While Estes Park continues to rebound quickly from the 2013 flood and recognize monthly increases in sales tax collections, the mountain resort community has begun to slip down the list of the state’s most visited destinations and on the list of most visited mountain communities.
According to the most recent information available from local marketing officials, Estes Park is the No. 5 most visited destination in Colorado, down from No. 3 a few years ago. It also is now No. 2 behind Breckenridge for mountain communities visited.
That slide has many businessmen, economic leaders, and town officials concerned.
And, that helped prompt the town’s local marketing district – Visit Estes Park – to arrange an all-day Destination Development Retreat on Tuesday at the Stanley Hotel.
The retreat was attended by about 60 people, which included board members from Visit Estes Park, the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation, the Estes Park Town Board, Estes Park Town staff, Rocky Mountain National Park staff, and interested citizens.
Mitch Nichols, of Nichols Tourism Group, a specialist in destination product development in tourism-based communities, was the facilitator of the retreat.
At the end of the day, Nichols admitted that he was encouraged that his message had been heard and understood.
“I get the impression that this community is engaged,” Nichols said. “In my mind, that is the most important thing. When you get the right heads together and talk, that’s a huge part of the battle.
Elizabeth Fogarty, the President/CEO of Visit Estes Park, explained to the group at the outset that destination product development is be a critical piece of what Estes Park needs to do to compete with other resorts and to grow.
She said the definition of destination development “is a continuous process of coordination and development of amenities, facilities, products and services that support a community, delivering quality experiences for visitors and enhances residents’ well-being.”
The morning part of the retreat focused on the need for proactive development, the key issues facing Estes Park (strengths, weaknesses), and other DMO (destination marketing organization) approaches.
Nichols talked about how the approach to tourism has evolved. He said the traditional approach of identifying a product and then determining who it is sold to and how is mostly outdated. He said a strategic approach of: this is our target customer, now what product development do we need? is a better approach.
He also discussed the merits of a reactive approach versus a proactive approach to product development. He said the latter is a much better approach because it is an opportunity to add new products and experiences for visitors and enhance the quality of life for residents.
Nichols talked about multiple approaches to product development. He sees them as: creating them; enhancing existing products; and/or linking to other products.
He cited Scottsdale, AZ as an example. He said the historic arts community in central Scottsdale was declining and the area was losing its Western identity. He said Scottsdale built the Museum of the West right in the middle of the historic arts district, igniting a renewed interest in the arts district and the area’s Western heritage.
Nichols then outlined his preferred tourism development planning process. He said it involved: internal product assessment; destination SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) factors – strategic implications; identification of product opportunites; and formation and structure of tourism product development committee.
Nichols and Fogarty then zeroed in on key issues facing Estes Park as highlighted in the 2010-2011 Visitor Study and the 2015 Partner Survey.
In the Satisfaction with Estes Park Visit category, Rocky Mountain National Park received a 98 percent rating. Visitors’ overall experience rating was 94 percent. However, shopping, dining and parking received the lowest ratings.
In the Factors in Decision to Visit Estes Park, a relaxing mountain getaway gathered the top ranking at 89 percent. Rocky Mountain National Park was next at 81 percent along with wildlife viewing. Festivals and events had the lowest ranking at 16 percent.
The studies also revealed that overnight visitors greatly outspent day visitors with day visitors averaging $83-$102. Overnight visitors averaged $623-$860. Overnight visitors from Texas ($1,128) and Illinois ($1,110) spent the most.
In the 2015 Partner Survey, destination product was ranked as the town’s highest priority, surpassing local event marketing, groups and meetings, international marketing, and bus tours.
According to the Partner Survey, these were some of the town’s SWOT factors:
Strengths: proximity to the Front Range, Rocky Mountain National Park; area’s beauty, nature, wildlife; plenty of lodging and restaurants; surrounding potential environment for activities; more affordable than other resort towns; great walking town; friendliness of locals; easy to get here – don’t have to use Interstate 70.
Weaknesses: lack of more sophisticated shops and vendors; getting old, run down, and tired; traffic, parking; not year-round; not enough activities to attract families when weather is bad; not being up to date with new styles and development that other towns are incorporating; age of leadership in the community – need more young people to be involved; risk of not being a unique town anymore; reputation of being t-shirts and taffy only; employee housing.
