Drivers

SWOT analysis for our locale
Strengths – resources & capabilities that can be used as basis for developing competitive advantage

• Strong Brand -- What is our BRAND?
  
• Good Reputation among customers
• Cost Advantages
• Natural Resources

Weaknesses
Opportunities – external environment

• Unfulfilled customer need

Threats – Changes in external environment

• Disposable Income decreasing
• Infrastructure within town aging (pool, public facilities)
• Tax Structure (property taxes, statutory city)
• Ability to attract/maintain workforce (affordability)
• Mountain Resort Competition
• Shifts in consumer tastes
• Weather
• Wild fires
• Pine Beatles or other detractor to natural beauty
  

Movies filmed in and around Ouray

At the last marketing meeting, we spoke about movies filmed in and around Ouray County. Here are a few, although I know there are many more. There is a prof at Western State that has given an Evenings of History talk on this subject. With a few phone calls I could probably come up with a full list. For now, however:
1950 A Ticket to Tomahawk - With Dan Dailey, Anne Baxter, Rory Calhoun, Marilyn Monroe

1951 Across the Wide Missouri - Clark Gable

1956 Tribute to a Bad Man - James Cagney

1962 How the West Was Won - Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, John Wayne et al.

1964 Unsinkable Molly Brown - Debbie Reynolds

1965 Sons of Katie Elder - John Wayne and Dean Martin (based on a real Ridgway family)

1968 True Grit - John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby

1969 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Paul Newman

1978 Avalanche - Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow (final scene shows a clip of Farrow hanging off the Camp Bird Mine Bridge

1987 - Over the Top, Sylvester Stallone. Opening has 18-wheeler driving through mountains. Red Mountain.

Alferd Packer: The Musical (1996) 7.1/10 (4676 votes)
...aka Cannibal! The Musical (1996) (USA: video title)
Durango Kids (1999) 4.5/10 (142 votes)
Sunchaser, The (1996) 5.9/10 (1168 votes)

February 13th Minutes

We started with a reminder to add information to the blog regarding the SW Travel Region itineraries. They are due by next Wednesday so ideas before that would be appreciated. Sue Hillhouse suggested the Mesker Brothers iron work on the buildings in town.

Karen updated us on the contacts from colorado.com that we are sending an extended newsletter to. She'll post the topics on the blog so that we can help write.

Karen also informed us of the Cultural/Historical database from the CTO.

Holdover from last meeting: Karen & Lora compiled data from their hotels about where visitors come from. CO was number 1 by a landslide (no surprise!), the other top states are TX, AZ, CA, NM, UT.

We started on today's agenda. We spent a good amount of the time brainstorming lists of Key Attractions, Facilities & Organizations the we can partner with. Karen emailed the brainstorm as a .pdf document to the group. If you would like it and did not receive it, email her at boxcanyonlodge@gmail.com and she will email it to you.

Ralph suggested that it is important that we research the surrounding communities to see what they have to offer and what we can capitalize on that is specific to Ouray. Barbara offered to gather printed materials from the communities in the SW region and others said they would do research online.

Karen then asked us to develop a history of tourism for Ouray. Lora & Sara offered to work on that. Karen will also call Phil Icke to see if he can help. Tracy suggested that each of us take 15 minutes to do some research and then post our findings on the blog.

Our To-Do List for next meeting: Help write 2-3 sentences for the subjects in the SW Travel Region Itineraries, Help with content for colorado.com newsletter (Karen will have it on the blog), Consider "What Need Are We Trying To Meet", Research info on history of tourism in Ouray and marketing info on surrounding towns.

2008 Holiday Calendar (Tentative)

November 15, 16: Holiday Arts & Crafts Bazzaar
November 16th PAT Pasta Bar
November 29th : Light UP Ouray: Parade: 12-day of Xmas Theme
December 6th: Nutcracker Sweets
December 7th: Nutcracker Sweets
December 12th (Friday): Full Moon Ski & Soak
December 13th : Gingerbread Houses
December 13th: Yule Night: Nativity, Carolling, Santa
December 20th: Hayrides, Main Street Caroling


Ouray Visitor Guide says December 9th: Christmas Concert

Itineraries with SW Colo Travel Region

Here are the itineraries being developed in conjunction with the SW Colo Travel Region:

1. Scenic Byways
1. Craving recreation at high elevation? Travel to the top of the world and back in time on the San Juan Skyway. Discover history and high times in the streets, gold mines, and railway stations of towns like Durango, Ouray, and Telluride. Enjoy rafting and water sports on the Animas River, or fish and boat on McPhee Lake, the second largest lake in Colorado. The byway is your open invitation to five million acres of the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests. Experience the ancestral homes of the Puebloan Indians at Mesa Verde, once voted the number one historic monument in the world. Enjoy it all on this 236-mile sampler of the best the southwest has to offer.
   
