Parts of Colorado known as Northeast and South Central for the past two decades now will go by Pioneering Plains and Pikes Peak Wonders, following more than a year of work by the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) to shape and brand new Colorado travel regions to inspire travelers, tourism collaborations and creation of new visitor experiences.
The eight new regions described in an 89-page recommendation were adopted unanimously on Sept. 26 by the Colorado Tourism Board. In coming months, the new travel regions will be incorporated into CTO offerings, including the Colorado Welcome Centers, the Official State Vacation Guide and development of a new statewide hospitality training program.
“So much hard work, research and collaboration went into creating this new platform for sharing the unique qualities of our state with Colorado travelers,” said CTO Director Cathy Ritter. “By capturing and describing what sets apart each region of our state from any other place in the world, we can build compelling stories for why travelers would want to see these places for themselves.”
In shaping and naming the new travel regions, CTO created an 11-member Regional Branding Task Force with representation from across the state, and engaged an internationally renowned place branding agency, Destination Think!. The consulting team analyzed nearly 19 million online conversations, fielded industry and consumer surveys and gained direct input from about 800 Coloradans during 20 workshops in 11 Colorado destinations around the state.
The final report includes the new map, a summary of research findings, recommendations for how the regions can spur their economies and brand identities and positioning statements for each region. The eight regions by name are Pioneering Plains, Canyons & Plains, Pikes Peak Wonders, Mystic San Luis Valley, Mountains & Mesas, Rockies Playground, The Great West and Denver & Cities of the Rockies.
To view the full report from DestinationThink!, please click here.
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About the Colorado Tourism Office: The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) is a division of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The CTO’s mission is to generate traveler spending by promotion of Colorado as a four-season, four-corner, world-class travel destination and development of compelling, sustainable travel experiences. In 2017, Colorado travelers spent $20.9 billion, generating $1.28 billion in local and state revenues, reducing the tax burden for every Coloradan by $228. Tourism is the state’s second largest employer, directly supporting 171,000 jobs. For more information, please visit https://industry.colorado.com.