2018 Year-End Report Ouray Tourism Office · Destination Marketing Program Total of All Value-Added...

Ouray Tourism Office 2018 Year-End Report Photo: Markus Van Meter Photography

What We Do...

Tell Ouray’s Story

Brand AssetsContentMedia

Direct Marketing

Provide Exceptional Service

Visitor’s ServicesLocal Business Consultations

Connect Visitors to Local Businesses

Visitors ServicesOurayColorado.com

Industry Connections

Plan for the Future

Sustainable Tourism Strategic Roadmap

Collect, Interpret & Share Data

Visitor Surveysindustry TrendsBenchmarking

Photo: Brent Bayless, Pinpoint Imagery

Our MissionTo enhance the economic vitality of Ouray by connecting visitors with

authentic experiences and promoting respect for our community values, history and environment.

Our VisionTo develop and uphold Ouray as a world-class,

sustainable mountain destination.

Our Definition of SustainabilityFor us, sustainability is not a campaign or a buzzword. It is the core value that underpins all of our activities.

We want to retain the economic and social advantages of our tourism economy while mitigating undesirable impacts on our natural, historic, cultural and social environment.

To achieve this, we need to balance the needs of our visitors and our community.

Thoughtful, data-driven and effective destination marketing, management and development are how we get there.

24

Encourage residents to share pictures on social

platformsAdd basic information to

GoogleSend press releases to targeted media outlets

Invite “influencers” & stay in touch via social media

Strengths

S

Lack of collaboration due to competition

Lack of brand alignmentLack of trust

Lack of buy-inLack of focus

Lack of common visionLack of capacity

Weaknesses

W

Create a visitor community map

Internal MarketingUpdated City & Tourism

Office websitesRoad signs & Visitor

signageBusinesses listed on

Google, Google maps, Colorado.com & OTA’s

Opportunities

O

Natural DisastersEconomic Recession

Climate Change (Beetle Kill, Drought, No

Winter/Heavy Winter)Violent Event

Threats

T

Ouray’s Destination SWOT

Visitor’s ServicesAmbassador Programs

Support Local Wayfinding & Interpretation ProjectsDevelop Future Staff Capacity

Tech IntegrationVisitor’s Center Maintenance Plan

Downtown Info Point Feasibility

Build CapacityMillion Dollar Highway Economic Partnership Downtown Market AnalysisSupport Development of Business Support, Expansion & Retention Toolkits & Resiliency TrainingSupport and Facilitate Regional Workforce, SBDC, LocalFirst and CTO programs and initiatives

Destination DevelopmentEncourage Authentic Local & Regional Product DevelopmentVisitor Readiness & Tourism Entrepreneur Program Outreach

Sustainable FundingLodging Tax Update ✓Leverage Partnerships/ Grants ✓Advocate for & Inform Sustainable Funding Sources

StewardshipEthics-Based Messaging & EducationCampaigns to Balance Seasonality & SpendingSupport & Facilitate Local/Regional Stewardship Initiatives to Maximize ImpactDevelop Voluntourism Opportunities

Planning✓Sustainable Tourism Workshop

Strategic Plan Process, Development, Publishing & Review Guidelines

Community FocusCommunity Plan Leads

Community Input ProcessBuild Meaningful Connections Between

Community & VisitorsOuray Hospitality & High-Impact

Support Local Communication PlanDestination Marketing

Research & Data-Driven Decision-MakingDevelop Psychographic Profiles for New Visitors

Build Awareness & Maintain Loyalty via Customized, Authentic Content

Strengthen Regional & Colorado AudienceDevelop BrandShare Program for Local Partners

Plan for the Future:Ouray’s Sustainable Tourism Strategic Roadmap

Our Visitor Conduit to OurayOur small, but mighty team of dedicated

Visitor’s Services Concierges, Interns and Volunteers.

Our Visitor Conduit to the WorldOur Director of Industry, Media and Consumer Relations who ensures that Ouray is front and center in the media, among receptives and in new visitors’ minds.

Our Local SupportOur contract and partnership with the City of

Ouray and the partnership and contributions of our Member businesses that both help make the

destination marketing, management and development plan possible.

Our Industry SupportOur regional destination, industry, economic development and higher education partners who help us leverage every opportunity and dollar.

Our FoundationThe People, Environment & Experiences

that make the Ouray Brand.

