Pagosa Springs Rotary Club
Jennie Green, self-described data geek, director of the Town/County Tourism Board, and globe-trotting Pagosa promoter, began by commenting on our lingering winter, and by displaying a snapshot of the welcome sign east of Town, altered recently to boast of the “World’s Deepest Pot Holes,” instead of hot springs. So, we know for sure Jennie is well-suited for her job: she has the gift of all true promoters of ability to make the best of things.
Local tourism is growing, Jennie said, resorting to data on lodging tax collections to back-up her report, which have grown here 110% in ten years. For partial comparison, she provided recent revenue figures for other regional communities: in the last 5 years, lodging tax collections in Durango, Ouray and Cortez have grown between 25% and 27%. Consistent with the growth in the lodging tax, Jennie reported that foot traffic in the Pagosa Springs Visitor Center, downtown, has doubled in that period, reaching a total of 84,000 persons through the entrance last year.
Jennie discussed some of the current promotional efforts to build local tourism. Pagosa, plus Chaffee County, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, and Ouray, together promote the Hot Springs Loop, a route linking several hot springs enjoyed by visitors to their Colorado mountain communities, as well as others. And the Colorado Tourism office includes our area in the southwest region of the state it promotes in a brochure entitled “Mountains and Mesas.”
The state published brochure is of note especially in that it is printed in German as well as English. Germans typically have six-week annual vacations, Jennie noted, and travel extensively. There are no fewer than 35 tour operators that book tours to the Rocky Mountains operating in Germany, she said.
Hot springs are only one of the local attractions, of course, but the Tourism Board is always looking for promotional ideas. One described by Jennie is the Bike Planter Scavenger Hunt, utilizing the bicycle sculptures located at businesses around town, which are intended as both planters for flowers, and sites of clues in the scavenger hunt. Armed with a map indicating the general location of the businesses exhibiting the sculptures, contestants fill out game-cards with letters found on a tag affixed to each bike-planter, and are eligible to win a prize at the Visitors’ Center upon completion.
Recommendations recently made by a consultant of means further to enhance Pagosa as a tourist destination are currently under consideration by the Town and County. Recommendations include new lodging and meeting space. Jennie also plans to improve wayfinding signage in the community, and to build greater focus into data collection to help more specifically identify promotional opportunities.
There will be a local Tourism Conference in Town at the Community Center, South Conference Room from 9 am to 5 pm on April 17. All are welcome to participate, Jennie said.
Jennie was accompanied to the presentation by Pam Hotchkiss, a Visitor Center staffer. Pam solicited Rotarians to become volunteers to help greet visitors. She related that currently 20 or so volunteers help staff the Center during the summer, for four hours (or more) each per month. More volunteers are needed. Pam indicated rewards for volunteers include the satisfaction of helping visitors enjoy their local stay, plus enjoyable staff parties.
Local tourism is growing, Jennie said, resorting to data on lodging tax collections to back-up her report, which have grown here 110% in ten years. For partial comparison, she provided recent revenue figures for other regional communities: in the last 5 years, lodging tax collections in Durango, Ouray and Cortez have grown between 25% and 27%. Consistent with the growth in the lodging tax, Jennie reported that foot traffic in the Pagosa Springs Visitor Center, downtown, has doubled in that period, reaching a total of 84,000 persons through the entrance last year.
Jennie discussed some of the current promotional efforts to build local tourism. Pagosa, plus Chaffee County, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, and Ouray, together promote the Hot Springs Loop, a route linking several hot springs enjoyed by visitors to their Colorado mountain communities, as well as others. And the Colorado Tourism office includes our area in the southwest region of the state it promotes in a brochure entitled “Mountains and Mesas.”
The state published brochure is of note especially in that it is printed in German as well as English. Germans typically have six-week annual vacations, Jennie noted, and travel extensively. There are no fewer than 35 tour operators that book tours to the Rocky Mountains operating in Germany, she said.
Hot springs are only one of the local attractions, of course, but the Tourism Board is always looking for promotional ideas. One described by Jennie is the Bike Planter Scavenger Hunt, utilizing the bicycle sculptures located at businesses around town, which are intended as both planters for flowers, and sites of clues in the scavenger hunt. Armed with a map indicating the general location of the businesses exhibiting the sculptures, contestants fill out game-cards with letters found on a tag affixed to each bike-planter, and are eligible to win a prize at the Visitors’ Center upon completion.
Recommendations recently made by a consultant of means further to enhance Pagosa as a tourist destination are currently under consideration by the Town and County. Recommendations include new lodging and meeting space. Jennie also plans to improve wayfinding signage in the community, and to build greater focus into data collection to help more specifically identify promotional opportunities.
There will be a local Tourism Conference in Town at the Community Center, South Conference Room from 9 am to 5 pm on April 17. All are welcome to participate, Jennie said.
Jennie was accompanied to the presentation by Pam Hotchkiss, a Visitor Center staffer. Pam solicited Rotarians to become volunteers to help greet visitors. She related that currently 20 or so volunteers help staff the Center during the summer, for four hours (or more) each per month. More volunteers are needed. Pam indicated rewards for volunteers include the satisfaction of helping visitors enjoy their local stay, plus enjoyable staff parties.