The 2009 Fremont County Tourism Council's (FCTC) Annual Report was detailed to the Board of County Commissioners on March 9th. Doug Shane of the Cañon City Chamber of Commerce, which contracts with FCTC for management services, reported that the county's two percent lodging tax produced $141,014 in revenue in 2009. He said despite the economic slowdown the lodging tax revenue was down by only $23 from 2008 levels. The 2009 FCTC expenditures totaled $168,730 which included a $10,000 grant from the Colorado Tourism Board.
Shane said in addition to preparations for publishing the 2010 Visitors Guide the Tourism Council also spent a great deal of work last year on branding research. FCTC hired an Aspen firm to conduct a marketing and branding study in the region. That effort resulted in establishing 'Royal Gorge Region' as FCTC's branding name and the adoption of a new logo utilizing the marketing slogans of 'Unlock the Treasure' and 'Unlock the Adventure'. The new logo is being used in the heading of the 2010 Visitors Guide (above left).
Shane reported that visitors to the Chamber of Commerce welcome centers at the opposite ends of Canon City greeted 16,995 visitors last year. That was down by 1,338 from 2008 numbers, but Shane said visitor contacts at the Chamber of Commerce Office in the Peabody House totaled 12,019 which were up by 2,870 compared to 2008. Shane said because of those numbers and the continuing problems with recruiting volunteers to staff the tourist cabins, the cabins will be closed for the summer of 2010. Instead Shane said visitors will be directed to the Chamber of Commerce Office where they plan to expand public parking to accommodate buses and to operate weekend hours as well.
Shane said in addition to preparations for publishing the 2010 Visitors Guide the Tourism Council also spent a great deal of work last year on branding research. FCTC hired an Aspen firm to conduct a marketing and branding study in the region. That effort resulted in establishing 'Royal Gorge Region' as FCTC's branding name and the adoption of a new logo utilizing the marketing slogans of 'Unlock the Treasure' and 'Unlock the Adventure'. The new logo is being used in the heading of the 2010 Visitors Guide (above left).
Shane reported that visitors to the Chamber of Commerce welcome centers at the opposite ends of Canon City greeted 16,995 visitors last year. That was down by 1,338 from 2008 numbers, but Shane said visitor contacts at the Chamber of Commerce Office in the Peabody House totaled 12,019 which were up by 2,870 compared to 2008. Shane said because of those numbers and the continuing problems with recruiting volunteers to staff the tourist cabins, the cabins will be closed for the summer of 2010. Instead Shane said visitors will be directed to the Chamber of Commerce Office where they plan to expand public parking to accommodate buses and to operate weekend hours as well.