Our Top LevelOur Board of Directors, who are elected by the membership to oversee and foster OTO’s mission, vision and organizational health.

Our Team

Our ConnectorOur Executive Director, who oversees and implements the

destination marketing, management and development program and ensures all the components of our house are in sync.

Year-End Net: $3,392.54DMMD = Destination Marketing, Management &

DevelopmentVS = Visitor’s Services

Financials - 2018

Grants & PartnershipsTotal: $176,000Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop: $45,000 ($5,000 each partner matches from Pagosa Springs, Chaffee County, Steamboat Springs & Glenwood Springs, $25,000 match by Colorado Tourism Office)SW Colorado Crafted Beverage Tour: $50,000 grant (OTO contribution: $0, Durango Area Tourism Office contribution: $25,000, $25,000 match by Colorado Tourism Office)Consumer Travel Show Partnership: $6,000 (Support from Durango Area Tourism Office, Mesa Verde Country and Tour Colorado)Hillsdale College: $25,000 (technical assistance for visitor research project)Colorado Tourism Office Sustainable Tourism Workshop: $5,000 (technical assistance for workshop & $2,500 pending for implementation in 2019)

Making Ouray’s Pie Bigger Through Partnerships

Local Business SupportTotal: $113,422CO-Official State Vacation Guide: $12,222 (co-op from OTO members)Official Ouray-Ridgway Visitor’s Guide: $75,000 (advertising buys from OTO & RACC businesses)WinterFest: $1,200 (local business contributions)Fam Trip, Travel Writer & Giveaway Hosting: $25,000 (local business donations of goods & services)

Ouray Jeep RaffleTotal: $34,100Jeep Raffle Marketing: $1,000Ouray Fourth of July & New Year’s Fireworks: $10,000Community Event Support: $5,300Ouray’s Annual Oktoberfest: $10,500Summer Marketing Intern: $3,500WinterFest Support: $3,800

Other OTO SupportTotal: $54,554.24Staffing:$47,250Budget Variance: $7,304.24

Tourism Fund SupportTotal: $230,000OTO’s contracted Visitors Services and Destination Marketing Program

Total of All Value-Added to Destination Marketing & Visitor’s Services Contract:

$378,076.24By leveraging valuable partnerships, OTO can perform a $608,076.24 Visitor’s Services & Destination Marketing Program at a cost of

$230,000 to the City of Ouray’s Tourism Fund

Financials 2018: Value-Added



Financials - 2019 Budget



Financials - 2019 Adjusted Budget w/ Proposed Tourism Fund Increases

OurayColorado.comFB: @OurayCO - 17.6k fans (+2.3k) IG: @Ouray_CO - 11.8k followers (+3.2k)T: @Ouray_CO - 882 followers (+130)Ouray Visitor’s Guide - 100,000 copies distributedOuray Visitor Database - 71k in e-newsletters (+10k)Curated photography, videos & content

Brand Assets

FAM & Travel Writer HostingIPW Attendance & HostingMedia Highlights 2018: Vogue.com Top Travel Story of the Year & Kevin Torres on FOX31 DenverAnnual Media Value:● 950 articles influenced by OTO media efforts● Reach: 460 million circulation● AVE: $4.3 million

Media & Receptive Outreach

Official State Vacation GuideRegional Radio Event MessagingGroup marketing - GoWestConsumer-Direct Travel & Adventure ShowsSeasonal FB boosted campaignsVisitColorado sponsored seasonal FB postsVisitColorado Fall/Winter e-newsletter (in-state)VisitColorado Instagram Takeover

Direct Marketing

Telling Ouray’s Story

Still Holding Strong (in spite of Google Trips)While 2018 was the first year that we saw a minor drop in users and page views, our website continues to perform well. Most destination sites saw a 10%+ drop in 2017 already and continued down trends in 2018 due to Google’s entry into the travel planning market. Mobile has officially taken over as king of devices, surpassing desktop as the top device used to view the site.

Our overall dip was around 3% across unique users and unique pageviews but we saw an increase in sessions and entrances, which means that both our SEO and marketing links are producing to drive visitors to the site.

Our most popular pages continue to be the webcams, which we’ll connect with other engaging content on the site to get those visitors to move through the site more rather than checking in and checking out.

On any given day, you’ll find around 1,100 unique users on the site taking in 3,300 unique web-pages. For our business partners at the Destination Partner Level, the site produced 2,800 direct click-to-call for our businesses (up 23% from 2017), 94,000 direct outbound web referrals to members (even with 2017), and 222,000 other direct to member interactions like gallery views, social clicks, mapping and YouTube views.

