Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop Wins Industry Collaboration Award

Denver, Colo. (Dec. 12, 2017) ­– The statewide industry advocacy group Colorado Business Roundtable recently held its inaugural Collaboration in Industry Awards event and the winner of the Tourism and Outdoor Recreation category was the Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop (CHHSL), a partnership between five western Colorado destinations that features 19 thermal mineral water attractions. The award recognizes successful alliances that strengthen Colorado’s business ecosystem.

Business leaders from a broad spectrum of industries including aerospace, energy, education, engineering and construction, farming and agriculture, financial services, government and economic development, hospitality and lodging, health and wellness, manufacturing, and technology attended the event on Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Cable Center in Denver. In the category of Tourism and Outdoor Recreation, the CHHSL was a finalist with two industry giants—the outdoor equipment retailer Cabella’s and the Colorado Tourism Office.

According to CHHSL project manager Vicky Nash, owner of Resort Trends, Inc., a tourism marketing and communications firm based in Glenwood Springs, “The Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop project represents an extremely successful public/private partnership between destination marketing organizations/chamber resort associations, the Colorado Tourism Office, and private businesses. We are very proud of our accomplishments and are so honored to be recognized.”

In just two years since its implementation, the CHHSL has garnered over 150 news articles and editorial stories valued at more than $6.3 million in top publications from USA Today and the Washington Post to National Geographic Traveler and Sunset Magazine. In October, CHHSL also won the Destination Marketing Association of the West award for Best Idea which recognized innovative techniques and imaginative approaches to promoting a destination.

It began in the fall of 2015, when the five Colorado hot springs destinations—Chaffee County, Pagosa Springs, Ouray County, Glenwood Springs, and Steamboat Springs—formulated a strategy to leverage their resources. Each partner contributed $5,000 which enabled the fledgling initiative to secure a Colorado Tourism Office Marketing Matching Grant Fund for a $50,000 total budget for two consecutive years. Much of the first nine months was devoted to product development including creating collateral marketing materials such as www.colorado.com/hotspringsloop, a map, brochures, and videos produced in four languages. Since then, the campaign has taken off and the CHHSL has effectively increased consumer interest in visiting hot springs destinations in western Colorado.

About the Colorado Business Roundtable
The Colorado Business Roundtable (CBR) is a proactive, pro-business advocate that seeks to strengthen the economy to allow businesses to grow and thrive in Colorado. Through strategic connections with industry leaders, chambers of commerce, educational institutions, and governmental bodies, the CBR seeks to improve the business environment, increase effectiveness, and expand the reach of its partners regionally, at both the state and national level. In addition to advocating for Colorado businesses, the CBR also hosts events, publishes a magazine, and hosts a radio podcast.

About the Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop
Five premier hot springs destinations in western Colorado— Chaffee County, Pagosa Springs, Ouray County, Glenwood Springs, and Steamboat Springs—joined together to form the Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop. This 720-mile loop showcases some of the most popular hot springs attractions in the country. There is so much variety; from intimate private baths, to the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool. Each of the 19 facilities offers unique features like vapor caves, hot pots, terraced pools, enormous travertine formations, and fun-filled aquatic centers. 

Media Contact:
Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop
Vicky Nash
Resort Trends, Inc. – tourism communications
970-948-4923
vicky@resorttrends.com