Please join the Wyoming Office of Tourism, The Wyoming Department of Revenue, the Wyoming Travel Industry Coalition and the Wyoming Lodging and Restaurant Association for an educational webinar on the new 5% statewide lodging tax that will go into effect on January 1, 2021.
WLRA, WTIC Executive Director Chris Brown, Wyoming Dept. of Revenue Director Dan Noble and Wyoming Department of Revenue Excise Tax Division Administrator Terri Lucero will go through the details of the law and will answer your questions.
The webinar will be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time (US and Canada) To register, please click here. If you have Lodging Tax questions in advance, please submit them here. We will do our best to answer them during the webinar. We look forward to seeing you then!
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Chris Brown with any questions about the upcoming webinar.
This past week the Wyoming Office of Tourism participated in the NTA Virtual Travel Exchange with motor coach operators from all over the world. The week started with the opportunity to present a sales mission to operators and included Jill Pope with Visit Cheyenne and Leslie Jefferson with Carbon County Visitors Council. WOT then meet individually with 16 tour operators, with the majority of the operators already planning travel to Wyoming in 2021 and 2022. Many of the conversations centered around current COVID restrictions, but all of them included how Wyoming is a great destination for their clients due to so many outdoor options and the willingness of our partners to work with the operators.
One consistent thing that was heard throughout the week was that tour operators are looking for safety and cleanliness information on suppliers sites, along with current county or state lodging and restaurant restrictions. If you have not updated your site with your current safety and cleaning procedures, considering taking the time to do so. While the operators are aware that restrictions are constantly changing, they are watching them closely in order to answer their clients questions and concerns.
Please feel free to reach out to Amy Larsen, Industry Relations Manager if you would like to know anymore about the operator meetings or other information gathered from NTA.
This month, U.S. Travel Association’s Let’s Go There Coalition is starting the next phase of their campaign: Let's Go There, Together. We encourage you to join the Wyoming Office of Tourism and the coalition in sharing messaging now through December 31, which promotes family travel and giving the gift of a family vacation this holiday season. You can find more information here or download the toolkit.
Winter Hours
Winter Hours on Partner Portal Listings - The Partner Portal is the hub for the Wyoming Office of Tourism’s efforts in providing information on all the great things there are to see and do here in Wyoming. Thousands of potential travelers – and customers – visit TravelWyoming.com or call our office looking for information every month. With winter quickly approaching, it's important to keep your listing updated with the change of season. Please be sure to login to the Portal and update openings and winter hours accordingly so travelers can be informed.
Media & Press Summary: October 2020 Please note the ‘Top Media Placements’ and ‘Earned Media’ include coverage that is a direct result of the Wyoming Office of Tourism’s (WOT) efforts, while “Wyoming in the News” is coverage that cannot be directly tracked back to the PR program.
Top Media Placements The Wyoming Office of Tourism and the PR team continued to support earned media opportunities in October. Stemming from a January press trip, WOT earned a cover story in Hemispheres Magazine titled “Three Perfect Days: Wyoming” which ran in print and online. The multi-page feature includes beautiful winter images and offerings from Jackson Hole and Yellowstone National Park, featuring key destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions, including downhill skiing and winter experiences. Additionally, a story featuring Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis and Yellowstone National Park were showcased in a roundup for Travel + Leisure of the top hot springs in the U.S. These mentions were a result of the PR team’s ongoing conversations with Travel + Leisure writers, spurred by the late summer Virtual Media Blitz.
The PR team has been getting numerous media inquiries this season asking about unique holiday traditions, winter activities and new openings. If you have anything to share or an interesting storytelling opportunity, pass it along to Piper Singer (piper.singer@wyo.gov). To note, if you recommend any indoor activities, we ask that you share COVID precautions and social distancing measures in place, as it is a common question we receive.
Please help us identify offerings in your area by Monday, 11/30 for consideration – but the sooner, the better as media opportunities pop up every day! Relevant photos are always appreciated.
As of March 1, 2021, the Wyoming Office of Tourism Board has three openings:
District 1 - Carbon, Albany and Laramie
District 3 - Crook, Weston, Campbell, Johnson and Sheridan
At-Large
Board Structure
The board shall be comprised of nine (9) members who shall be employed in or associated closely with the travel industry. The board shall be appointed by the Governor, and approved with the advice and consent of the Senate, in accordance with W.S. 28-12-101 through 12 28-12-103. According to statute, no appointed member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive three (3) year terms. Each appointment is for a 3-year term, with the exception of District 1, which is to fill the 1-year unexpired term of the current appointment.
For those interested in applying, please go to Governor Gordon’s website on Boards and Commissions to download the application. Completed applications must be submitted to the Office of Governor Mark Gordon for consideration. For questions or additional information, please contact Pamela Perea at Governor Gordon’s office: 307-777-7434; pamela.perea@wyo.gov.
Board Vision Statement - The Wyoming Tourism Board is the leading proponent of the state’s tourism/hospitality industry. The Board provides governance and policy oversight for the state Office of Tourism.
Help WYDOT get 2020 Wyoming Wildlife Conservation license plates on the highway by year's end. Proceeds will help build wildlife crossings, signage, and fencing across Wyoming's roadways.