107k views

22k views

60k views

101k views

Webcams

Hot Springs

Lodging

4x4 Trails

OurayColorado.com

Mobile44.9%

Desktop44.8%

Tablet10.3%

of our travelers come from this state. Not Texas, but Colorado. While Texas remains strongly in second place, it’s our in-state travelers travel to Ouray year-round.

Our Domestic Travelers

38%We reach our domestic market primarily through lead generating marketing, direct requests, direct consumer outreach in-market, via digital marketing and remarketing campaigns (and via our ever-popular Jeep Raffle, which has created a very engaged and responsive not-so-micro niche market for Ouray)). Once they’re in our system we re-engage them with e-newsletters, on social media and remarketing to keep them up to date with what is happening in Ouray. We also lean on them annual to give us feedback about their experience in Ouray.

In 2018 the markets in BLUE are our key markets, those top ten that we try to maintain with high-value travelers. Trends we saw in prior years still exists here, we continue to see Oklahoma move down the list as that traditional market ages and newer markets like California, Illinois and Utah continue to climb up the ranks.

Those in RED are not ones that we market to but are of special note.

The percentage below corresponds to that State’s share of our tourism market.

Online Profiles

Colorado38%

Texas14%

California5%

Arizona4%

Utah2.2%

Illinois3%

Missouri2.5%

New Mexico2.2%

New York1.4%

Michigan1.2%

Florida2%

Oklahoma1.8%

Kansas1.4%

Pennsylvania1.2%

Georgia1.1%

Minnesota1.1%

Virginia1.1%

Ohio1%

Wisconsin1%

Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop

Crafted Beverages of Southwest Colorado

Contribution amount: $5,000Grant project total: $50,000

Highlights: Implementation of CHHSL Passport Program, IPW Direct Outreach, Fam Trips, IG Takeovers, New Content, Inclusion in Visit The Usa’s “Made in America: Travel’s Essential Contribution to Economic Development”

Contribution amount: $0 (content help)Grant Project Total: $50,000

Highlights: Implementation & promotion of SW CO Tasting Passport, Regional Giveaway among partners

2018 Grant Review

Sustainable Tourism Workshop

Contribution amount: $0Grant Project Total: $2,500 cash, $5,000

tech assistanceHighlights: Pilot Program for State of Colorado, 2 Day Training on Sustainable Tourism, implementation funding for “low hanging fruit” around ethical messaging.

“Bonus” Grants: Colorado Spirits Trail & Colorado Creative Corridor

14%24% 7%

4%

4%

Canada+2%

U.K. & Ireland+24%

Germany+7%

France+24%Australia & NZ+60%

International Travelers

Based on website usage and Visitor’s Center sign-in’s, we estimate that around 50,000 international travelers pass through Ouray each year.

World...Meet Ouray!

8% - 10%We reach international visitors primarily through grant-funded marketing and industry connections via tour operators, travel agents, booking engines and media visits.

In 2018 the markets in BLUE were countries that we identified as key markets for Ouray and marketed to via the channels above.Those in RED are not ones that we market to but are of special note.

% Growth of awareness in country year-over-year (based on website stats) is listed below each country.

Mexico+19%

Netherlands+4%

Italy+23%

India+4%

Brazil-25%

China-30%

15%

3%

3% 3%2%

2%

2018 VC Stats: 34,319 guests welcomed● 1,100 hours of direct visitor advice● 1 VC Manager● 2 PT Year-Round Staff● 2 Seasonal Staff● 3 Seasonal Volunteers800 VG Mail fulfillments12,000 VG Email fulfillments

Visitors Services

Click-to-Call: 2.8k direct calls to businessesWebsite Listings: 318k interactions with business contentReferrals: 94k direct referrals to business websitesIndustry Data & Small Business Resource Links

OurayColorado.com

Connections with ReceptivesMedia MentionsCTO TrainingsLearning OpportunitiesSmall Business Consultations

Industry Connections

Visitor’s Services &Local Business Support

Data: Visitor Surveys20

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All V

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Sa

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Inte

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illsdale Ice Climber W

inter Spending, Activity & Satisfaction Survey

Hotels+34%

Bed & Breakfasts-18.6%

Short Term Rentals+6.9%

Camping/RV Parks+93.2%

Data: Visitor Lodging Trends (2011-2018)

