Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board Seeks a Destination Management & Marketing Organization

In a public Board Retreat, The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce presented a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) proposal to the JHTTB. The Board of County Commissioners and Town Council directed that the DMO item be removed from their February JIM meeting, and that the matter be remanded back to the Travel and Tourism Board. The request was for the Travel and Tourism Board to vote on a written resolution that directly requests the Town Council and Board of County Commissioners to amend the Joint Power Agreement that created the Travel and Tourism Board to allow for a contract with a DMO.

On August 13, 2025, the JHTTB agreed that the proposal was dedicated primarily to promoting tourism, and more exploration was needed before making a recommendation to the Town Council and County Commission.

After the DMO presentation from the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce and the request from Town and County to evaluate further, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board continued to discuss possibilities of a DMMO while carrying out their current duties for the community. As the JHTTB completed their Sustainable Destination Management Plan (SDMP) process, the need for tourism governance was often noted during interviews, stakeholder and community meetings, and research of similar destinations.

Upon completion of the SDMP, the JHTTB used this guiding document to explore next steps in contracting or creating a DMMO.

A Destination Stewardship Council is formed with an initial group of local stakeholders, including representatives from the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board, Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Town Council, County Commissioners, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Bridger Teton National Forest, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and JH AIR. The Council is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Sustainable Destination Management Plan and ensuring progress on priority actions, which include seeking a sustainable model for tourism governance in Jackson Hole.

The Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board approves a contract with consultant Kristin Dahl of Crosscurrent Collective to facilitate the exploration of the establishment of a Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO) for Teton County. The scope of work included research, stakeholder meetings, survey deployment and analysis, group discussions with the Destination Stewardship Council, and a final recommendation on a DMMO structure and timeline for establishment.

A DMMO Project Core Team was formed to oversee the process and provide feedback. The project core team consisted of Rick Howe (Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce), Arne Jorgensen (Jackson Town Council), Wes Gardner (Teton County Commissioner), Mary Bess (Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board Member), and Crista Valentino (Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board Executive Director).

Over the course of six months, Crosscurrent Collective facilitated four meetings with the Destination Stewardship Council, conducted 12 interviews with local stakeholders, hosted five project core team meetings, deployed a DM(M)O survey to eight comparable destinations who currently have a DMMO governance structure, held two information gathering meetings with County Attorney Keith Gingery, and consulted with DM(M)Os across the State of Wyoming to review Joint Powers Agreements and Bylaws. This included interviews with Visit Cheyenne (current director), Sweetwater County (current director), and Darren Rudloff (consultant).

A final recommendation for the establishment of a DMMO is presented to the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board by consultant Kristin Dahl. The recommendation came after review, input, and support from the Destination Stewardship Council. The recommendation encouraged the Board to undergo an RFP process for a 501(c)3 nonprofit and to develop a robust scope of work that identifies if there were any entities currently equipped to lead destination marketing and management projects for Teton County, WY. The JHTTB directed their Executive Director to draft a scope of work to be reviewed at their Board Retreat.

The JHTTB held a half day board retreat where they discussed options for establishing a DMMO based on their consultants’ recommendations. The Board decided to undergo an RFP process to allow for a transparent and robust process. They reviewed and provided input for the DMMO scope of work and requested their Executive Director to draft an RFP.

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 is aiming to contract a 501(c)3 to oversee management, marketing, development, and stewardship for the destination.

Open question period closed, and the JHTTB provided responses to applicant questions. Questions and answers can be found here.

Two proposals were received for the JHTTB’s open RFP process to contract a Destination Marketing & Management Organization. Both proposals are public record and can be accessed here:
Flash Parker proposal
Jackson Hole Destination Alliance proposal

In a public meeting, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board discussed moving forward with interviews for both applicants who submitted proposals for the DMMO. Stakeholder and public input was welcome at the board meeting, and the full board discussion can be found here.

Flash Parker requested for their proposal to be removed from consideration.

The JHTTB held a public interview with the Jackson Hole Destination Alliance. The minutes and interview recording can be found here.

On June 3, 2025, at 12:30 pm, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board will host a special board meeting, which will include discussion on next steps in the DMMO process. The special meeting is public, and the agenda can be found here.