Destination Blueprint Program

Program Summary

The Colorado Tourism Office’s (CTO) Destination Blueprint Program is an 11-month program that provides tourism planning and implementation support for Destination Marketing/Management Organizations (DMOs). This program serves a wide range of partners across the state with various tourism planning needs - from communities in the initial stages of exploring the tourism economy to established destinations reassessing their tourism marketing and management strategies to destinations taking the next step on priorities identified during their first Destination Blueprint Program or other planning efforts.

A recording of the informational webinar can be found on the CTO Learning Labs platform. Also on the platform is the new Destination Planning Learning Lab. This free online education course provides an overview of the tourism planning process and resources to prepare you for the blueprint application. Completion is optional but highly recommended for those who need a refresher or are new to the tourism planning process. Log in or sign up to access the webinar and learning lab.

The Destination Blueprint Program uses a community-driven planning approach to create a strategic vision for tourism, identify key priorities, and implement projects that support the development, marketing, and management of the visitor experience. Program goals include:

Support economic vitality and community well-being
Strengthen industry leadership and collaboration
Promote sustainable and regenerative tourism practices
Enhance visitor experience through authentic and inclusive offerings

Participating destinations will be supported by the CTO Destination Development team and paired with an experienced tourism consultant that will serve as their lead point of contact throughout the duration of the program. Program elements can be tailored based on the participating destination’s goals. The program will take a phased approach from August to June, with each phase building on prior learning. Program services and deliverables include:

Phase 1: Assessment
- Background research.
- Core team survey and core team meetings.
- Stakeholder interviews.
- Resident sentiment survey.
- Tourism stakeholder survey.
- Visitor sentiment survey.
- Visitor profile study.
Phase 2: Planning
- Evening stakeholder engagement and feedback event (optional).
- Tourism planning workshop.
- Destination assessment summary and key findings.
- Recommended tourism priorities and actions timeline.
- Workshop summary report.
Phase 3: Action
- 100 hours of project-based consulting to advance priority projects identified during Phases 1-2. Projects may include but are not limited to:
  - Destination management and/or marketing plans.
  - Strategy development for year-round visitor events.
  - Recommendations for DMO models and funding structures.
  - Marketing campaign strategy and content.
  - Tourism asset inventory.
  - Custom Do Colorado Right campaign strategy and content.
  - Destination stewardship ambassador program.
- Final summary report with recommended next steps.

Shared Industry Priorities

Since 2021, the CTO has delivered 75 Destination Blueprint Programs in 56 destinations across the state. The CTO team builds on opportunities and lessons learned from past programs as well as the unique character of each participating destination. Key findings from past programs include the identification of seven shared industry priorities. Participating destinations are encouraged to focus their program on one or more of these shared industry priorities or advance specific strategies identified in the Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan.

The shared industry priorities include:

Advance off-peak tourism opportunities
- Identify opportunities to extend the benefits of tourism throughout the year and increase demand for tourism outside of existing busy seasons.
Advance tourism workforce
- Provide professional development opportunities for tourism-related staff and foster a stronger community of workforce in your destination.
Champion the value of tourism
- Build awareness of the value that tourism provides to your destination and the role that DMOs have in enhancing local quality of life.
Develop and enhance visitor experience
- Diversify tourism offerings that showcase the unique potential of your destination by advancing outdoor recreation, agritourism, cultural tourism, stargazing, etc.
Encourage responsible and respectful use
- Inspire visitors to engage in low-impact travel within Colorado, such as launching a Do Colorado Right campaign or advancing climate action strategies.
Foster inclusive travel opportunities
- Develop strategies and resources to ensure your destination is welcoming and accessible to everyone.
Promote local businesses and experiences
- Enhance promotional efforts through strategic marketing and storytelling tactics.

Overview

Type: Program

For: Destination organizations

Application deadline: 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

OEDIT division: Colorado Tourism Office

Image description: Testimonial highlighting how the Destination Blueprint Program supported Grand County Tourism Board's goals. Quote from the Grand County Tourism Board says "The Destination Blueprint program and mentor were incredibly valuable to Grand County because they provided a clear, time-tested framework for stepping back, listening, and aligning our tourism efforts with what our community truly wants and needs. It reinforced the importance of stewardship, resident sentiment, and long-term sustainability, not just short-term visitation numbers. It directly helped position us for our next step: securing a Do Grand Right mentor."

Date:	Timeline:
May 5, 2026	Applications open
June 17, 2026 at 4 p.m.	Applications close
July 16, 2026	Award notifications
August 3, 2026	Program kick-off
October to December 2026	Workshops held
January 2027	100 hours of consulting begins
June 2027	Programs completed

Each applying destination is required to identify one or more local champions to serve as the lead applicant for the application. As a condition of selection to participate in a program, local champions must commit to at least 50 hours of work throughout the duration of the 11-month program.

Roles and responsibilities of the local champion include:

Engage in regular communication with the CTO and their assigned tourism consultant.
Identify 4 to 6 local tourism stakeholders that will serve on a core team and provide at least 10 hours of work to support the design and delivery of the workshop.
Participate in program design, including sharing background research and ideal outcomes from participation in the program.
Secure a venue and A/V for the workshop.
- CTO covers catering expenses.
Conduct local outreach related to the workshop and surveys.
Provide ongoing leadership to advance the action plan.

The CTO defines a DMO as a not-for-profit organization or governmental unit that typically is the recipient of jurisdictional lodging tax revenue and serves as the lead for year-round tourism promotion and development efforts in a destination.

Example DMOs may include:

Destination marketing organizations (e.g. Convention & Visitors Bureau).
Lodging tax boards, committees, or panels.
Chambers of commerce or chamber resort associations.
Government entities in Colorado (federally recognized tribes and local governments).

Other considerations:

Only one application can be submitted for an individual destination.
Multiple organizations within a single destination should collaborate on a single program application.
Participation in previous Colorado Tourism Office programming does not impact eligibility or competitiveness.
Participants in previous Destination Development programs are encouraged to apply to advance the action plans that were created and/or update the existing action plan.

The following destinations are participating in the FY26 Destination Blueprint Program:

Basalt Chamber of Commerce: Three-year marketing and communications plan to sustainably grow the tourism economy in off-peak seasons, and development of a plan for engaging tourism stakeholders.
Sedgwick County: Marketing and communications plan, a tourism asset inventory, and a plan for tourism stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
Town of Hayden: Communications and marketing toolkit that includes a visitor brochure, tourism business online directory to market Hayden as a tourism destination.
Town of Keystone: Tools and strategies for the Town of Keystone to launch a destination marketing and management organization.
Town of Mountain Village: Events and placemaking strategy that includes an asset inventory, gap analysis, assessment of new opportunities, and stakeholder engagement.

Applications are now closed.