ALL ROOM NIGHTS2011: 76,796 | 2018: 111,238

+34,442 (+44.8%) room nights

4th Quarter (Oct-Dec)6,108 added

3rd Quarter (Jul-Sep)11,469 added

2nd Quarter (Apr-Jun)10,719 room nights added

1st Quarter (Jan-Mar)6,146 room nights added

Data: Visitor Lodging Trends (2011-2018)

ALL ROOM NIGHTS2011: 76,796 vs 2018: 111,238

34,442 room nights added44.8% increase in room nights

Winter & Shoulder Season Growth

4th Quarter (Oct-Dec)66.1% increase in room nights

3rd Quarter (Jul-Sep)26.3% increase in room nights

2nd Quarter (Apr-Jun)74.8% increase in room nights

1st Quarter (Jan-Mar)64.5% increase in room nights

All lodging is considered visitor spending.

Lodging: $13.59 million

36%

Some of these sales can be attributed to local support but can offset by the taxes paid by visitors in other categories that can’t be split out.

Retail:$9.64 milion

25%

Some of these sales can be attributed to local support but can be offset by the taxes paid by visitors in other categories that can’t be split out.

Dining$7.36 million

19%

Some of these like transportation include visitor spending but can’t be split directly from their category.

All Other Taxable Sales$7.56 million

20%

Data: Visitor Spending2018 Total Taxable Visitor Spending in Ouray:

$30.59 million$1.22 million in local sales tax

Lodging+59.1%

Retail+46.9%

Dining+50.0%

All other-1.5%

Data: Visitor Spending Trends (2011-2018)

All spending adjusted for inflation.

ALL SALES TAX2011: $24.47 million

72.3% from lodging,retail, dining

2018: $33.73 million(adjusted for inflation)80.2% from lodging,retail, dining

4th Quarter (Oct-Dec)Tourism: $2.1 million increase in spendingAll Other: $0.2 million decrease in spending

3rd Quarter (Jul-Sep)Tourism: $3.2 million increase in spendingAll Other: $.08 million increase in spending

2nd Quarter (Apr-Jun)Tourism: $2.5 million increase in spendingAll Other: $.04 million decrease in spending

1st Quarter (Jan-Mar)Tourism: $1.5 million increase in spendingAll Other: $.03 million increase in spending

Data: Visitor Spending Trends (2011-2018)

ALL TAXABLE SALES PER YEAR2011 Tourism: $17.7 million2011 All Other: $6.8 million2018 Tourism: $27 million

2018 All Other: $6.7 million

Tourism: $9.3 million (52.9%)All Other: -$0.1 million (-1.5%)

Winter & Shoulder Season Growth(adjusted for inflation)

4th Quarter (Oct-Dec)Tourism: 89.3% increase in spendingAll Other: -12.3 % decrease in spending

3rd Quarter (Jul-Sep)Tourism: 32.5% increase in spendingAll Other: 3% increase in spending

2nd Quarter (Apr-Jun)Tourism: 73% increase in spendingAll Other: -2.4% decrease in spending

1st Quarter (Jan-Mar)Tourism: 73.4% increase in spendingAll Other: 2.5% increase in spending

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Ouray (C

ity)

The State of Colorado commissions an annual Visitor Spending Report from Dean Runyan & Associates to track visitor spending for the State of Colorado and each of Colorado’s Counties.

Total Growth in Visitor Spending (2011 vs 2017)

57.7%city of ouray

32.3%state of co

Our Benchmark Counties are our western slope neighbors: Mesa, Delta, Montrose, Gunnison, Hinsdale, (Ouray), San Miguel, San Juan, Dolores, La Plata and Archuleta.

(This report comes out in July each year, which is why 2018 is not reflected yet. Runyan also does not account for inflation in spending, so the percentages will differ to the positive from our adjusted ones.)

