DESTINATION PLAN

The Breckenridge Destination Management Plan is a 10-year road map to accomplish a shared vision for a more balanced long-term future. Specifically, it’s designed to help ensure economic sustainability for the community while preserving the quality of life for residents and quality of place for visitors.

Background

The Town of Breckenridge, Colorado wanted to elevate and protect its authentic character and brand while retaining a hometown feel and friendly atmosphere. But, as the destination grew in popularity, so did friction between visitors, residents, governments, and tourism organizations. If left unmanaged, the increasing number of travelers could undermine the quality of life for residents and lessen the destination experience for visitors.

The Breckenridge Tourism Office wanted a Destination Management Plan to help mitigate those types of challenges by providing inspired solutions to protect and enhance the town’s authentic character.

Approach

Our approach was anchored in a robust series of community engagement initiatives to ensure key stakeholders and residents were aligned around a collective vision for their future. Community members from across Breckenridge shared their views on the opportunities and challenges in the local visitor economy in a variety of formats including: 35+ one-on-one interviews, 13 focus groups with various industry and community segments, and three town halls with a wide cross section of participants. All together, there were more than 250 individual engagements and more than 1,100 survey participants, leading to a broad coalition of agreed upon priorities and strategies between the Town of Breckenridge, Breckenridge Tourism Office, and local people who make Breckenridge such a dynamic destination.

Results

The Destination Management Plan delivered a new vision to harmonize “Quality of Life for Residents and Quality of Place for Visitors.” The plan outlined four strategic goals aligned around elevating the long-term viability of the local economy, maintaining the community’s authentic character, protecting the environment, and improving the overall destination experience for both visitors and residents.

1. Deliver a balanced year-round visitor economy by 2024
2. Elevate and fiercely protect Breckenridge’s authentic character and brand — our hometown feel and friendly atmosphere
3. More boots and bikes, less cars
4. Establish Breckenridge at the leading edge in mountain environmental stewardship and sustainable practices

The plan was so well received, in fact, Breckenridge’s Town Hall adopted the visitor strategy as its own.