Corridor Management Plan |
Corridor Management Plan |
Marketing and PromotionExisting Marketing Programs
Guide BooksBrochures and Other Advertising CollateralMiscellaneous Promotional ActivitiesMulti-State Activities Promotion PlanGeneral GuidelinesActivities In ProgressProposed ProgramsMulti-Lingual Information PlanBack
to Main ContentsMarketing and PromotionA broad array of tourism marketing materials has been produced and numerous promotional efforts have been undertaken to increase awareness of, and visitation to, the Santa Fe Trail Byway and sites along its corridor. In this section of the Corridor Management Plan, information is presented on these efforts and a plan for future tourism promotion is provided. A plan for providing the services and facilities to accommodate an increase in tourism is included in the Visitor Needs and Expectations section of this document.
Existing Marketing ProgramsA variety of marketing programs have been explored. Those that were initiated have, for the most part, remained in place and are to be continued. These efforts have largely been undertaken by regional economic development agencies, local chambers of commerce and history-related organizations with the assistance and participation of federal offices including the National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers and U. S. Forest Service. In 1992, the Colorado Tourism Office and the Southeast Tourism Board were disbanded after a statewide vote rejecting continuation of the tourism tax. A privately-funded organization, the Colorado Travel and Tourism Authority assumed some of the State's former duties; however, most responsibilities have been assumed by local and regional groups. It should be noted, however, that financial support has been provided by several State agencies, most notably CDOT's Byways Commission.
Marketing materials and promotional activities which have been pursued
include:guide books; brochures; state-wide byways and tourism publications; news releases; and multi-state promotional campaigns.
Many of the materials produced are interpretive in nature, containing information which connects the visitor to the Byway's intrinsic qualities. They have served to attract visitors to the Byway and its resources through distribution and advertising efforts and, therefore, are considered to be marketing tools.
Guide BooksWhile numerous guide books have been published about the Santa Fe Trail, ranging from academic dissertations to memoirs of frontier settlers who traveled the Trail, the book most directly related to marketing and promotion is Following the Santa Fe Trail: A Guide for Modern Travelers by Marc Simmons. Another publication well suited for the traveling visitor more interested in a vacation than a lengthy examination of the Trail's history is "Santa Fe Trail: National Historic Trail," a 15-page book written by Mark Gardner and published by the Southwest Parks and Monuments Association.
Brochures and Other Advertising
CollateralOver 20 different brochures have been designed, printed and distributed specifically on the Santa Fe Trail and Trail-related sites within the corridor. These include:
Trail-Specific Brochures| Title of Trail Byway Guide | Producer |
| Santa Fe Trail Official Map and Guide | National Park Service |
| The Historic Santa Fe Trail | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Recreation...Along Colorado's Historic Santa Fe Trail | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| The Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail - "The Scenic Way to Santa Fe" |
Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail |
| Santa Fe Trail Scenic & Historic Byway Brochure | Santa Fe Trail Scenic & Historic Byway- Mountain Branch |
| Museum Guides | Producer |
| Baca House, Bloom House and Pioneer Museum | Colorado Historical Society |
| Kit Carson Museum | Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County |
| Koshare Indian Museum | Koshare Indian Museum |
| Koshare Indian Museum, Inc. | Koshare Indian Museum, Inc. |
| Museums of Trinidad | Joint Museum Marketing |
| Step Back to Grandpa's Day | Otero Museum Association |
| Visit Big Timbers | Big Timbers Museum |
| Other Interpretive Brochures | Producer |
| Bent's Old Fort Official Map and Guide | National Park Service |
| What Made Trinidad Trinidad | Trinidad Historical Society |
| Walk Through History of Trinidad | Trinidad Historical Society |
| Like a Ribbon Across the Prairie | US Forest Service (available 1/1/98) |
| Faces Along the Santa Fe Trail | Jane Kurtz |
| Boggsville Path to Permanent Settlement | Boggsville Revitalization Committee |
| Big Timbers The Story of the Madonna of the Trail | Lamar Chamber of Commerce |
| Comanche National Grassland A Range of Resources | US Forest Service |
| Teamwork for the Trail: Citizens and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail | American Hiking Society |
| Welcome to John Martin Reservoir | US Army Corps of Engineers State of Colorado |
| Trinidad Lake State Park | State of Colorado |
| Regional Titles | Producer |
| Southeast Colorado Travel Planning Guide | Southeast Colorado Tourism Council, Inc. |
| Southeast Colorado Emerald of the Plains | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Local Titles | Producer |
| Baca County | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Bent County | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc |
| Bent on Tourism | Bent County Chamber of Commerce |
| Crowley County | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Kiowa County | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Lamar Colorado | Lamar Chamber of Commerce |
| Las Animas/Bent County Map | Las Animas-Bent County Chamber of Commerce and Bent County Development Foundation |
| Otero County | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Prowers County | Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development Inc. |
| Welcome Lamar, Colorado | Kampgrounds of America, Inc. |
Miscellaneous Promotional ActivitiesMulti-State ActivitiesThe five states through which the_Santa Fe National Historic Trail passes (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico) have formed an alliance known as the Santa Fe Trail States (SFTS). Promotional activities undertaken by this group and its members include:
The effectiveness of the materials and activities described above is not as high as desirable as evidenced by relatively flat levels of visitation (see Visitor Needs and Expectations section of this Plan). Direction for future marketing efforts and strategies to reach desired visitation goals and objectives is provided by the following Promotion Plan.