57.7

%

Data: Visitor Spending - Benchmarking

49.1

%

32.3

%

18.5

%

11.6

%

31.8

%

50.3

%

34.3

%

64.4

%

48.1

%

42.1

%

29.6

%

Ouray (C

ounty)

State o

f CO

Mesa Delta

Montrose

Gunnison

Hinsdale

San M

iguel

San Juan

Dolores

Montezuma

34.3

%

La Plat

a

48.3

%

Archulet

a

Destination Marketing, Management & Development - The Big Picture

Photo: @shreeniclix

6

ThenDMO as the “Expert”

Traditional advertising channels

Suppliers control information, product &

promotionMonologue

NowEveryone is a Storyteller

Online is kingVisitors experiences

drive referralsDialogue

Destination MarketingThen vs. Now

7Online Advocates

8

WHYThe intersection of the values you hold (your identity - your DNA) and the visitor experience. This defines your Brand and builds your Brand Pillars, Brand Promise and Brand Voice.

HOW (pt. 2)Inspirational stories and images that engage the heart

HOW (pt. 1)Itineraries. Putting the WHAT’s into themes.

WHATA destination’s offerings.Where to stay, what to do, where to eat, where to shop, etc.

Marketing from the Inside OutThe RIGHT MESSAGE reaching the RIGHT PERSON at the RIGHT TIME

9Storytelling

10The “Right” Visitor

12

OWNED & SHAREDAssets that the destination owns or shares and leverages through their owned channels like emails, on their website and on their social media platforms

EARNEDOwned assets that are leveraged via public relations to outside sources (journalists, tour operators, bloggers & influencers) to feature to their audiences.

PAIDPaid placements of owned, shared or earned promotions leveraged through advertisers for a fee to place content that reaches desired target market

Promotions Pyramid

13

Data can be:● Qualitative (words)● Quantitative (numbers)● Data may be collected by a destination (primary data) or from

sources outside of a destination’s control (secondary data)

Marketing Research Methods:● Collect & record visitor zip codes (online with any form/sign-up

or at point-of-sale). Enter into Excel & map with GIS.● Collect emails online, during reservations or information

requests, or with drawings. Design a SurveyMonkey survey & periodically send to email list. Ask about vacation planning or satisfaction ratings.

● Use an onsite clipboard or electronic table survey. Ask visitors what they did, how long they stayed and how much they spent in your community.

● Recruit visitors at the Visitor’s Center to hold an informal focus group. Write a script of five to seven questions that asks the visitors to evaluate the destination and make recommendations.

● Gather statewide or regional research reports or data.● Ask a media firm like Google to send analytic reports of those

who “used” the media. Try a cost-per-inquiry analysis by comparing to cost of the buy.

● Hire a research firm to conduct a brand perception study (how visitors perceive your destination) or visitor profile study (who is in your market and why).

Marketing Research

14

Breckenridge: Management Visit Flanders: Development

Parking / Traffic CongestionPolicy Change

Behavior ChangeVisitor Information

Niche/Passion Market Opportunity

Event as Community InvestmentTie-In with Economic

Development

Destination Management & Development

Ouray Tourism Office Membership Program - Get Engaged!

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Emerging. Sets strategy for collecting information on local group event environment, collecting and analyzing existing group event planner feedback and new meeting group event outreach strategies.

Small Meetings, Weddings & Corporate RetreatsChaired by Board member(s). Makes

recommendations for membership benefits, plans membership

networking & learning events.

Membership

3-5 Members. Chaired by Board member(s). Makes recommendations

for upcoming Board vacancies.

Nominating Committee

3 OTO members (not Board). Investigate & advise action on formal grievance complaints between OTO members

Grievance Committee

Ad hoc. Chaired by Board member(s). Plans for long-term fiscal sustainability of OTO. Oversees 2019 fiscal policy updates.

Fiscal Sustainability

Ad hoc. Chaired by Board member(s). Plans for short-term sustainable tourism messaging & advises on 5-year OTO strategy.

Sustainable Tourism Roadmap

Get Involved!

3-hour information shifts at the Ouray Visitor’s Center June - September

Visitors Center Volunteer

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

2019 OTO Annual Meeting Live Participant Poll

How are you feeling about the tourism economy in Ouray?


What community group do you represent?


What is your favorite thing about Ouray?


16Destination Marketing, Management & Development in Ouray

What is your favorite thing about Ouray?

2019 OTO Board Retreat Poll

What is Ouray’s biggest tourism strength?


What is your least favorite thing about Ouray?


What is Ouray’s biggest tourism weakness?


What is Ouray’s biggest tourism opportunity?


What is the biggest threat to Ouray’s tourism opportunity?


How are you feeling about the future direction of the Ouray Tourism Office?


2018 Year-End Report Ouray Tourism Office · Destination Marketing Program Total of All Value-Added...

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