Advocating for tourism

The mines are closed in Hanna but there is a museum and recreation center that could draw people into the town. Medicine Bow has wind projects, but the main building in the municipality is the Virginian Hotel. It also has a museum that will soon be home to the oldest house in the world, the Fossil House.

Encampment and Saratoga have already turned into major tourist destinations for Carbon County with their attributes. Carbon County also has several resort ranches that are gaining attention as world class places to stay. Almost every town has its own museum it can boast of.

Tourism, and businesses associated with it, make tourism the number two industry in Wyoming and, in some parts, number one.

The Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC) is a board formed to help tourism get stronger throughout the county.

The CCVC was formed in 1987 by a Joint Powers Board Agreement that included the Carbon County Commissioners, Riverside, Encampment, Baggs, Saratoga, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow, Hanna, and Rawlins.

Rawlins currently does not have a representative.

The representatives from these towns meet every month to promote events, tourism, the hospitality industry and businesses that benefit from visitors who spend money in the county.

They do so by purchasing advertising, maintaining the http://www.WyomingCarbonCounty.com website and with visitor centers in Riverside, Medicine Bow, Saratoga and Rawlins. The CCVC promotes attractions and events that bring tourists to Carbon County. Some of these events get grants.

The CCVC has been giving grants since its inception to events in different towns to promote tourism in the county, but the function of these events is to get people to visit and stay several nights.

Sometimes, during the CCVC meetings, hospitality and tourism promotional/marketing specialist come and speak. They keep the board abreast of the changing technology that makes visitors come to destinations.

Berkley Young, from Young Associates, a national brand builder of tourist destinations, came to Carbon County on October 23 to do a workshop on promoting the county's tourism assets.

His strong point made to the attendees is that the best promotion comes from locals. Young said it was important that residents know of all that was available throughout the county.

"The best public relations comes from the people who live here," Young said. "That means keeping the public informed on what is going on. It is essential that you use the local media to keep them informed. No better dollars can be spent than to keep everyone aware of what this destination has to offer."

Young said all people that care about tourism in Carbon County should be aggressive advocates.

That message seems to have resonated on the state level.

Recently, CCVC representatives from Elk Mountain, Hanna and Saratoga, along with the director, went to the Fall Hospitality and Tourism Summitt in Cody.

The theme of the summit was to put forth effective advocacy. The Wyoming Lodging and Restaurant Association, the Wyoming Travel Industry Coalition and the Wyoming Board of Tourism sponsor the summit.

The two day event focused on powerful ways to send a message on tourism

This year, Governor Mark Gordon was the guest speaker.

"There is something very soothing and calming about this part of the country," Gordon said. "We have rivers, mountains and plains that are steeped in history and culture. That is something we need to celebrate and share with the rest of the world."

He complimented Diane Shober, the Wyoming Tourism Director, for her hard work and the efforts of the different boards that promote tourism.

Gordon said the Wyoming economy has taken some hits.

"All-in-all, it has been a flat year, but the revenues we see and the revenues projected for the budget are enough, but there isn't a lot extra."

He said the bright spot in the economy is the tourism industry.

"There are sectors of this economy we can grow and one of them is tourism," Gordon said. "We are going to work very hard with this industry to make sure people understand how important it is."

He said most Wyoming residents know the economy has to diversify, but paying for it does not have easy answers. Gordon said tourism needs Wyoming government support because it can be a catalyst for diversification.

"You have my support on the lodging tax," Gordon said. "I have also committed to not have it encumbered with all sorts of Christmas tree ornamentation. It is going to be a straightforward tax that is going to benefit the tourism industry. We have to engage."

Gordon said that Wyoming was a large, wonderful state with a tremendous opportunity for the future.

"We need to be on the global stage and everyone should know where Wyoming is," Gordon concluded. "I am so excited about what the future can bring. This is the greatest state in the nation and anyone who lives here knows this."

His words reinforced the message that locals need to be involved as strongly as possible in tourism.

Leslie Jefferson, CCVC Director, said the summit was beneficial to all the Carbon County representatives who attended. "It is always educational to meet with our peers from around the state."

She said the key takeaways for Carbon County Tourism from her perspective was Google 360 is a very unique concept and has been used in Wind River Country.   

"A very useful tool that would be great in Carbon County," Jefferson said. "Photography and short video's continue to be a great way to entice potential visitors to Wyoming and Carbon County."

She will have the CCVC continue working on the message of advocacy.

"Advocacy training, becoming an 'Everyday Champion' of our tourism industry is important," Jefferson said. "The CCVC will organize a luncheon in January to talk with our legislators."

In the words of Governor Gordon, tourism is a bright spot in the state's economy and many Carbon County residents may say this county is one of the brightest parts in the state.  

Editor's note: Mike Armstrong currently serves as the CCVC Representative for the Town of Hanna.