Vail to Host June 6 Virtual Community Workshop to Gather More Input for Destination Stewardship Plan

The Vail community is invited to join an upcoming online public engagement session to share input into Vail’s Destination Stewardship Plan. The session -- set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, June 6 -- will round out in-person workshops that occurred on April 27 and April 28. It has been scheduled to accommodate community members who were not able to attend the in-person sessions.

To learn more about the Steward Vail plan and review takeaways from the April sessions, visit EngageVail.com/Stewardship. Register here for the June 6 session no later than 5 p.m. Sunday, June 5.

Steward Vail project manager Mia Vlaar, the town’s economic development director, says the series of workshops is structured to gather ideas on major elements of the plan, including four major themes:

  • Workforce & Housing
    • What are ways to address challenges for workers and employers?
  • The Vail Economy
    • What are the opportunities and challenges for Vail's tourist-centric economy?
  • Environment & Sustainability
    • What are your priorities for managing the environmental impacts of tourism and recreation?
  • Quality of Life/Quality of Experience
    • What else needs to happen to improve Vail's quality of life and the quality of the guest experience?

Anyone who has a stake in Vail’s future, including full- and part-time residents, business stakeholders, employees, nonprofits, governmental bodies, public land managers and others are encouraged to take part in the planning process.

Another two rounds of public workshops are planned. Public engagement sessions on Tuesday, June 28 and Wednesday, June 29 will provide an opportunity to share feedback to initial findings. Workshops on Wednesday, Oct. 19 and Thursday, Oct. 20 will give participants a chance to share thoughts on the plan's draft recommendations.

The goal of Steward Vail is to create a 10-year vision and management plan that will advance Vail’s sustainability goals in step with local priorities while building Vail’s tourism economy. Specifically, the town is seeking ways to attract visitors who will support and respect the destination, while encouraging more equitable access to all that Vail offers.

The plan is being facilitated by a consultant team representing three leading tourism organizations - Better Destinations, based in Denver; MMGY NextFactor of Vancouver; and the Travel Foundation, an international NGO focused on improving impacts of tourism. For additional details about Steward Vail, visit EngageVail.com/stewardship or contact Vlaar at 970-479-2454 or mvlaar@vailgov.com.