2. Colorado Heritage Timeline: Native American Culture, Mining,
   Frontier Life, Ranching, Viticulture
1. The Red Mountain area was one of Colorado’s richest and most productive mining districts. During its heyday, approximately 3000 people lived in the mining towns of Red Mountain, Ironton, Guston, Chattanooga and numerous cabins and dugouts scattered throughout. To service the numerous mines, a wagon road connecting the district to Ouray and Silverton was completed in 1885, and the Silverton Railroad traversed the rugged pass by 1889.

   Although most of the physical features of the district have disappeared, the area contains several excellent examples of mining headframes, cabins, boarding houses and railroad features that represent a very important part of our heritage.

3. Transportation Heritage: Railroads, trails, tramlines, stagecoaches
1. The road we know today as the Million Dollar Highway was started in 1880 by the Ouray and San Juan Wagon Road Company. In 1882 Ouray County took over construction from the Engineer Pass turnoff to Ironton but not much progress was made. In 1883 Otto Mears bought the wagon road company and finished the toll road to Red Mountain. His tollbooth was at the very narrow crossing of Bear Creek Falls. A year later he completed a second toll road from Silverton to Red Mountain thus completing the Ouray to Silverton Road. The road reverted to Ouray and San Juan Counties in 1900 when the toll road charter expired. The Million Dollar Highway got its name in 1922 during the conversion of the road for auto traffic when it was noticed that the separate contracts to rebuild the Ouray to Red Mountain Pass portion of the road totaled almost exactly a million dollars.
   
4. Architecture: Residential, commercial, industrial, pre-historic
1. The town of Ouray is a real treasure for a Victorian architecture buff. Here one can stay in the award-winning, beautifully restored Beaumont Hotel, 1887, or the authentic St. Elmo Hotel,1898, stroll the Ouray National Register Historic District and dine in a historic restaurant. Containing a large collection of Mesker Brothers iron facades, the Main Street beckons history lovers and shoppers alike. Off Main Street you will find beautifully restored "painted ladies" of the Queen Anne, Edwardian, Italianate,and Dutch Colonial Revival styles, historic churches, and the "best little Museum in the West."
5. Brothels and Outlaws of the Old West
1. Ouray had two red light districts that flourished in the 1880s and 1890s as well as in the early decades of the 20th century. The earliest district was located along Main Street north of 8th Ave where John Vanoli operated the Gold Belt Theater and several other “Female Boarding Houses.” The Goldbelt provided first class entertainment in addition to its second floor cribs.
   The second red light district in Ouray stretched along second street between 7th and 8th avenues. By 1908 the number of separate houses of ill repute had reached 16 which included The Temple of Music, the Bon Ton and the Bird Cage where liquor, gambling, prostitution and loud music continued far into the night.
   
2. Ouray ordinances specifically prohibited houses of prostitution but they were thriving businesses for more than 30 years. The prosperity of these establishments rose and fell with the mining industry. Most prostitutes did not stay in Ouray long but there was a constant supply to replace those who left. A significant number also committed suicide or were killed by customers. A lucky few married local men and became respectable.
   
   
6. Native American presence on the Colorado Landscape
1. The Uncompahgre Band of Utes had a special relationship with Ouray’s copious hot springs, which they called “sacred miracle waters.”

   They came here for ceremonial and healing purposes, even bathing their beloved horses in the steaming waters. In the late nineteenth century, the famous and controversial Chief Ouray built a small adobe “summer home” at hot springs where the Wiesbaden Spa is now located.

7. Preservation and Stewardship: Land use, sites, stabilization projects and visitor ethics
1. The Red Mountain Project began in 1998 as a regional effort to protect 10,500 acres of scenic and historic landscapes, preserve numerous historic mining and railroad sites, and provide enhanced recreation and interpretive opportunities along the San Juan Skyway.
   
