2021 Annual Report, Aspen Chamber Resort Association

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

VISION

To create an environment for Aspen to thrive.

MISSION

Attract visitors to the resort, foster a dynamic Aspen experience, and provide valuable member benefits to support a sustainable local economy.

ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS Our strategic plan was formulated through the board of directors, committees and, member feedback and serves as a comprehensive guide of six primary goal for implementing our long-term vision.

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Dear ACRA members, We are pleased to present the Aspen Chamber Resort Association’s 2021 annual report and thank each of you for your continued support in creating an environment for Aspen to thrive.

It’s always encouraging to look back on the year and realize how much was accomplished in just 12 short months. Changes due to the global pandemic were far from over, but 2021 represented a turning point for Aspen in COVID-19 relief. This year we were grateful, but not surprised, that Aspen began “recovery” more quickly than other communities.

ACRA continues to thread the needle on our Chamber of Commerce activities and Destination Management, making sure the voice of business, nonprofit and visitors are heard by local government. We are dedicated to supporting the Aspen business community, attracting visitors to the area, and enchanting the local experience.

We saw record membership and heightened member engagement this year. ACRA’s Stakeholder Survey experienced the highest response rate in our history, allowing our policy work to be more detailed and a stronger reflection of our members.

The pandemic underscored the need for flexibility, which gave us the motivation and confidence to implement some changes that have been in discussion for years. We continued to shift our time and resources from destination marketing to destination management, to help coordinate all aspects of the Aspen Community.

Our research tells us we need a strong coalition of many organizations and interests working towards a common vision, we can’t do it alone. In 2021 we underwent significant engagement with residents and industry members, spending months on community outreach and partnership building. Together we can focus on the issues that intersect the visitor economy and address that through harmonious tourism activities.

We hope this report inspires you to become even more involved with the Chamber during the upcoming year and to encourage others to join us. Without you, none of this would have happened. With you, this report promises greater things to come.

Now, go out and defy ordinary.

Debbie Braun President & CEO

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS DEBBIE BRAUN, PRESIDENT & CEO Aspen Chamber Resort Association CRISTAL LOGAN, CHAIR Non-Profit Aspen Institute DONNIE LEE, CHAIR EMERITUS The Gant CHARLIE BANTIS, TREASURER Finance First Western Trust JEFF BAY, ASSISTANT TREASURER Lodging HayMax Hotels JOHN RIGNEY, SECRETARY ASC Representative Aspen Skiing Company DAVE RESSLER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY AVH Representative Aspen Valley Hospital ROSE ABELLO Ex-Officio Snowmass Tourism DAVID BAUGH Ex-Officio Aspen School District HENNING RAHM ASC Representative Limelight Hotels SAM BARNEY Service Hansen Construction, Inc. PATTI CLAPPER County Representative Pitkin County NINA EISENSTAT Service Aspen Marketing & Communications

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ANDREW ERNEMANN Real Estate Aspen Snowmass Sotheby's International Realty ALAN FLETCHER AMFS Representative Aspen Music Festival and School HEATHER KEMP Retail Sashae Floral CARI KUHLMAN At-Large Vectra Bank LISA LEMAY Retail Aspen T-Shirt Company MARIA MORROW Professional Oates, Knezevich, Gardenswartz, Kelly & Morrow, P.C. HEATHER STEENGE-HART Lodging St. Regis Aspen RILEY TIPPET Service Ski Butlers MICHAEL GOLDBERG Restaurant Matsuhisa DAN BARTHOLOMEW Ex-Officio Aspen Pitkin County Airport BILL TOMCICH At-Large Fly Aspen Snowmass TORRE City of Aspen Representative City of Aspen

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD We rang in the new year of 2021 with a renewed sense of community and hopes for a healthy way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our community rallied and health care workers braved frigid temperatures to vaccinate our valley residents. A sense of solidarity was felt in the community as we saw light at the end of the tunnel. A cautious sense of victory over the virus was palpable.

Life was starting to feel normal as events began popping up in the prime summer months of July and August. It was a homecoming of sorts, as residents and visitors convened around town for a variety of gatherings.

