The Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau doesn’t need to find ways to bring more people to town. Its leader and members say the mission is shifting.
Two years of research and planning into the future of tourism by the chamber are winding down. With plenty of input from the community, a plan to manage the area’s popularity is starting to take shape.
Jennifer Wesselhoff, President and CEO of the chamber, says the planning process is ending, but the work will never be complete – that it’s just the beginning of a larger journey.
A big part of the planning process involved surveying the community. Out of 2,200 people who responded to the survey, a majority are worried about the impact tourism has on the natural environment and feel the area can’t handle more visitors coming to town.
“Visitor attraction will always be an important part of what we do. But, it's really exciting to expand our efforts to focus on more management and influence and how we can also change behavior related to businesses, increasing their sustainability initiatives, helping employees get to work in a more meaningful way, looking at transit and the ride on program and co-op programs that there's a lot of opportunities there. So while it's a little disappointing to hear and see the sentiments of tourism, it is not surprising.”
Wesselhoff said sustainable tourism focuses on balancing the economic benefits of visitors with environmental protection, and quality of life for residents.
A public information meeting set for Wednesday April 27th will present the survey findings. She said the meeting will serve as both a progress report and a chance for residents to ask questions and give more input. The chamber will share draft versions of a new mission statement and stewardship principles.
The meeting will be at The Jim Santy Auditorium and runs from 6-8 p.m.