2. The goal of this project is to acquire from willing sellers 10,500 acres of historic landscapes and structures within and around the historic Red Mountain Mining District. Once purchased, they are being added to the adjacent Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests and Ouray County Parks for public use and enjoyment through perpetual conservation easements. In the meantime historic structural assessments, stabilization projects, installation of interpretive signs and improvements to historic trails for recreational use are ongoing.
   

We need to compile 3-5 sentences that will whet the appetite for the traveller. We will need corresponding photos for the things we choose.

Ideas needed soon, sentences & photos needed in the next week or so.

The obvious suggestions are:

1. Scenic Byways: SAN JUAN SKYWAY
2. Colorado Heritage Timeline: Native American Culture, Mining, Frontier Life, Ranching, Viticulture USE A LOCAL MINE
3. Transportation Heritage: Railroads, trails, tramlines, stagecoaches THE MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY OR OTTO MEARS
4. Architecture: Residential, commercial, industrial, pre-historic THE BEAUMONT
5. Brothels and Outlaws of the Old West: YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE TUNNEL UNDER TOWN
6. Native American presence on the Colorado Landscape THE USE OF THE HOT SPRINGS BY THE NATIVES WOULD BE GREAT
7. Preservation and Stewardship: Land use, sites, stabilization projects and visitor ethics. POINT TO A SITE THAT IS GETTING SOME PRESERVATION OR TALK ABOUT THE WATER USE AND YOUR BOTTLING PLANT OR EAGLE HABITAT ALONG THE RIVER.
   

Agenda February 13th

Meeting on Wednesday February 13
9am - 12pm
Section 2: Situation Analysis


Current Marketing Situation Analysis – summarizes environmental trends
- Key attractions, facilities, and people/organizations

• Products/Experience
• Infrastructure
• Community Calendar
• Visitor Center
• ADA
  

- History and evolution of tourism business
- Key joint venture/cooperative partners
- Definition of area/customers served
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Obstacles

Outline Description

The Marketing Plan Outline will be in 11 Sections. The Sections will be as follows:

1. Overview/Executive Summary

2. Current Marketing Situation Analysis - Summarizes environmental Trends

3. Market Analysis -

4. Customer & Prospect Analysis - Understanding Visitor Motivations

5. Competitive Analysis

6. Marketing Objectives & Issues - Outlines specific marketing objectives to be achieved and identifies issues that may affect the organization’s attainment of these objectives.

7. Alternative Marketing Strategies – Alternatives considered before arriving at final strategy

8. Marketing Strategy
- Philosophy on how to best reach target
- Relationship to four P’s

9. Budgets & Projections

10. Action Plan Timetable

11. Implementation Controls - Indicates how progress toward objectives will be measured and how adjustments will be made to keep programs on track.

We will not necessarily do each step in order but we will take a topic and finish it each week... or at least get close to finishing it each week.

Before each topic, there will be an expanded outline uploaded for your use to get the juices rolling and folks are encouraged to add comments.

Thanks,
Karen

February 6th Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Ralph Huesing, Sue Hillhouse, Diann Correll, Tracy Lockard, Lora Slawitschka, Debbie Clapsadl, Sara Sharpe, Barbara Wade, Joyce Linn, Rick Noll, Karen Avery, John Ast

Set Meeting Times/Meeting Place:

San Juan Room, Ouray Community Center: Wednesdays 9am - 12pm.

Next Meeting February 13th.

We discussed the Longwood Study : Here are the ideas that floated while reading/discussing the data.

Focus on pleasure trips, not business (2006)

• Overnight visitors rising
• Business
• Friends and relatives
• Pleasure Trips
• Outdoor and ski trips

• CO 9th in nation for outdoor trips
• CO Top ski destination in US
  

Concerns

• Shorter trips
• Touring trips dropped behind outdoors
• Ensure visitors see beyond cost factor
• CO generally expensive

Potential for bundling

• Ouray pass – pool, mine tour, Box Canyon, etc.
• Entertainment book idea

“House guest” potential - Locals bring guests

• Local role as hosts, 30% stay in private homes
• Provide house guest spending benefits (coupons, discounts, etc.)
• easy, less expensive advertising
  

Shuttle service to/from Telluride

• Throw in a pool pass
• Connect with ice climbing
• Ski passes at 42% discount
• Package for ski business
  

Things we have here that are not in survey

• Working Artisans
• Museum – highly recognized as “one of the best”
• Arts organizations

Spending

• Vacationer spending rising up 10%
• 30% stay in private homes

Trip to state is fairly lengthy

• 300 mile radius includes Denver, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque
• ½ the people who come here plan at least 3 months before
• Airline subsidy by Telluride
• Concern that Ouray County may be asked to pay for a portion
  

Need to use other media

Under 7% of CO tourists took advantage of pre-paid packages

Visitors – where from, why did you come here, how long are you staying, need data

Ouraycolorado.com on cellular phone; Caleb has already started work on this and he is farther along than we knew. Some of ouraycolorado.com is popping up on cell phone.

