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| The Summer 2014 edition of ALIVE Magazine Published by the Colorado Tourism Office |
On a few occasions in the past few years, I've had the opportunity to interact with Al White, Director of the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO). He portrays a sense of accomplishment, as he always comes prepared with statistics about how the tourism industry is one of the largest employers in the state, tourists spend over $10-billion in Colorado, contributing $763 million (in 2007) to taxes, which equates to over $400 in taxes per household. As he rattles-off all those big numbers, it's hard to see how the Colorado Tourism Office would ever have a direct effect on Nederland.
One of the CTO's goals is to generate positive publicity as a premiere, four-season travel destination with diverse attractions and experiences. They have a matching grant program, and in partnership with the Colorado Historical Society, the CTO developed the Heritage Tourism Program to promote the state's rich cultural heritage. The Peak to Peak Highway is also part of their scenic byways promotions.
Ideally, our community would like to have a local, self-sustaining economy, in order to increase our resiliency. We recognize this in Envision 2020:
In 2020, Nederland's economy encourages and welcomes new, non-traditional economic models, the responsible management of tourism and the stewardship of the environment. The community consistently recognizes and responsibly encourages the thoughtful and meaningful relationship between recreation, culture and the economy.
As much as we would like to migrate away from relying on tourism from a long range planning perspective, there is no doubt that currently a substantial part of Nederland's economy is tourist related. It became blatantly apparent (feeling the direct impact) when the 2013 Flood cut off Boulder Canyon road to Nederland during prime leaf-peeping season. I even discussed it with U.S. Senator Michael Bennet:
[Related Story: Senator Bennet Understands What Leaf Peepers Are, and Why We Need Them.]
Boulder Canyon re-opened after 22 days, but the economic damage was already done, and we couldn't glue the leaves back on the trees.
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| Spread on Page 45 of ALIVE Magazine |
Then, I got a call from the publisher of ALIVE Magazine, saying that Nederland would get a small feature and they wanted a photo. This travel magazine is sent out everywhere in the U.S. (except Colorado) in order to inspire people to plan their visit here. This issue printed 50,000 copies, and the Colorado Tourism Office sends out over 800,000 copies of the Official State Vacation Guide each year.
I contacted local photographer, James DeWalt to submit a few shots of Ned for their art director. It's a detailed process with layers of approval, and although I explicitly told them to give the photo credit to James, it was skipped in the process. They ended up selecting the covered bridge shot, and I would like to formally give the photo credit to James DeWalt now. He does incredible work. Click here for his portfolio on 500px, and here on 8500LightLab.
During the same months that it took to produce this magazine, I sat in meetings and conference calls regarding the flood recovery, thinking that it would be a good idea for the state to advertise that many of the flood effected areas are now open for business. Even Governor Hickenlooper mentioned that Nederland is open for business when we cut the ribbon, opening the Canyon Boulevard to Ned.
[Related Story: Ribbon Cut, Boulder Canyon Open, Full RTD Schedule Resumes]
Written by Joy Hamilton, the article appears on Page 45, titled: Detour This Way, 5 Worth-It Side Trips, and Nederland is the number one side trip. Here is the text:
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| Photo by James DeWalt in the article. |
You can confidently claim that Nederland, just a half hour outside of Boulder, will be unlike any other town in your vacation repertoire. Case in point: Each March the town celebrates the frozen remains of Bredo Morstoel, a man who died of a heart attack in 1989. His family keeps his body preserved in dry ice in the hills of Nederland in the hopes that future science can revive him. Bizarre? Yes. Cause for a fantastic festival? Yes! Summertime renders an equally fun festival called NedFest (Aug. 22-24, 2014). Celebrate Nederland's nutty culture with craft brews, art and live music that put the perfect soundtrack to the sunny season.
Stroll downtown and experience the ambiance by browsing around local shops and restaurants. Don't miss the Carousel of Happiness, a restored 1910 carousel accompanied by an original Wurlitzer organ. Next door is the Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center. Get the scoop on local trails and learn about the ecology and wildlife that make this area a hub for anyone with a pair of hiking boots.
Consider driving to Nederland or take public transportation from downtown Boulder. It's also conveniently located on the Peak to Peak Highway, which skirts the Rockies through the towns of Estes Park, Central City and Black Hawk.
I'm not sure if this will draw anyone to Nederland and recoup the economic loss from last year's leaf peeping season, but we appreciate the gesture.
As a follow-up, 5280 Magazine covered this story: Summer Road Trip: Nederland
Featuring Nederland as a tourist road trip destination.
As a follow-up, 5280 Magazine covered this story: Summer Road Trip: Nederland
Featuring Nederland as a tourist road trip destination.
[Here is a Video Valediction] Thinking of cheesy cowboy marketing, cultural icon from the Detroit area, Madonna, hired award-winning Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who brilliantly directed this cowboy music video Don't Tell Me (2000) Notice the subtle camera bumps and edits precisely to the beat of the electronic drum machine. Flawless. Genius. [What is a Video Valediction?]
