Dear Editor,
Tourism is a growing industry in Carbon County. Carbon County’s tourism growth and economic change has been exciting and impressive over the last seven years. Carbon County not only provides temporary housing to industry workers but has a thriving visitor economy. In the past, Carbon County was more of a stop on the way to or from another tourist destination but, over the last few years, has become a destination for visitors.
Evidence to support this is in the numbers. As reported in the Dean Runyan Associates 2018 Wyoming Travel Impacts report, in 2013 Carbon County experienced $159.2 million in total Direct Travel Spending and $195.1 million in 2018. This is a 22.55 percent increase in visitor spending.
Another way to show Carbon County tourism has increased is through the 2 percent Carbon County Lodging tax collected by our lodging properties. The percentage of growth in lodging tax collections over the last five years is 55.38 percent with most of the growth being through our lodging properties that are outside of any Carbon County municipal boundaries. These properties are made mostly of guest ranches and bed and breakfast type offerings.
Last year’s Wyoming Travel Impact study reports that travelers spent more than $3.8 billion in Wyoming. Of that $3.8 billion, Carbon County received $195.1 million, generating $9.9 million for local governments, which accounted for 30 percent of all taxes generated in the county. These dollars were not only spent on lodging or campgrounds but on dining, groceries, transportation, entertainment and shopping. In 2018, tourism related services provided jobs for 1,520 people in Carbon County.
The lodging tax is managed by the Carbon County Visitors’ Council (CCVC), the tax is governed by Wyoming State Statute and is to be used for the promotion and marketing of Carbon County to potential visitors. CCVC uses the lodging tax to compete for tourists and travelers through state-wide, national and international advertising mediums. CCVC gives 10 percent of the lodging tax revenue back to the governing bodies in which the tax was collected as well as assists non-profits to advertise and promote local events through the grants process.
CCVC has made great strides in advertising and marketing over the years and is currently developing an online and in-person training course that will be ready to push out to our tourism industry and communities in the coming weeks.
This month, the CCVC Board of Directors approved their Strategic Plan which will begin to open-up avenues in which we will partner with businesses and organizations throughout the county to implement tourism initiatives and programs. CCVC would like to be a helping force in attracting and encouraging economic development in Carbon County.
Carbon County is full of things to do and see. We have quite a few things in our backyard to do. I challenge you to take a look around our fabulous county. Did you know that Rawlins Main Street received a Great American Main Street Award in 2015? That the Continental Divide Trail runs right through our county and that both Rawlins and Encampment/Riverside are Continental Divide Trail Gateway Communities? That the Wyoming Frontier Prison is renovating the Guard’s Quarters to house an office space, an exhibit space and a retail space? Have you ever accessed Seminoe Reservoir through the Hanna gateway? I encourage you to take a look around our county, get out and enjoy social distancing in our amazing backyard. For ideas please visit our website http://www.wyomingcarboncounty.com.
A note regarding our urgent world-wide crisis: The CCVC is very aware of how the COVID-19 virus is affecting many hospitality businesses. Our own businesses are being affected by the shutdowns that are occurring in our county now. CCVC is getting information from the Wyoming Department Office of Tourism, the Wyoming Lodging & Restaurant Association and the Wyoming Travel Industry Coalition on almost a daily basis. We are engaged and sending information out to our governing bodies, municipal representatives, municipal clerks, lodging partners and tourism partners in our county. Tourism is essential to Carbon County’s growth and we are here to help wherever we can as the industry heals from this crisis.
Leslie Jefferson
CCVC Director
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