Using internet, not travel agency

Outdoor vacationers, most originate in state, below average expenditure (less than $65 per day)

Entertainment and climate are low priority

Bring out mining history, Indian heritage

Rest stop/restrooms with videos

Once they get here we need to engage them to stay, go to museum, stay for dinner

Embrace the stuff that’s “hokey”

• Coachlight was red light
• Popsicle invented at variety store
• Alvin Ficco ran liquor from Gold Belt to Western
• Tunnels

Cultural heritage – HUGE (57%)

• More often from out-of-state visitors
• History and natural preservation most often mentioned by cultural heritage visitors

Supplement in newspaper on what to do with visitors

June negatives

• Kids not yet out of school
• Jeep trails not fully open

June positives

• Waterfalls, golf, and Trio Soliste
• Need to work on June
• Come before school is out
  
• Target DINKS – double income, no kids; like adventure

Do we collect any data at the visitors center?

• Give the visitors something for their input

Publicize history – Smokin Joe, Chief Ouray, historical events, stay longer ideas

• Need to publicize what to do in Ouray to locals too. Give them ideas for VFRs. Newspaper articles are necessary.
• MP3 Walking Tour
  

Hospitality Training -- Make every local tourist friendly

• Work to be more accommodating
• Know more about shops, restaurants, attractions
• Word of mouth huge -- how to capture that good feeling, personal experience
  

Important for the person at the front desk to know what’s going on

Four wheel – not in a growth mode?

Birdwatching

Eating and drinking – fastest growth area in Ouray

Promote history of hot springs pool

Walking tour with MP3 player – Telluride uses

Can we capitalize on mining history?

What goes into planning a trip to Ouray? (50% plan trip 3 months in advance)

• Tabletop exercise
• Planning guide on web
• Chronology of planning activities and materials
• What to do in the rain?
  

We should be charging $200 per night

Need more itineraries.
__________________________________________
Actions/ To Dos...

Need web sessions from 2007. Karen/Lora/Barb will start to gather.
Visitor Statistics: Karen to share Box Canyon Lodge Stats with folks on Demographics.

New Data Sources & Current Events

This section of the blog should be used to collect information, links, comments related to Current Events and News articles that have appeared recently that everyone should know about.

It would be nice if we could post the links themselves so that people could read the resource. If that is not possible, then, post the periodical, date, time, title, and the summary of the article.

Thanks,

Comments on the Longwood Survey

This section of the blog should be used to collect comments people have on the Longwood Survey Data.

Thanks,
Karen

How to Post a Comment

So, to make a comment follow these instructions:

1. In a web browser, go to http://ouraymarketing.blogspot.com
2. Find the Topic that you want to discuss on the Right Hand Side (let's say I chose Mission Statement)
3. Click on that link (Mission Statement)
4. Then, the Mission Statement page comes into the browser window
5. At the bottom of the statement, there is a section that says "X Comments" where X = some number.
6. Below that is a link that says "Post a Comment"
7. Click on that link (DO NOT TRY TO EMAIL THE COMMENT> IT DOESN"T WORK AT THIS TIME.
8. A page comes up that says "Post a Comment"
9. In the box entitled "Leave your comment", type in all your comments, ideas... (I suggest you type it somewhere else in case you have some sort of problem and it doesn't get saved. We don't want to lose ideas!
10. Complete your typing or cut and paste (control-C copies to the clipboard and control-V pastes from your clipboard -- if you need help here, just email me and I can help you out)
    
11. Choose an identity... Most Always you should PICK Nickname and enter your real name here in the blank. Make sure you select the radio button. After you are happy with your comment, be sure to click PUBLISH your comment so that it is uploaded to the blog.

February 6th Meeting Agenda

Location: San Juan Room: 1:30 - 5:30pm Feb 6th.

