Travel and Tourism Board briefs council on Sustainable Destination Management Plan; council seeks wording clarity before formal action

Lindsay (destination management coordinator for the Travel and Tourism Board) presented the Sustainable Destination Management Plan (SDMP) to the Town Council Aug. 18 and described implementation progress, governance structures and the plan's public outreach and data tools. The presentation was informational and no formal town motion was taken.

What the SDMP is: The SDMP is a multi-stakeholder plan the Travel and Tourism Board developed to align visitor management, community values, and economic stewardship. Lindsay read the board—6s mission and emphasized that the SDMP—6s goals encompass environmental protection, quality of life for residents, and a resilient tourism economy.

Key details presented - Lodging tax structure: Lodging tax in Wyoming is 5% statewide; of that, 3% is remitted to the state marketing office, and 2% remains at the county level. Of the county—6s 2%, the Travel and Tourism Board receives 60% and the town/county retain 40% for local priorities. Lindsay cited the statute and state guidance that govern permissible uses of lodging tax revenues. - Plan structure and pillars: The SDMP is organized around pillars including natural environment, quality of economy and work, quality of life and quality of visitor experience. The plan contains 25 initiatives and about 80–90 priority actions in a phased progress tracker; most Phase 1 items are described as complete or in progress. - Governance: The Destination Stewardship Council (DSC) is an interim multi-stakeholder advisory body including parks and federal agencies, the chamber, lodging and community representatives. The SDMP recommends a Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) as a longer-term governance form, but Lindsay said the TTB and community will continue implementation in the interim. - Data and transparency: The TTB now posts a tourism dashboard and a public progress tracker for the SDMP, resident and visitor sentiment survey results and other indicators; Lindsay said the materials are on jacksonhole.com and linked from TTB resources.

Council discussion: Council members generally expressed support for continuing SDMP implementation and emphasized coordination with the town—6s comp plan, transportation and housing priorities. Several council members urged clarity on what municipal "adoption" or "endorsement" of the SDMP would mean in practice. Town legal staff suggested "endorse" or "accept" might be more precise than "adopt," depending on whether the town wanted to accept the SDMP as policy guidance or commit to specific actions and funding. Lindsay and councilors also discussed the DMMO concept and noted statutory and joint-powers details still under review.

Next steps and staff notes: The Travel and Tourism Board requested formal acknowledgment of the plan from the town and county, with the staff and the town attorney noting that language will be important to define roles, accountability, and funding expectations. Lindsay said the SDMP is already being implemented in many places by different partners and that full funding for every SDMP initiative would require coordinated leadership and additional resources beyond lodging-tax staff capacity.

Public-land and agency perspective: Council members noted that federal public-land managers value the coordination the SDMP fosters. Council members also linked SDMP priorities to other town work, including ecosystem indicators and parking/transportation initiatives.

Outcome: No vote taken. Council requested follow-up conversations with staff and the town attorney to determine appropriate language to record the town—6s position (for example, endorse, accept or adopt) and to clarify joint responsibilities with the county and other partners.