As we began to realize that there would be fits and starts to the recovery, the Aspen Chamber continued to do what it does best: create an environment for Aspen to thrive. By convening the business sectors to discuss policies, solutions, challenges and opportunities, the Chamber continued to serve as the connective tissue we all needed as we navigated the ups and downs of a protracted pandemic.

After a successful summer, we were able to celebrate the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen’s return in September – and as autumn turned to winter, and booster shots were ubiquitous, Christmastime was upon us. With a new sense of optimism, the parties commenced, and it was as if the entire community got the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 overnight. Again, our community rallied through the holidays blessed with abundant snowfall.

The year ended with New Year’s Eve fireworks to cap off another memorable year in the storied history of this enchanting mining-turned ski town. Those who live and play here are destined to live an adventurous life. There are plenty of challenges facing us all, but as a community we can get through it knowing we are lucky to live, work and play here. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and we are living amongst the heroes: teachers, health care professionals, grocery store workers and all those on the front lines.

A hearty thank you to everyone committed to making our corner of this vast world more kind, safe and healthy for all.

Cristal Logan Chair, Board of Directors, Aspen Chamber Resort Association Vice President, Aspen Community Programs & Engagement, Aspen Institute

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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CONNECTING

M

embership is dedicated to serving you through extensive marketing and advertising support, educational information and opportunities, and cost-saving services. ACRA members include approximately 775 local businesses led by a strong board of directors and dedicated staff who ensure a positive and lasting return on your investment.

In 2021 Membership worked on continuing to support our member businesses as they began to transition back to some normalcy in day to day operations. Our accomplishments in 2021 include producing member programming such as the Business Outlook Forum, FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen Member Luncheon, the Afternoon Blend in partnership with Aspen Skiing Company, and ACRA Guest Service training. We launched a new initiative designating October as Guest Service Appreciation Month to honor and recognize our front line staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the year. We launched Summersköl in June which included hosting yoga in the park and a live band drive through the downtown core entertaining locals and visitors alike. ACRA also convened membership for an open house with The City of Aspen to educate members on the Safety and Mobility in the Downtown Core project.

WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS & SOCIAL STATS

188

575

74,860

Online Inquiries to

Chamber Ski Pass

Visits to

join the Chamber

Sign Up

Business Directory

775

1,400+

Active members

Membership newsletter database

2,172 likes // 2,860 followers // 11,751 Facebook reach 3,427 followers // 13,239 Instagram reach

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

MEMBER SOCIAL EVENTS After a year without social gatherings, ACRA was excited to resume in-person member events in 2021. Events are integral to our membership and provide insider information experiences where businesses can network, collaborate and create strong bonds that allow Aspen to thrive.

MAY

JUNE

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

Business Outlook Forum

Summersköl

New Member Mixer

The Annual FOOD & WINE

Afternoon Blend

Classic in Aspen luncheon

Guest Service Training

PUBLIC AFFAIRS The Public Affairs Committee represents the membership at the local level, leveraging all governmental bodies in an effective, timely fashion and to provide a communications link between business and local government. The PA Committee convenes and educates on behalf of the business membership and helps build support among diverse groups for public policy positions before local governing bodies. ACRA is a passionate and articulate advocate for membership with the ability to take a stand on issues, not people.

In 2021 the PA Committee helped weigh in on the Destination Management Plan, and developed a member survey to create policy statements representing our members in discussions of transportation, childcare, short term rentals, affordable housing, workforce, and public lands.

