The Wind River Visitors Council is joining tourism partners from throughout Wyoming and the country to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) and the vital role the tourism industry plays in Fremont County. The theme for this year, #TravelForward, will be celebrated from May 7th to 13th.
In 2022, Wyoming welcomed 7.5 million overnight visitors who spent an estimated $4.5 billion throughout the state. That visitor spending also generated $247 million in local and state taxes, while 33,000 Wyoming jobs were supported by the tourism industry.
In Wind River Country – which encompasses Fremont County and the Wind River Indian Reservation – the travel and tourism industry includes lodging, accommodations, food and drink, retail shops, guided recreation, fuel and more.
A few stats for Fremont County:
- Fremont County welcomed 447,960 visitors for a total of 1,141,650 overnight stays in 2022
- Travel generated 1,520 jobs in Fremont County, a 6.2% increase from 2021
- Travelers spent $167 million in Fremont County in 2022, which was an increase of 3.9% from 2021
- Every $100 a visitor spends produces $42 in employee earnings
- The average length of stay in Fremont County is 2.5 days
- Top origin markets for visitors to Wind River Country include Colorado, Montana, Utah, Texas, Idaho, California, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota and Florida
Looking ahead to the remainder of 2023, Americans are planning on traveling with many choosing to vacation in the U.S. Plus, research has shown that many travelers are looking for genuine experiences and authentic activities, which are found in abundance in Wind River Country.
Lunch and a Seminar for Local Business Owners
The Wyoming Office of Tourism and the Wind River Visitors Council present an in-person seminar to help you make sure your online presence on Google is in great shape. The seminar will be led by Miles Partnership, a strategic marketing company focused exclusively on travel and tourism. They’ve worked with hundreds of destinations and hospitality businesses around the world, and have developed a tactical workshop to assist in navigating the Google Business Profile platform. Register for this workshop and get simple, easily-actioned quick tips.
Join us on Thursday, May 11 at 10 a.m. at Central Wyoming College, located at 2660 Peck Ave., Riverton, Room ITECC 116 for a 1.5-hour seminar to learn best practices to optimize the Google presence of your business and maximize your conversions in just a few minutes every week. Lunch will be provided.
Seminar topics include:
• What is your Google Business Profile
• How is it surfaced in Google search and travel products
• Claiming and verifying your Business Profile
• Keeping core business information current
• Overview of tools available in Google
Here’s the link to register, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerX_4wJjjsCQTEPAYYry6U26rRq5VupLVaDytyun6VqQpxJg/viewform.
Call for Original Paintings
The Riverton Art Banner Project is soliciting original paintings to be printed on banner material and displayed on the sides of buildings in the Riverton and Hudson areas. This is an opportunity to expand the visibility of Fremont County artists. This project is funded by a Destination Development Program grant from the Wyoming Office of Tourism and the Wind River Visitors Council.
Who is able to submit? Fremont County artists.
Type of artwork considered: Paintings, any medium.
Genre: Open, no reservations.
Winners: Two artists will be selected.
Compensation: Winners will receive $400 each.
Competition Details:
1. Participating artists may select one painting for submission. Paintings should be delivered to the Riverton Library no later than Tuesday, May 30 at 4 p.m.
2. Should submittals exceed 40, the Banner Committee will pre-judge to reduce the number of paintings to be voted on.
3. The artists’ paintings will be put on public display for two weeks at the Riverton Library. Riverton Library display dates: June 6 to 20 at 1330 W. Park Ave., (307) 856-3556.
4. Public voting. The voting is open to the public with one vote allowed per person. Ballots will be available at the Riverton Library. Voting begins Tuesday, June 6 and ends Tuesday, June 20.
5. The votes will be tallied, and winners announced on or before Friday, June 30.
6. High-resolution photos will be taken of the winning paintings.
7. The photos will then be sent to the banner printing company.
8. The banners will be displayed on select Riverton and/or Hudson buildings within one year.
Background:
The Riverton Art Banner Project is a philanthropic group dedicated to beautifying Riverton and surrounding areas with larger-than-life-sized art. To date, some 17 art banners have been produced and hung throughout Riverton. Examples can be seen on Main Street, the Library and on many Riverton schools.
Notes:
- The banner project is not buying the selected paintings. The artist will still own the original painting. Authorization will be needed to photograph and print the art banner with the work displayed.
- There is no guarantee that a winning image will be displayed on a building. Displaying banners on buildings requires the building owner to agree to
- Allow the banner to be installed.
- Have the image displayed.
- If insufficient artists participate, the project will be postponed.
For more information, contact Hal Herron at (307) 851-2742 or [email protected] or Mike Martin at (307) 709-9229 or [email protected].
Board Meeting
The next WRVC Board Meeting is Thursday, May 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Central Wyoming College Intertribal Education and Community Center, Room 125, 2860 W Main St., Riverton. WRVC meetings are open to the public.
Events
Do you have events that you’d like posted to the Wind River Visitors Council’s website, which automatically posts to the Wyoming Office of Tourism website and County 10? Please send any events, packages, news, etc. to Melanie Hoefle (the WRVC’s Community Engagement Manager) at [email protected]. She can also get you Wind River Visitors Council vacation guides, driving tours, Continental Divide Trail information and/or the Wyoming and Utah Pioneer Trails Auto Tour brochure.
About the Wind River Visitors Council
The Wind River Visitors Council (WRVC), a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), is charged with the responsibility of investing lodging tax revenues to facilitate wider promotion and marketing of Fremont County and the Wind River Indian Reservation (branded as Wind River Country) as a tourist and visitor destination.
Tourism Asset Development (TAD) Program
The TAD program is a voluntary program that is unique to Wind River Country. The Wind River Visitors Council gives 25% of the local lodging tax back to the communities in the percentage that they contribute to the lodging tax. Depending on occupancy rates, these numbers are constantly changing. These funds are distributed by the chamber of commerce offices in Lander and Riverton; and the towns of Dubois, Hudson and Shoshoni to market the communities. Marketing efforts may include events, grants, educational programs and more.