Challenge

Jackson, Wyoming in Teton County is an extremely popular destination in the West situated near two national parks: Grand Teton and Yellowstone. A variety of organizations contribute to its destination management and marketing work – the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board (JHTTB), the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, and staff from the two national parks, among others – all united through a Destination Stewardship Council whose efforts are guided by a robust Sustainable Destination Management Plan developed in 2022.  This destination management strategy encompasses nine goal areas, including one specific to leadership that calls for a “permanent tourism governance structure” to guide collaborative destination management in perpetuity.

The JHTTB itself is a joint-powers board appointed by the town and county, and it employs its staff, including its CEO, on a contract basis – a structure that is not well-suited to supporting a sophisticated destination management approach. The JHTTB, acknowledging this, sought outside expertise to outline a process to establish a permanent Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO), identify the DMMO’s legal structure, and determine the role it will play in the already complex tourism governance system of Jackson Hole and Teton County.

Solution

Crosscurrent Collective’s number-one goal was to conceptualize a solution that would uplift shared goals and add value to the destination over the long term.

To develop a well-informed strategic recommendation, Crosscurrent held 11 work sessions and conducted 12 one-on-one interviews with town and county officials, public agencies, tourism professionals, and representatives from the Destination Stewardship Council.

Additionally, we conducted a survey of destination organizations doing exceptional development and management work across the American West and interviewed their leadership. We used the lessons that surfaced during this process to inform our design conversations with local leaders.

Crosscurrent made its final three-part strategy recommendation in June 2024. The recommendation included clear timelines for each component, as well as clear roles and responsibilities for each organization charged with seeing it through.  The JHTTB adopted the recommendation in its entirety and began implementing the approach in 2025.

Impact

While the impact of establishing a new DMMO for Jackson and Teton County is still on the horizon, key players can now operate confidently from a shared framework to move toward critical goals they have envisioned for many years.

SERVICES PROVIDED:

1. Coordinated and facilitated meetings with the Destination Stewardship Council members, the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board (JHTTB), and Jackson and Teton County officials
2. Conducted confidential interviews with elected officials and major tourism stakeholders to document goals and concerns about Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) development
3. Ran a survey of tourism stakeholders in Jackson Hole to help identify mutually beneficial solutions
4. Compiled research, including interviews with other DMMOs across the Western U.S., to determine best practices
5. Presented recommendations to the JHTTB, as well as town and county officials