CHALLENGE

As part of Visit Big Sky’s new Destination Strategy, the local destination management organization wanted to infuse the newly formed Destination Stewardship Collaborative (DSC) with new ideas, create more meaningful relationships between the groups, and open doors for future collaboration with the fellow mountain town of Jackson, Wyoming. Crosscurrent facilitated connections between the communities by capitalizing on its positive working relationship with Jackson and Teton County tourism leaders after supporting the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board with a strategy for developing a new Destination Management and Marketing Organization.

SOLUTION

Crosscurrent Collective worked with the executive directors of the destination management organizations of both Big Sky and Jackson Hole to decide on five focus session topics, as well as identify important members of the tourism ecosystem to present at each meeting. Over two days, the study tour participants sat down with 25 speakers from 18 different organizations. They focused on:

• Destination Leadership
• Event Planning and Marketing
• Active Visitor Transportation
• Visitor Management in High-Use Destinations
• Arts and Culture

Crosscurrent designed the itinerary in collaboration with Visit Big Sky, prepared each focus session, and coordinated the venue, meals and speakers. Agendas balanced opportunities for connection among tourism stakeholders with a structured exchange of knowledge through informative presentations by local experts. Additionally, the itinerary encouraged Big Sky participants to build more meaningful relationships with each other by offering four group meals and an evening activity.

The trip had such great impacts that the Big Sky DSC is planning to have yearly study tours; an endeavor Crosscurrent looks forward to supporting.

IMPACT

The members of Big Sky’s DSC say they feel more connected and confident in the Destination Strategy work they’re embarking on. The team’s future DSC coordinator also reported gaining a greater understanding of the job ahead. The study tour accelerated existing momentum around creating positive change in Big Sky’s tourism ecosystem, and participants are looking forward to turning study tours into a yearly check-in point.

The Jackson Hole speakers saw the study tour as an opportunity to mingle with their peers and introduce new staff members. They were able to form stronger relationships with the Big Sky participants and gain new inspiration for their own work in turn.

SERVICES PROVIDED

1. Created an engaging itinerary and meeting agendas tailored to the interests and needs of the Destination Stewardship Collaborative of Big Sky
2. Coordinated 25 speakers in five focus sessions around Destination Leadership, Event Planning and Marketing, Active Visitor Transportation, Visitor Management and Arts & Culture
3. Planned and booked four meals and one group experience
4. Provided on-site support to remain attentive and responsive to needs from both speakers and attendees throughout the entire course of the study tour

PROJECT PARTNERS

• Visit Big Sky
• Yellowstone Club
• Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board