The Dolores Chamber and Visitors Center is seeking a new approach to promoting tourism and local businesses.

Instead of monthly meetings, director Rocky Moss is switching to quarterly meetings with more productive agendas. Also, instead of members, businesses will become partners.

"Attendance was low at the monthly meetings," Moss said. "We will be focusing on what our priorities should be in the next few years."

The Chamber will be surveying business partners on where they feel their buy-in will have the most lasting impact on their business, whether it be training, more marketing, communication, or advocacy.

A co-op approach will be explained at a Chamber Partner meeting Jan. 29 at the Dolores Public Library, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The Dolores Dollar Shop Local Campaign over the holidays reported a 50 percent increase in participation.

This year, 8,200 tickets were sold, compared with 5,500 tickets last year.

"At $10 per ticket entry, we estimate $82,000 was spent between Black Friday and Dec. 22," Moss said. "We're real happy, but want more to sign up to get an even bigger impact."

There were 12 participating merchants this year.

Mesa Verde Country is partnering with ColoradoInfo.com this year to print and distribute its 2015 Mesa Verde Country Travel Planner. The magazine is sold throughout the state, including at Denver International Airport.

The Dolores Chamber is looking to host a "co-op" advertising page, opposite the Dolores profile page in the magazine.

"It will provide our Dolores Chamber Partners with deep discounts on advertising rates," Moss said. "This is on a first-come first-serve basis."

Businesses interested in purchasing ad space should contact Rocky at (970) 570-7486. The deadline to sign up is Jan. 31, 2015.

The Dolores Chamber and Visitors is funded mostly from the Lodgers Tax fund. The tax is levied per room, and generates approximately $100,000 per year, which is divided among the Cortez, Dolores, and Mancos chambers.

"We have a small budget to pay for staff and advertising," Moss said. "That is why all towns collaborating together to promote our county will get more bang for our buck."

The Dolores Chamber especially wants to promote McPhee Reservoir more. The state's second-largest body of water is under-used, and deserves more promotion, Moss said.

jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com