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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04. Destination Stewardship Plan Memo, August 2021 To: Town Council From: Economic Development Department Date: July 20, 2021 Subject: Vail Destination Stewardship Plan 1. Background As part of Vail’s certification as a top 100 Sustainable Destination by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Town of Vail is required to develop a Destination Stewardship Plan (DSP) by the end of 2022. The DSP is defined in the current Mountain IDEAL standard as “an up-to- date multiyear destination stewardship strategy and action plan to guide planning, development and stewardship of tourism and recreation activities.” The criteria require that the plan be based on the major tenants of sustainable tourism management practices, incorporating socio- economic sustainability, as well as cultural and environmental sustainability, and an assessment of environmental issues and risks. Each of these will integrate into and inform the recommended strategies for the tourism marketing and promotion plan for the community. A key component of the plan will be a robust community engagement process which measures tourism sentiment and provides an opportunity for the resident community to weigh in on areas of interest regarding Vail’s tourism economy. The Plan will aim to achieve outcomes of sustainable tourism in the following general categories, including but not limited to: • Economic development that balances resource impact and economic prosperity • Quality of life for residents and guests o Balanced impact of tourism on the local community • Environmental and ecological sustainability o Flora and fauna habitat monitoring, enhancement o Preservation and proper maintenance of open space o Resource protection • Cultural heritage o Preserve and celebrate destination culture, history (land, people, natural resources) • World class recreation opportunity o Equitable access o Improved guest and resident experience o Balanced resource impact Since its certification as Sustainable Destination in 2018 under the criteria set forth by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the town has established itself as a leader in sustainability practices along with its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) partners (U.S. Forest Service, Vail Resorts, Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, Vail Recreation District, Holy Cross Energy and Town of Vail Page 2 Walking Mountains Science Center). This next phase of the Mountain IDEAL Standard provides a focus on how tourism affects the local community, leading to a strategic plan to protect Vail’s natural attractions, resources and quality of life. The DSP will weave together tourism management related content from existing Town of Vail plans, including but not limited to, the Town Council Action Plan, Economic Development Strategic Plan, Environmental Sustainability Strategic Plan, Housing Plan, Open Lands Plan, and others. The plan will also incorporate content from MOU partner plans including the US Forest Service Forest Stewardship Plan, Vail Resorts Commitment to Zero, and the Holy Cross Energy Strategic Plan. The DSP will also incorporate the 13 guiding principles (https://www.futureoftourism.org/guiding- principles) of the Future of Tourism Council, which Vail became a member of in 2020. 2. Project Plan and Timeline The following project plan and timeline is designed to facilitate the adoption and initial implementation of a comprehensive Destination Stewardship Plan by the end of 2022. Goal: To develop a comprehensive, collaborative, and cohesive Destination Stewardship Plan involving key stakeholder groups to guide, inform and protect the community by strategically managing Vail’s tourism economy. The plan will balance economy and ecology to protect and enhance natural attractions, resources and local culture via the effective deployment of tourism promotion and stewardship. Structure: A steering committee will be formed to specifically work with a consultant and the Economic Development team on the development of the DSP. The consultant, once selected, will guide the planning process as well as assist in drafting the DSP. The committee will include representation from regional partners, along with community members, businesses, environmental sustainability and key tourism leaders who will assist in setting goals for the DSP. Destination stewardship is defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council as “a process by which local communities, governmental agencies, NGOs, and the tourism industry take a multi-stakeholder approach to maintaining the cultural, environmental, economic, and aesthetic integrity of their country, region, or town.” Timeline: The town is committed to best efforts to provide a comprehensive, visionary, and practical plan for the destination as soon as is practical. In order do this with the optimum outcome in mind, we propose an 18-month timeline for development and adoption of the plan. 2021  August – September • Identify DSP committee • Create initial inventory of plans to incorporate into the DSP • Develop and distribute Request for Proposal for professional guidance • Select Consultant October – December • Finalize inventory of plans to incorporate into DSP  • Launch Community Engagement Process: Tourism Sentiment survey • Gather and systematize community input  • Begin leadership visioning process for DSP Town of Vail Page 3 2022  January – June • Plan development begins  • Validation meetings with key groups  o Town Council  o Boards and Commissions  o Stakeholder Groups o Public Input sessions   July – December • Finalize Plan and secure town council confirmation  3. Budget The 2021 town budget includes $200K for work to be done on both the DSP and the Vail Visioning Exercise. The estimated range for a comprehensive DSP of this size and scope is likely between $150-200K, including public facilitation, plan completion, design, and public process for adoption. Staff proposes the current 2021 budget is allocated as follows:  DSP costs at $100K  Vail Visioning costs at $100K ** (Community Development department will lead this effort once the West Vail Master Plan adoption has been completed) Once the projects are launched and a better estimate of expenditures is determined, staff will return with these project updates and if necessary, include additional funding requests in the final 2021 supplemental budget ordinance. 4. Questions for Council: 1. Does the Town Council support the direction of the DSP, process, timeline, budget and scope? 2. This process will be broad in scope and include multiple destination stakeholders. Staff intends to approach the DSP with a focus on the impact of tourism on sustainability. The scope of the Vail Visioning exercise that has been in discussion for the past several years may be beyond the scope of the DSP, which primarily addresses the tourism stewardship component of the broader community visioning. Does the Town Council support this approach to the two processes? 5. Action Requested/Recommendation The Vail Town Council is asked give direction about the DSP effort in creating the committee and proceeding with the Request for Proposal process and launching the project, which is proposed to be completed over the next 18 months. The funding will come from the current 2021 budget at $100K. Attachments  PowerPoint Presentation  Breckenridge DSP  Sedona DSP  Jackson RFP