During the Carbon County Commission meeting on Wednesday, a contract with Colvita Creative for marketing and media buys for the Carbon Corridor was approved. The approval coincided with Colvita Creative’s multi-day visit to Carbon County last week.
In 2019, the county’s tourism efforts were rebranded through a collaboration between HUB LLC, the Corragio Group, the Utah Office of Tourism and Carbon County. This resulted in the Carbon Corridor, a brand that HUB strengthened throughout the years with its campaigns and marketing.
However, in the end of 2023, the Carbon County Office of Tourism issued a request for proposals for not only marketing, but also media buys to further the Carbon Corridor’s efforts. The proposals were reviewed by members of the Carbon County Tourism Tax Advisory Board, and a recommendation was made to the commissioners to enter into an agreement with Colvita Creative to continue these marketing efforts for the upcoming years.
With offices in Idaho and Colorado, the Colvita Creative team is no stranger to Utah, as the staff makes frequent stops between offices. One of those stops is often in Carbon County and owner Jill Coyle recognized the community’s value even before this week’s visit.
“Carbon Corridor is a region close to our hearts,” said Coyle, Founder and Owner of Colvita Creative. “As a team specializing in hospitality and tourism, we are passionate about the promotion of remarkable areas such as the Corridor for sustainable tourism growth. Together with the Office of Tourism, we aim to redefine the future of tourism by combining our expertise with the area’s unique charm.”
While the Colvita team explored the area, they took extra time to converse with residents, business owners and elected officials. This included an envision session with nearly two dozen such participants on Tuesday afternoon.
During the session, Colvita outlined its five objectives during its tenure with the Carbon Corridor. These objectives include the following:
- Drive the Transient Room Tax by attracting visitors to Carbon County, fostering overnight stays and encouraging extended lengths of stays.
- Position the Carbon Corridor as a must-visit destination, enriching the overall experience for visitors and promoting sustainable growth.
- Elevate destination awareness, enhance visitor engagement and foster a strong and positive connection with your target audience.
- Build upon the brand over the next two years, delving into your creative identity. Showcase the allure and unique connective experiences of Carbon County, emphasizing its distinctive people, rich history, cultural heritage, vibrant lifestyle, core values while encouraging activities.
- Forge deeper connections with both visitors and locals, fostering a sense of pride and community. Through creative storytelling and immersive campaign, solidify Carbon County’s position as a destination that transcends mere tourism, creating meaningful and lasting impressions for years to come.
“Our goal is to create compelling narratives that showcase the area’s exceptional amenities and attractions,” Coyle said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to see what the future holds.”
The Colvita team then wanted to hear from those in attendance on what they view as Carbon County’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. Each participant was encouraged to write their opinions on each of these topics before a vote was taken to determine the top choices in each category.
The group began with the strengths of the Carbon Corridor. Popular choices included the amount of community events, the university, and the proximity to Salt Lake City and Moab. Another common answer was the geography, rock art and archeology that is prevalent in the area.
Continuing to the weaknesses, one common answer was the staffing issues that businesses face, which often leads to decreased business hours and a lack of advocacy from staff. Another perceived weakness is the diversity of businesses and their hours, as well as a lack of community support for things such as the university and the North Springs Shooting Range.
This led to a discussion on opportunities for the area, which ranged from tour guides to increased community buy-in and more training for the workforce. The overwhelming opinion was that the Corridor should be a destination, not just a stop on the map.
Colvita Creative will take this information, along with the other details gathered throughout the stay, and weave it into the identified objectives. The Carbon County Office of Tourism is excited for the new partnership and the benefits it will bring to the Corridor..
“We are thrilled to be working with the Colvita Creative team,” said Tina Grange, Carbon County Tourism and Film Specialist. “The care that they have already put into getting to know us as a community makes me hopeful that we are on the right path to moving our destination marketing to the next level.”
