Destination Development Mentor Program
Program Summary
The Colorado Tourism Office’s (CTO) Destination Development Mentor Program supports Colorado destination marketing/management organizations and tourism industry associations in advancing priority tourism projects. Through 100 hours of technical assistance support, the program helps partners move from planning to action by executing key strategies identified through prior planning efforts. Since 2021, the CTO has delivered technical assistance support to 41 DMOs and industry associations across 33 counties.
Participating DMOs and industry associations will be supported by the CTO Destination Development team and paired with an experienced tourism consultant that will serve as the lead point of contact throughout the duration of the program. Consultants will provide partners with expertise, capacity, and mentorship. Program services and deliverables include:
- Consultants will work with participants to develop a Scope of Work outlining program actions and deliverables.
- 100 hours of project based consulting will be executed between January - May 2027. Projects may include but are not limited to:
- Destination management and marketing plans.
- Recommendations for DMO models and funding structures.
- Marketing campaign strategy and content.
- Tourism asset inventory.
- Custom Do Colorado Right campaign strategy and content.
- Local business and stakeholder engagement plans.
- Visitor, resident and stakeholder surveys and analysis.
- Final summary report with recommended next steps.
Shared Industry Priorities
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 destination organizations 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 marketing organizations and industry associations
Application deadline: Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 4 p.m. (MT)
OEDIT division: Colorado Tourism Office
Image description: Testimonial highlighting how the Destination Development Mentor Program supported Visit Leadville-Twin Lakes' goals. Quote from Visit Leadville-Twin Lakes says "Participating in the Destination Development Mentor Program was a game-changer for Lake County. Through expert mentorship, we developed a robust winter tourism marketing strategy and implemented new tools, such as Meta advertising and user-generated content systems, which strengthened our digital presence and partnerships. This program helped us elevate winter tourism in Leadville-Twin Lakes, aligning perfectly with our goal to promote year-round visitation in Leadville-Twin Lakes."
| Timeline: | Dates: |
|---|---|
| Application Open | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 |
| Application Close | Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 4 p.m. (MT) |
| Award notifications | November 5, 2026 |
| Mentors Assigned, Projects Scoped & Work Begins | November-December 2026 |
| Program Completed | June 2027 |
Eligible applicants include Colorado DMOs and Colorado regional and statewide tourism industry associations.
The Colorado Tourism Office 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).
Eligible industry associations include:
- Regional tourism industry association: registered nonprofit trade organizations that represent one or more tourism-related business sectors and represent a collection of tourism businesses within those sectors. Associations must represent a market-ready product or experience, and be regional in approach.
- Statewide tourism industry association: registered nonprofit trade organizations that represent a collection of tourism businesses statewide within a tourism-related business sector. Associations must represent a market-ready product or experience, and be statewide (where it exists) in approach.
Other considerations:
- Only one application can be submitted for an individual destination or industry sector.
- Multiple organizations within a single destination or industry sector 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.
- DMOs that are currently participating this fiscal year in the Destination Blueprint Program are not eligible to apply.
The following DMOs are participating in the FY26 program:
- City of Central: Tourism marketing strategy and destination brand to promote year-round tourism experiences.
- Fremont County Tourism Council: Film production outreach strategy and film tourism marketing plan to attract new film and television productions and market previously filmed locations.
- Grand County Tourism Board: Do Grand Right campaign and distribution strategy to encourage responsible and respectful use.
- Lake County Tourism Panel: Resident, stakeholder, and visitor sentiment surveys to align tourism strategies with how to best improve the visitor experience and responsibly grow visitation during the off-peak season.
- Logan County: Marketing and communications plan and partner toolkit for the Logan County Gravel Adventure Field Guide.
- Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce: Strategies and content for enhancing the visitor experience, targeted marketing, and preparing MVCOC to build successful regional tourism partnerships.
- Town of Ridgway: Recommendations for a DMO organizational structure, strategic tourism planning, and a three-year tourism budget to manage tourism in a way that aligns with community goals.
- Visit Manitou Springs: Do Manitou Springs Right campaign messaging, tools and assets that can be used by Visit Manitou Springs and tourism stakeholders.
A panel of industry partners and Colorado Tourism Office staff reviews applications and recommends awards based on an understanding of priorities, capacity to participate, and demonstrated need. A representative from the Colorado Tourism Office will respond to your application within one month of the application deadline.
Applications open Tuesday, September 8. For FY27, the CTO will be awarding up to nine program participants.
Program Manager