Matt Haeffner

Leisure Travel
Strategic Tourism Plan: Part 1

Boulder, Colorado
Strategic Tourism Plan (2015-2025)

(The Flatirons create a beautiful backdrop for the city of

Boulder and Colorado University.)

Introduction: Boulder is the 11th most

populated city in the state of Colorado at
approximately 103,000 residents. The Boulder
Strategic Tourism Plan for 2015-2025 is set on
improving the community in a recreational and
environmental sense, to promote and support a more
stable economy and improve the quality of life for

our own residents, and visitors of temporary and

long-term stays.
Table Of Contents
Cover page and Intro. . Page 1 (previous)
Goals & Obj. for Environment/Resource Conservation Pages 2-3
Rec./Leisure Opportunities: Destination Mix . Pages 3-4
Tourism Impacts & Organizations . Pages 5-6
Boulders Future ...... Page 7
SWOT Analysis Pages 8-11
Further Goals/Objectives Page 11
Marketing & Promo. Plan Pages 12-15
PEER EVAL. Final Page

Mission Statement: To provide the safest,

healthiest and most memorable trip to Boulder,
Colorado that will keep our visitors coming back by
catering to as many interest areas of leisure and
recreation as we possibly can, and to continue
developing and advancing in our conservation areas.
Vision Statement: To create a tourism experience
that will be not only informational and educational to
an extent, but that also assures an exciting and
event filled trip for people of all ages.

Pg. 2

The objectives of the plan are designed in a way

that will promote outdoor leisure activities in the
surrounding environment, while also stressing the
importance of maintaining the environment in order
for the community of Boulder to prosper ultimately.
Boulder is known for its outdoor regions such as the
very popular Flatiron Mountains (pictured above);
within this new plan is a way to conserve the
Flatirons and Boulders environment so that visitors
too, can become a part of our resource conservation
and maintaining healthy public recreation areas for
all.

(Pearl Street Mall) pictured above

OBJECTIVES/GOALS
The Boulder Strategic Tourism Plan (BSTP) is
designed to ensure the best possible experience for
our visitors and
residents, and to provide more than ample goods and
services/opportunities during your stay; however

Pg. 3

long it may be! Our goals and objectives are focused

on developing our city in ways to further educate on
resource conservation and protecting the
environment, and to entertain our guests in all areas
of recreation in order to create an unforgettable
experience for the individuals, the couples, and the
families that come to Boulder.
Environmental & Resource Conservation:
Raise awareness through advertisement and
giving out a mandatory Leave No Trace
Concepts booklet at entrance of all parks
(Local, State or National).
The implementation of more solar homes by
Boulders Local Environmental Action Division
(LEAD) throughout the community uses less
energy as a whole and reduces waste product
citywide.
Buying our delicious local foods is a great way of
stimulating Boulders economy and staying
healthy with fresh local produce.
The Urban Forestry and Horticulture section of
Parks and Rec. Department is designed to create
a greener city, to not only keep it looking
beautiful but to instill the idea of environmental
conservation deeper into the community.
Recreation and Leisure Opportunities:
There is a wide range of activities for all
categories of interest in Boulder so that you are
always having fun.
Outdoors- hundreds of miles of hiking and biking
trails, many famous rock climbing locations.
45,000 acres of open space, 60 urban parks.

Pg. 4

Educational fun- Boulder Museum of

Contemporary Art, History Museum, the
Colorado Shakespeare Festival.
Food- Boulder Farmers Market to support local
foods, Boulder a.k.a. Napa Valley for Craft
Brewing, Pearl Street Mall plentiful of award
winning restaurants.
Entertainment- The Dairy Center for the Arts,
Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Concerts in the
Park, Skate parks, indoor/outdoor pool and
recreation centers, pottery lab.

(Indoor Pool and Rec. Complex)

(Boulder Farmers Market)

trails.)

(One of Boulders many bike

Pg. 5

TOURISM IMPACTS
Like any area, tourism is not always positive.
Outsiders bring different cultures, customs and
values to our area, which in a positive sense creates
diversity. However, it is important that we do our
best to maintain our facilities and services in order to
provide the best experience for present and future
visitors. There can be many negative impacts of
tourism in Boulder just as there are in many other
places:
Overpopulation: with Boulder having such vast
natural lands that cannot be developed by law, it
is important to maintain a steady and balanced
population. While Boulder wants to attract
visitors and settlers, there is limited space for
development on top of all the environmental and
resource conservation going on.
Depletion of Natural Areas: The beauty of the
Flatirons and other natural areas surrounding
Boulder are one of the most popular attractions
for visitors. However maintaining and fixing up
trails for hiking and biking can be very difficult,

