Enticing tourism

Members of the Carbon County Visitor’s Council (CCVC) met June 21 in Encampment for their regular meeting to discuss bringing more tourists into Carbon County and the Platte River Valley.

The council worked its way through its agenda over the course of several hours, and while most of the business discussed was routine, the resignation of council member Jim McKinney and the discussion of a marketing partnership with Florida-based marcketing firm Miles Partnership and HMS-Global, a video production company that produces tourism videos, were highlights of the meeting. The Council also voted on a winner for the county photo contest.

McKinney, from Encampment, who had been on the council for eight years announced his resignation due to a time limit on the board. Members are limited to two consecutive terms on the council. McKinney’s replacement on the council was to be selected by the Encampment Town Council.

The Encampment Town Council had previously selected John Farr of Encampment to be McKinney’s replacement at its June 8 town council meeting.

The board also discussed a marketing agreement with Jim Wilkinson, of Miles Partnership, a tourism marketing firm headquartered in Florida with an office in the Denver area, which has worked closely with the state of Wyoming in tourism marketing.

After discussion, the CCVC decided to retain Miles Partnership to provide marketing efforts for the council. The company will place Carbon County in the 2018 Official Wyoming Traveler’s Journal, and will provide banners for Carbon County travel on two websites, WyomingTourism.org and TravelWyoming.com.

The council also discussed working with HMS-Global, another tourism marketing firm, to possibly produce tourism videos on cowboy culture to increase exposure for Carbon County. The board did not vote on the proposal, but will consider it at a future time.

The council also announced the winner of the CCVC Photo Contest. Kyle Coo’s photo, “Night Camping in Sierra Madres,” was selected as the first place photo among all submissions. Cook received four tickets to a Colorado Rockies game and $150 for his win.

The next meeting of the CCVC will be held at 10 a.m., July 19 at the Virginian Hotel in Medicine Bow.