Innovative State Program to Advance Sustainable Tourism Development in Five Colorado Communities
DENVER, Aug. 5, 2025 – Today, the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) within the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced five new participants of the Destination Blueprint Program, a year-long program designed to help communities plan for the future of their local tourism economy. Each location will work with members of the CTO team to assess their area, lead a community action planning workshop and implement 100 hours of project-based consulting—resulting in a tailor-made action plan to help advance important tourism projects while protecting local community resources and vibrancy.
"The Destination Blueprint program offers invaluable guidance for Colorado communities seeking to align with the principles of our Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan," said Eve Lieberman, Executive Director of OEDIT. "This initiative empowers local destinations to develop tailored strategies, ensuring sustainable growth that enhances both visitor experiences and the quality of life for residents."
With the guidance of its landmark Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan, the CTO aims to promote sustainable and regenerative tourism throughout the state. The Destination Blueprint program supports these goals by providing tailored assistance to each participant, fostering sustainable tourism growth through careful planning for long-term viability. Communities come away with a long-term tourism vision, a set of priorities and action plans to achieve their objectives.
Destinations awarded include:
- Basalt Chamber of Commerce
- Sedgwick County
- Town of Hayden
- Town of Keystone
- Town of Mountain Village
“The Destination Blueprint program is a powerful example of how we can support Colorado communities in shaping tourism strategies that reflect their values, protect local character, and enrich the lives of residents,” said Timothy Wolfe, Director of the Colorado Tourism Office. “By offering hands-on guidance and tailored resources, this initiative helps destinations plan for the future in a way that encourages thoughtful growth, strengthens community identity, and promotes Colorado as a place where both visitors and locals can thrive.”
The CTO initiative empowers communities with actionable support to foster economic growth, improve tourism marketing and management, enrich visitor experiences, enhance Coloradan's quality of life, and protect natural resources.
Community action plans focus on key areas including:
- Encouraging responsible and respectful use by inspiring visitors to engage in low-impact travel within Colorado, such as launching a customized Do Colorado Right campaign or advancing climate action strategies
- Fostering inclusive travel opportunities by developing strategies and resources to ensure the participating destination is welcoming and accessible to everyone
- Developing and enhancing visitor experience by launching new offerings like agritourism trails, stargazing activities and gravel adventure guides
For more information about the Destination Blueprint program, please visit the program website, https://oedit.colorado.gov/destination-blueprint-program.
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 mission of the CTO is to empower the tourism industry by inspiring the world to explore Colorado responsibly and respectfully. The CTO seeks to advance the strength and resilience of the entire industry through collaboration, inclusivity, innovation and leadership. In 2024, Colorado travelers spent $28.5 billion, generating $1.9 billion in local and state revenues. Additionally, the tourism sector supported 188,510 jobs across the state in 2024. For more information, please visit www.colorado.com.
About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.
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