Pg. 6

and as they attract more visitors, there is more

likelihood that the foot traffic will wear away
trails and slowly impact the natural areas. It is
important to educate hikers and explorers of all
ages and demographics the importance of Leave
No Trace, in order to have as little an impact on
the environment as possible.
Need for Lodging/Transportation: With tourists
comes the need for them to get around. Boulder
already has in place a strong system of many
sources of transportation for pedestrians. There
is a bike share company called B-Cycle Bike
Share, where people can rent a bike for
transport, which is a good way of staying fit and
promoting energy conservation which is heavily
emphasized in Boulder. There is a bus system
but service hours have been cut in order to take
away from the emissions of greenhouse gases
through transportation.
TOURISM ORGANIZATIONS
ADVENTURE TRAVEL TRADE ASSOCIATION
-AdventureConnect, Boulder: creates adventure
tourism plans for regional activities

After researching the many aspects of tourism

within Boulder, Colorado I have decided that there
are ample services for many different tourism

specific activities. From outdoor recreation to

shopping downtown, and many in between, Boulder
offers such a vast variety of activities for a very wide
demographic. It appears that Boulder would be most
popular for families with children that are near their
teenage years, and young adults looking for a
beautiful city with lots to do, to settle in.

Pg. 7
Matt Haeffner
Leisure Travel
Strategic Tourism Plan: Pt. 2

Boulder, Colorado: Sustainable

Tourism

Boulders Future: Boulder prides itself on preserving natural

resources and protecting the environment, therefore the city must
implement programs that will effectively and safely preserve the
surrounding outdoor wilderness areas in order to promote tourism and
sustain a healthy city image.
Areas for Improvement:
-Overpopulation is a rising issue. Boulder has limited space to
continue developing without using open natural areas, and needs to
continue drawing in tourism; therefore there
-Natural Area Preservation: with the high amounts of tourism in
Boulder recently, more awareness must be raised for tourists on LNT
(leave not trace) policies in order to keep the sights of beautiful
Boulder in top shape and keep tourism as a consistently flowing source
Pg. 8

of revenue for the city.

SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS:
-Avid supply of natural resources to sustain city due to work done
by The Urban Forestry and Horticulture section of the Boulder Parks
and Recreation Department, whose goal is to create a greener city.
-Many options for Recreation and Leisure opportunities around
the city and in the inner city. Opportunities range from physically
strenuous hikes and biking on the outskirts of Boulder, to inner city

shopping and entertainment opportunities specifically on the Pearl

Street Mall.
-Boulder Parks and Recreation Department has made it possible
for there to be rec. opportunities for tourists of all ages, from family
fun, to a couples getaway, or even for senior citizens looking to retire
to a well sustained and beautiful region.

WEAKNESSES:
- Need for more lodging and transportation in order to satisfy all
aspects of a positive tourism experience for people of all ages and
demographics.
- Hiking/Biking trail maintenance and reparations: With much foot
traffic and biking through the areas like the Flatirons on a daily basis,
there needs to be a plan in place for maintaining and repairing the
nature trails in order to preserve the vegetation and wildlife off-trail;
this also touches on the need for a Leave No Trace program or
Pg. 9

informational booklet to be implemented around parks and natural

areas in Boulder.
- Overpopulation is becoming a rising issue for Boulder being that it is
nestled into a mountainous region. The city needs to develop a way to
either build up or consolidate where there is already development, or
create a way of cutting back on the people coming into the city versus
the amount of those going out. Building and developing into natural
lands and parks is not an option because it goes against the Natural
Resource Preservation and Going Green practices of the city.

OPPORTUNITIES:
-B-Cycle Bike Share: This organization offers a bike rental system
across the city of Boulder as a way of preserving energy, reducing
pollution and keeping citizens healthy all at once. If B-Cycle Bike Share
were to expand to the outskirts and suburbs of Boulder, it would
generate more revenue for the city to use on things like trail
maintenance and reparations, while promoting the energy and
resource conservation practices of the citys government.

Pg. 10

(Boulder Bike Share pictured above)

- Creation of backcountry/front-country lodging opportunities (lean-tos,
pavilions, etc.) for those tourists visiting Boulder for solely the outdoor
experience. This would allow minimal development in the front
country, but would take away some of the overpopulation of the inner
city by moving lodging for the Outdoor Rec. tourists to an area where
they would spend most of their time anyway.
- Although building space is a factor, solar power is extremely popular
in Boulder homes thanks to the Local Environmental Action Division
(LEAD), and implementing solar panels on newer buildings and homes

will help add to the conservationist ideas that Boulder so avidly

supports through its culture. Also, implementing solar panels on
buildings that are already up would be a useful solution to generating
greener energy and saves money in electric and power bills.

THREATS:
-

Overcrowding: Overpopulating an area will inevitably lead to

the exodus of many over a certain period of time. With the
attraction of an area like Boulder both physically and
logistically, tourists and settlers are drawn to the area and if
its not properly maintained (just as the natural areas) it will

draw people away over time.