Agenda:

1) Group Governance and Organization -- 30 minutes

meeting times and places
how we are organized
who is going to get involved
rules & expectations

2) Discuss Outline -- 15 minutes

Just highlight the comprehensive nature of the plan


3) Start Level Setting with Longwood Study Slides --> as long as we can take it.

My plan is to fast track the slides and skip ones that are Colorado Vs. National .....

You can pull down the slides and see them in advance if you want to read it.

January 30 Meeting Minutes

January 30th Meeting Synopsis -- > QA

I discussed the same presentation about Vision/Mission and Team Goals as before. No comments came during the prezzo but at the end, there were a few:


A. There was a question about the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer and what were we planning to do there...

I called a friend at the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau and the DNC is a closed convention. There are very specific rules and the delegates are not going to be barraged with tons of information. A very limited amount of information will be provided and it is being paid for with big bucks. They will send me some very specific guidelines and rules but do not look to get Ouray noticed there. Furthermore, she said that this convention doesn't have really any PRE/POST. What she was trying to say was that there weren't going to be any trip extensions. Now, on the bright side, she did mention that although the DNC is well publicized, there are actually 12-15 conventions per year in Denver that are similar in size, just not media coverage and publicity. She is going to be sending me some information on how we can hook up with the media planners and most of those conventions have much more PRE/POST activity that may be interesting as we consider a move into attracting those types of guests. I will forward the information I receive when I get it.

-----------------------------------------
B. There were some discussions/questions on what time period this Marketing Plan would cover.

In this part, much of the 2008 ads have already been placed (i.e. the AAA tour book, the Colo State Guide, the Ouray Visitor Guide) but there are still SOME dollars for periodicals that can be considered going forward but much of our work will concentrate on Summer 2009 too. But, in general, I see this plan as working 2008 partially and 2009 definitely and looking forward, til 2012.


----------------------------------------

C. There are discussions around the time commitment, missed meetings due to prior travel commitments, etc.


This group had thoughts that maybe we could send out emails of the topics and we could make some meetings mandatory for all group members and some meetings could be for smaller groups. We need to get together as a large group and determine how we want to handle this. It seems like it *might* work, but, I do have some concerns on the consistency aspects. Let's discuss in one big meeting and set the ground rules.


----------------------------------------

D. There was a question about do you want reps from all groups.

YES, I think we need that for the perspectives (it will make a better plan) and I think we need it for buy-in. If this is going to work, we need everyone to have some skin in the game.

January 23 Meeting Minutes

Suggested we start a blog that relates just to this group. --> Great Idea --> I will get that done and give you info in the next day or so.

B. There were some discussions around the Mission Statement and the Vision Statement.

This needs more comments from the group as a whole --> PERFECT for the Blog. Give me 1 more day and we can start refining this part even further.

Resources

Resources

Longwood Study

Strategic Plan for Historical Tourism

Southwest Colorado Initiative

DNC Vendor Directory

Mass Tourism vs. Sustainable Tourism

Mass Tourism

• Large Scale
• Short Term
• Absent Owners
• Price Conscious
• Growth Oriented Development
• Large Tourist Groups
• Imported Lifestyles
• Loss of Historic
• Built around Resort Amenities

Sustainable Tourism

• Small Scale
• Long Term
• Local Owners
• Value Conscious
• Managed Development
• Mod. To Small Groups
• Local Lifestyles
• Preservation of Historic
• Built around Community Environment & Culture

Ouray Marketing Team Goals

Ouray Marketing Team Goals

• To work together as a team, to respect opinions and view of others
• To be reliable & accountable for our own team participation
• To work together on assigned tasks & challenges, accepting each member’s thoughts
• To stay in touch, keeping the communication lines open offering support & help to all members should they not be able to partake in a discussion
• To be successful as a team & as individuals

Ouray Marketing Mission Statement

Ouray Marketing Mission Statement

Ouray Marketing, a public-private partnership, shall develop a comprehensive marketing plan that aligns with the State plan, that includes an outreach program connecting Ouray to other cities in the Southwest Region, that consistently seeks grants and additional funding sources to help market the town and the region, that increases lodging occupancy by 10% each year for the next 3 years, and that increases sales tax revenues by 7% per year for the next 3 years.

Ouray Marketing Vision Statement

Ouray Marketing Vision Statement

Ouray Marketing, a public-private partnership, shall promote visitation consistent with community desires, site capacity, and conservation ethos so that our community and region prosper and that each visitor creates a unique and superior vacation experience with extraordinary memories.