Opportunities: revitalization of downtown; work on winter activities; marketing as a family-friendly, healthy environment; expanding our shuttle to year-round to improve resident/visitor experience; destination wellness; add street art, street performance and make town fell active by adding bike lanes, bike parking and investing in improvements for pedestrians/dog walkes.
Threats: natural disasters; other Colorado mountain resorts; traffic; compulsive negativity; looking for a panacea and not looking at multifaceted solutions; lack of a ski area; people stuck in their ways; people retreating to their silos again and not working together; losign our middle/upper class visitors by not modernizing the town; having businesses stay open when they say they will be open.
Nichols then discussed successful destination product development processes in Asheville, NC, Scottsdale, AZ, the state of Iowa, a regional plan in South Carolina, and Vancouver, WA.
Nichols cited a comment by Rick Antonson, the CEO of Tourism Vancouver than summed up the town’s need for product development:
“What was isn’t. What is won’t be. We have a chance to influence what comes about. 30 years down the road, the Vancouver we have is being shaped or not shaped by today’s decisions.”
After a lunch break, Nichols talked briefly about Estes Park customer segments, what products, activities, and amenities were reportedly desired.
He then divided the attendees into seven groups for breakout discussions. Each group had to (1) identify prospective products and why it should rise to a priority in Estes Park and (2) what factors will support or restrict development of the concepts.
Each group was given 45 minutes to discuss various products. After that time, each group gave a brief presentation.
Among the many ideas were: support development of brewpubs and related entertainment; growing event center business; enhance existing trails; winter activities in Rocky Mountain National Park; broader approach to local events; improve downtown experience; develop food scene for foodies; indoor water park; drop-off daycare center downtown; arts/crafts center in downtown; farmer’s market; historic walks; discount lift tickets to Eldora and daily shuttle service there and back; performing arts center; a downtown pedestrian mall; a laser light show at Lake Estes; enhancing and utilizing Performance Park more; expansion of wedding businesses; everyone be ambassador for the town; infrastructure improvements (roads, water, Internet).
Discussion then turned to the topic of where the town currently was in regards to tourism. Mayor Bill Pinkham and other town officials believed the town was heading the right direction based on its recent flood recovery, increasing sales tax collections, the construction of the town’s new events center, and the proposed new wellness center.
Estes Park Town Manager Frank Lancaster, however, saw things slightly different.
“I am encouraged that we are talking about it (product development), but I’m also very concerned about the conditions of buildings downtown,” Lancaster said. “Some are in terrible shape. I’m not seeing the reinvestment in them that’s needed.
“I really think we are at a crossroads but I am very optimistic about where we’re going. At the same time, it’s very possible that if some negativity comes, it could push us the other way.”
Bill Almond, a Visit Estes Park board member, agreed.
“Four years ago, I think we were at a declining stage,” Almond said. “But, the change in the (community) leadership has been dramatic. I now see us at the apex.”
After answering some general questions about funding and finances, Nichols ended the day by saying the next step would be to formalize an entity, a tourism product development committee or commission that would be represented by all the invested parties. He said the next thing to do would be to lay the foundation.
He said a strategic framework should include:
• Developing a framework that would identify new tourism development opportunity areas and associated criteria used to prioritize new initiatives.
• Identifying new targeted products and associated steps that could be used to attract them, along with capable development entities.
• Considering existing destination products that are in a transition stage, working to maximize their future potential from a broad destination-wide perspective.
• Responding to new prospective products, providing early stage input that could help refine concepts to speak to desired outcomes.
• Working to develop new incentive tools that could help stimulate targeted incentive tools that could help stimulate new development initiatives.
In his parting comments, Nichols stressed that the town needed to take a proactive stance and move forward with plans to create tourism product development committee.
“I would be amazed if your competition wasn’t making (similar) strides,” he said.
Fogarty echoed those sentiments.
“We do need to be mindful of our growth,” she said. “We’ve had single-digit growth but the competition has had double-digit growth.
“This is the type of energy that will determine our future. We are investing in our future.
“If we put this on hold just because we are feeling good about ourselves, that’s when the wheels fall off. How did those other communities get to double-digit growth? They did things just like this.
“This is not a one-and-done thing. Let’s keep the discussions going.”
Fogarty said she would follow up the retreat with her board before visiting the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation Board, the Estes Park Town Board, and the other stakeholders who took part in the retreat.