Transportation: Aside from Bike Share, there are not many
public services of transportation that reflect the going green
mindset that Boulder reflects, thus leading to a decline in
tourism rates. Unfortunately, not everyone cares about
sustaining the environment and energy, and also it is not the
ideal source of transport for many, so Bike Share is not a
viable choice of transportation for people like senior citizens
or young children. In order to create a solution, something like
an electric or hybrid taxi company would be of great use to a

place like Boulder.

Recreational Drug Use: Recently Colorado has legalized
marijuana for recreational use to the public, drawing in so
much money that the state government doesnt know what to
do with it. However, this is not all good for family friendly
areas such as Boulder. Around most of the country marijuana
is an illegal drug, and most families would not want their
children around a substance that is so openly available in one

Pg. 11
particular state, which can really take away from the aspect of
family tourism which plays a big part in generating revenue
through recreation and leisure activities.

GOALS/Objectives:
-

Reduce overpopulation issue; address how creation of new forms

of public transportation in Boulder may help to fix it by moving
inner city livers to the outskirts and suburban areas of Boulder.
Rather than eliminating some of the population, it is being
dispersed throughout a wider region while also sustaining energy
and protecting the environment through eco-friendly

transportation.
Develop a system or organization in charge of maintaining and
restoring biking/hiking trails, to promote LNT practices, and
educate tourists on how to create the safest most memorable
experience in the Boulder wilderness areas such as the Flatirons
by implementing LNT principles.

Pg. 12
Matt Haeffner

Leisure Travel
Strategic Tourism Plan: Part 3

Boulder, Colorado
Marketing and Promotion Plan
Focus Area: Environmental Conservation & Resource
Preservation

Media and Materials

- Brochures (various locations such as Welcome Centers of
-

surrounding states)
Webpage (need of photographers)
Billboards: strategically placed near/along state borders or near
outdoor attractions of similar interest (i.e. Utah Canyons,

Wyoming Grand Teton)

Advertising in Print: Outdoor Magazine, Travel Magazine, Liberty
Travel, Outdoor Life, Conservation Magazine, Environment
Magazine, Budget Travel Magazine

Pg. 13
-

Television Network promotions: Animal Planet, Travel Channel,

Discovery Channel, Nat. Geo Channel, The Weather Channel

Support and Funding (based on popularity in Boulder

-

tourism)
Raise financial funding of maintenance and repairs on the

Flatirons and hiking/biking trails

Expansion of Boulder Farmers Market, popular attraction for

families and couples

Further support of sustainable tourism and Boulders Local
Environmental Action Division (LEAD), which provides for a
cleaner and healthier Boulder by using less energy and reducing
waste citywide.

The surplus of financial support and funding provided for the

above attractions/groups has been developed to provide the
best possible experience for the large variety of demographics
that Boulder receives on an annual basis.

Target Market: 18-25 years old

- The younger and more activity inclined demographic is
without a doubt the most common tourist group to visit
Boulder. With Colorado University being located in the
heart of Boulder, not only are there many college
students in the area, but also other young adults that
have similar interests are attracted to Boulder for many
of the same reasons as its current inhabitants.
- The generation of young adults at this time is the
generation largely heading the Environmentalist/Nature

Conservation and Going Green movement; With

Pg. 14

Boulders main focus area being Environmental

Conservation and preserving natural
areas/resources, it is important that we choose
forms of advertisement that will attract the types
of individuals we think can most benefit our
community.

How We Plan on
Gaining Attention
- To gain more attention for the popular attractions and
entertaining recreation opportunities that the city of
Boulder offers, we will use an approach that attracts the
reader or viewer of our advertisements using the
beautiful scenery and outdoor attractions to illustrate to
our target market the possible experience that a visitor
to Boulder would realistically experience. (Persuasive
action: using Boulders aesthetic qualities to persuade
and attract the target market possible ad use
example below)

Gaining Awareness
- By promoting to our Target Market through the
previously stated sources, we plan on gaining attraction by
Pg. 15

grasping the attention of 18-25 year olds with the

presentation of ideas surrounding the political and
environmental issues faced within our nation and global
community today, such as the depletion of natural resources.
Boulder is moving to develop a system that will effectively
demonstrate Leave No Trace concepts to all visitors, along
with ways to promote going green, saving energy, and
reducing harmful waste products, and in doing so hopes to
attract more individuals of the target market.
(Informative action: informing prospective tourists of the
ideologies and practices followed by the city of Boulder in
order to attract the ideal tourists with similar values to our
community.)

Adopting Environmental Practices and Programs

- By legitimately adopting and following through on the

previously stated objectives/goals of this tourism plan,
Boulder plans to create an even safer, healthier and
greener community for its tourists and permanent
inhabitants. The only way we can make this possible is
by increasing awareness of the subject matter and
receiving sufficient funding from the govt and public
for the plans to go into action. We can also gain more
funding from the public by gaining more attention and
awareness from a larger population outside of Colorado,
in order to bring in more caring citizens and money to
implement our plans to keep people coming back to
beautiful Boulder.