Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board Seeks a Destination Management & Marketing Organization
By Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board 
JACKSON, WY – On November 14, 2024, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board (JHTTB) approved and published a request for proposals (RFP) for an organization to serve as the primary Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) for Jackson Hole. The JHTTB will use lodging tax funds to contract a 501(c)3 to oversee management, marketing, development, and stewardship for the destination.
Teton County’s Sustainable Destination Management Plan, adopted by the JHTTB in January 2023, highlighted the need for a cohesive governance structure to balance tourism’s economic benefits with the needs of the community and the preservation of the environment. The release of this RFP continues the Board’s efforts in creating an integrated tourism management model that will represent the entire destination and facilitate essential visitor management initiatives. After a 6-month strategic planning phase with the 12-member Destination Stewardship Council conducted by independent consultant Crosscurrent Collective, two workshop sessions with the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board with guidance from Deputy County Attorney Keith Gingery, and input from the hospitality industry, government agencies, elected officials, and the nonprofit sector, the JHTTB approved the request for proposals in a public meeting on November 14, 2024.
Under its current structure, the JHTTB contracts individual organizations and agencies to carry out the work of the seven-member, all-volunteer Board. The Board manages seven contracts to oversee day-to-day operations, five contracts to market the destination, and more than 15 contracts that oversee visitor services, communications, and community engagement efforts. By contracting with a single Destination Management and Marketing Organization, the JHTTB can avoid gaps and overlaps with multiple contracts and carry out a more robust scope of work.
Leading destinations around the world operate under a Destination Management and Marketing Organization, providing a framework for Jackson Hole to use and adapt for this unique destination. The contracted organization will work under the name “Visit Jackson Hole,” which is trademarked by the JHTTB, creating consistency with visitor management efforts while capitalizing on marketing Jackson Hole as a destination with one voice.
“For over a decade, this community has been working toward establishing an organization that can meet our needs as a mature destination in a global economy,” says JHTTB Board Chair, Mary Bess. “The release of this RFP is the next step in supporting a sophisticated and cohesive approach to marketing and managing tourism in Jackson Hole.”
The selected organization is required to be a 501(c)3, or with a pending application, and will be responsible for raising the awareness of Jackson Hole as a world-class destination. This includes attracting visitors through branding, communications, and promotion via the Visit Jackson Hole brand, leading destination development efforts, including the strategic planning and advancement of tourism products that align with the Sustainable Destination Management Plan, leading the travel and tourism industry in preserving our natural and cultural assets for the benefit of the visitor experience, and coordinating activities across multiple agencies to manage visitor impacts and improve livability. The DMMO will be required to spend any lodging tax funds in accordance with the Wyoming State Statute, and to provide comprehensive accounting of all expenses.
The request for proposals can be found here. Letters of Interest are due December 6, 2024 and full proposals are due February 28, 2025. Methods of submission can be found in the full RFP.
Through strategic allocation of Teton County’s lodging tax funds, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board stewards Jackson Hole toward a sustainable destination, where our leadership, marketing, management, and community engagement ensure the vitality of our natural and human ecosystems. VisitJacksonHole.com and Industry.VisitJacksonHole.com for more.