Three Aspen, CO booster organizations have pooled their resources to create a seven-figure marketing budget for the ski resort town. By working together, they are avoiding duplication, and taking advantage of some economies of scale.
A fair share of the money will go to direct response television ads for the time being, but the groups are also relying on the Internet and highly targeted electronic mail. The Aspen Chamber Resort Association, Stay Aspen Snowmass and Aspen Skiing Co. will work together on some efforts and coordinate their individual campaigns.
Not that Aspen is a hard sell: The resort area has seen a 6% decline in tourism, while the rest of Colorado has experienced drops of between 8% and 12%. The worst hit came after Sept. 11, when visits fell by 9%, according to Paul Rossi, director of marketing for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association.
Rossi’s organization reduced its marketing budget by 10% this year to $400,000. Just over $300,000 of that was eaten up earlier in the year by an unsuccessful direct mail and Web site effort by an outside agency.
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