DENVER – The incoming director of Colorado tourism has her sights set on activating rural Colorado, which could be a boon to Durango after the world saw the Animas River turn a mustard-yellow.
State and local tourism leaders would rather not remind the public of the river’s short-lived discoloration; the result of an August spill from the Gold King Mine caused by an Environmental Protection Agency-contracted team.
But in some ways, the damage is done. An iconic Durango Herald photo of individuals kayaking in the polluted river floated across the nation and world, with local tourism officials reporting 19 million media impressions made between Aug. 5 and Aug. 24.
With summer tourism in Durango largely revolving around its outdoor recreation – much of it centered on the Animas River – the fear is that tourists may scratch Southwest Colorado off their lists of potential summer getaways.
Rather than focus on the fact that the river was previously contaminated, incoming state tourism director Cathy Ritter said it’s best to present the river in its current form without revisiting the August disaster.
“It is about managing the image for the river,” Ritter said. “The basic approach on that kind of a message is to share the positive, and not remind people of the negative. The focus would be on reminding people that the river is clear, and not running the pictures of after the spill.”
Ritter – no relation to former Gov. Bill Ritter – is familiar with dealing with tourism issues after catastrophic events. As the prior director of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, her term spanned the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
In the immediate aftermath, people were afraid to travel by air, so Ritter’s office promoted travel discounts throughout the state for people to take short getaways. Because of the campaign, her office watched the Illinois tourism market share grow by 7 percent.
While the Gold King Mine incident pales in comparison to Sept. 11, it represents a disaster nonetheless, so tourism promotion strategies are similar.
State officials have yet to pump money into Durango tourism after the event. And it’s unlikely that a large pool of money will be available, as the state is facing a $373 million funding gap.
Absent funding, social media could prove a powerful tool in encouraging tourists to flock to Durango. Running a live stream of the river flowing at pre-event conditions could be a motivator. Tourism officials hope to pass that message along to the onslaught of winter visitors headed to Southwest Colorado for skiing opportunities.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” Ritter said. “So, if you see somebody enjoying an afternoon in a clear-running river, that erases the images that are not so positive.”
Anne Klein, spokeswoman for the Durango Area Tourism Office, who also does work for the Colorado Tourism Office, said local officials are trying to shift perception by working with national media, such as “Good Morning America,” to provide a positive message and images.
“It’s little things, like referring to it as Gold King Mine, versus the Animas River,” Klein said.
Even without the spill, tourism officials say a focus should be on promoting so-called “agritourism” by highlighting the state’s farms, ranches and historic communities. Coupled with breweries, wineries, distilleries, hot springs, Native American attractions and abundant wildlife, hunting and fishing, Colorado stands as the fourth-largest state for agritourism providers. Providers report around $33,000 to $48,000 in additional income.
“We’re seven hours from Denver. You can get a whole different flavor of the state,” Klein said, adding that Durango tourism officials hope to increase summer advertising to the Front Range.
Ritter added: “There’s power in promoting the entire state. ... Why not give Coloradans reasons to visit their own state.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com