Promotion PlanA goal of this CMP is to "increase visitation and tourism's contribution to the economy." In order to achieve this goal, promotional activities undertaken in the past should be continued and new strategies should be implemented. The extent to which the actions outlined in this plan will meet the CMP objective "to increase visitation approximately 5% per year" is uncertain since tourism levels in the past have not been monitored in sufficient detail to evaluate the effectiveness of past marketing activities.
General GuidelinesPromotional efforts in the future are to be designed and implemented
according to several guidelines developed through the public involvement
process.
1. Efforts should be focused on targeted visitor segments rather than on
broad promotional campaigns. Targeted markets include:
2. Promotional materials (collateral) should be compatible in terms of design, color, logo and terminology.
3. Participation in multi-state promotional programs is highly desirable.
Activities In ProgressAudio Tour Tapes - An interpretive audio tape covering key sites
in the corridor is being produced. Several hundred will be distributed free
of charge to groups, press organizations, and Trail and history associations.
Brochures - Reprinting of 70,000 The Historic Santa Fe Trail brochures
and production of a Las Animas brochure: Histories and Stories of the Santa
Fe Trail (40,000 copies) is nearing completion.
Postcards - Photos that are now included on the interactive video
are being produced as postcards. The production schedule has not been finalized.
Web Site/Internet Address - Several groups are creating web sites
pertaining to the Santa Fe Trail including local schools, the National Park
Service, CDOT and the regional economic development groups. These pages
will be linked with other partners in trail-related activities and web sites
on travel, history, education and recreation.
Proposed ProgramsA variety of promotional activities are planned for the future. For the most part, these activities involve continuation or expansion of marketing efforts undertaken in the past. The priorities indicated were developed by participants in the public involvement process.
| Project | Priority |
FAM Tours - Sponsoring and conducting familiarization tours to educate travel-related groups about the recreation opportunities and visitor services along the Byway. Three distinct groups will be targeted:
|
Medium |
| Press Kits and Press Releases - Distributing additional press kits utilizing existing promotional materials to newspapers and television stations along Colorado's Front Range and upon request. Issuing press releases on a routine basis. | High |
| Package Tours for Groups - Creating and marketing package tours for targeted groups in Colorado and the southwestern states including museum associations, regional and state history groups, college/university history clubs, and book clubs. | High |
| Recreational Events - Organizing and publicizing outings for hiking, equestrian and bicycling groups, perhaps as fund raising activities with sponsorship by charitable organizations (like the MS 150, a bike ride to benefit multiple sclerosis). | High |
| Maps/Brochures - Reprinting existing brochures which are low in supply and publishing a printed guide for the auto tour route utilizing a detailed map of the Byway and sites within the corridor. Aerial photos and maps will be revised to include trail crossings and remnants. | High |
| International Promotions - Working with the United States Trade and Tariff Administration and the Santa Fe Trail States on campaigns to target specific foreign counties like was done with Germany in 1995. | High |
| Advertising in National and Regional Magazines - Placing paid advertisements in magazines which serve the targeted market segments including Texas Monthly, American West, Southwest Traveler, Home and Away, A. A. A. Colorado/Utah Guide, Trailer Life, Sunset, etc. | Medium |
| Trade Show Delegates - Sending volunteer representatives to tourism-related trade shows. | Medium |
| State Fair Booth - Using volunteers to staff a Scenic and Historic Byways booth at the Colorado State Fair. | Low |
| Souvenirs - Producing T-shirts and other types of souvenirs as both a revenue producing and advertising tool. | Low |
| Market Director/Advertising Contract - Hiring a person or advertising agency to promote tourism throughout the corridor. | Medium |
In order to undertake planned marketing activities, new financing sources will be required. Regional support will be required at increasing levels. Exploration of additional sources will be needed, including possible funding from Rural Development, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the Colorado Historical Society, and Great Outdoors Colorado.
Multi-Lingual Information PlanMarketing materials have been produced in German as part of a regional market development program undertaken by the Santa Fe Trail States. The Historic Santa Fe Trail brochure has been printed in Spanish, German, Japanese and French. The statewide scenic byway brochure is available in four languages as well. Additional efforts are needed to make multi-lingual information available throughout the corridor, particularly given the desired emphasis on international promotions. Printing of promotional and interpretive literature in Spanish should be a priority since the Santa Fe Trail connected English and Spanish speaking cultures and because the Byway is in close proximity to Spanish-speaking populations.