What does the future of tourism look like?

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — A restructure of the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Joint Powers Board (TTB) includes the placement of three local contractors to positions and marks the launch of a new era of more comprehensive planning into the future of tourism in the valley.

TTB board commenced a contract with a consulting team from the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies working with Confluence Sustainability to spearhead a  Destination Management Plan (DMP) designed to deliver a shared statement of intent towards future tourism management. A central focus of the process relies on destination and community stakeholder engagement to establish clear action plans that guide the apportionment of resources.

The TTB says this strategic roadmap will identify, amplify, and align the community’s shared values in ecosystem stewardship, economic vibrancy, growth management, and enhance the quality of life for residents. It is slated for a September 2022 completion.

New hires

This past fall, concurrent with the retirement of 9-year executive director Kate Sollitt, the board appointed four long-time residents with qualifications to execute the objectives of the TTB.

Established communication, events, and marketing contractor Kathryn Brackenridge will serve as executive director, the lead liaison between the board and its varied interests and actions. Brackenridge’s professional background includes over 15 years of relevant work in the hospitality, resort, public, and governmental tourism sectors.

Sue Muncaster fills a newly-formed position of communications manager, tasked with increasing and streamlining TTB’s communications on the local, domestic, and international levels. Muncaster’s qualifications include 35 years in the outdoor adventure travel industry as a guide and business owner and a strong writing and activism background.

To assist in the development and execution of the DMP, Tim O’Donoghue and John Rutter of the Riverwind Foundation were contracted to act as sustainability coordinator. The Riverwind Foundation is known locally for its innovative work promoting environmentally and socially conscious business practices and has galvanized Jackson Hole’s sustainability certifications.

Plan moving forward

“Since our inception in 2011, the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board has been integral in building a strong tourism economy for the Jackson community. The current board recognizes the need to prioritize destination stewardship with a renewed focus on enhancing the quality of life of our community,” said board chair Cory Carlson. “As we embark on this process, we intend to build on our valued community partners’ well-established and pioneering work on sustainability initiatives.”

The DMP aims to foster greater collaboration and alignment between local government, tourism industry stakeholders, enterprise leaders, nonprofit and social services managers, public land managers, students, residents, and the diverse county workforce. Milestones in the DMP to date include the selection of a steering committee of community stakeholders who will provide oversight for the year-long planning process, as well as approval of extensive work, data collection, and communications plans.

The DMP will focus on elevating existing destination stewardship initiatives rather than recreating them such as the EarthCheck Destination Certification that sets Jackson Hole apart as an early adopter and pioneer of sustainability. According to O’Donoghue, the TTB DMP differs from existing initiatives in that “it is the first time the entire local community will have a voice in realizing a shared vision for the future of tourism.”

“Our team at the George Washington University and Confluence Sustainability is well-positioned to assist Jackson Hole to take bold steps forward on this journey,” said Seleni Matus, executive director of the university’s International Institute of Tourism Studies. “We’ve developed destination management plans for many global destinations including mountain resort and gateway communities, and our team has been at the forefront of shaping global destination certification standards. We also have strong ties to the community, having supported Teton County’s past sustainability assessment and certification efforts.”