TASK FORCE & TOWN HALLS FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Lodging Task

Event Task Force

Restaurant Task Force

Pitkin County Winter

COA & ACRA Safety

Force Meeting

Meeting - Update and

Reconvened

Planning Triggers and

and Mobility in

Mitigation Plan Meeting

Downtown Core Open

Plan for Summer Traveler Affidavit for BOH Agenda

House

Other Sector Task Switch to Traveler

Forces Reconvened

Responsibility Code

including Events, Arts

(Effective 3/5)

& Culture, Lodging, Outfitters

COVID-19 SUPPORT 2021 ACRA remained a hub for public health information, business support, and community safety through the continued COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. On a weekly basis we met with the City of Aspen, Pitkin County Public Health, and the 5 Star Certification Program Administrative Committee, submitting weekly 5 Star Certification reports to state and local health departments through the program sunset in May. In all, Pitkin County certified 85 5 Star businesses, and helped with the transition from the state public health dial to the local dial 3.0 framework.

ACRA represented its membership as cases rose throughout the fall and winter in supporting the return of an indoor mask mandate. We continued stakeholder planning meetings in preparation for the winter season, and helped distribute public health signage for businesses to post for their customers.

Masks required

For individuals age 2+ in all public indoor spaces per the Pitkin County Public Health Order on Sept. 16, 2021

What does that mean?

Scan QR CODE

Thank you

COVID-19 Healthy Best Practices from PITKIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH

for helping protect yourself, your family, friends and our community.

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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COMMUNITY VIBRANCY

T

he Aspen Chamber Resort Association aims to produce events that foster collaborative relationships with like-minded partners, enhance visitor experiences, and create opportunities that benefit the community. While events continued to experience modifications due to COVID-19, the summer of 2021 brought the return of ACRA’s in-person annual events.

WINTERSKÖL™ Wintersköl celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2021 with the slogan- The Snow Must Go On. With peak COVID-19 restrictions and limitations to group gatherings, reimagined activations and virtual celebrations replaced traditional in-person events. Weekend activations included, a virtual honoring of annual Wintersköl Royalty Dr. Kimberly Levin & Jimmy Yeager, a Wintersköl themed trivia contest with the Aspen Times, snow sculptures on the Mill Street Mall by local artist Thomas Barlow, and the tradition of the annual slogan contest and cherished button.

4TH OF JULY In partnership with the City of Aspen, ACRA worked to return to a modified in-person 4th of July celebration.

COA transitioned from a traditional moving parade to a stationary parade throughout the downtown core, allowing people to spread out and stroll the exhibit locations at their own pace. ACRA managed exhibitor registration process through aspenchamber.org.

ACRA produced Aspen Lights Up the Night - an evening celebration featuring glowing street performers from local company Art of Air, The Drumbots LED Percussionists (official drum line for the Las Vegas Knights) and a Laser Light show in Wagner Park.

Enhanced safety measures included added security to manage aisleways, attendee access, extra signage encouraging physical distancing, and a shortened show to decrease crowd gathering times.

ASPEN ARTS FESTIVAL The outdoor Aspen Arts Festival returned in 2021 marking its 18th year in Aspen. Taking place July 17-18 in Paepcke Park, the festival featured artists in a range of mediums from across the country, including several of the valley’s own local artists.

In response to COVID-19 concerns display tents were physically distanced, the number of vendors was reduced, and staggered load-in times for artists were implemented.

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

FOOD & WINE CLASSIC IN ASPEN Postponed from June to September, the FOOD & WINE Classic returned in 2021. After the 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19, and excitement surrounding its return – the event sold out.

Event modifications and safety protocols were activated for the event including, an attestation of vaccination or negative COVID-19 as part of the check-in process, additional health and safety training for event operation teams and volunteers, and reduced event capacity.

12 DAYS OF ASPEN ACRA continued the promotion of activities taking place December 20 – 31 via the 12 Days of Aspen schedule of events.

ACRA’s annual holiday giveaway took place December 25 with 350 ACRA branded tin camping mugs gifted throughout the day.

GUEST SERVICE APPRECIATION MONTH honor the local workforce

SPEND LOCAL 7908

by dedicating the month

ACRA continued its efforts to

This year ACRA chose to

of October to recognizing

encourage patronage at our

front-line-workers for their

member businesses with its “7908

tireless work. We had an

reasons to spend local” marketing

WE-CYCLE CO-OP BUY

official proclamation signed

campaign. For the newly formed

As an additional

by the mayor recognizing

Summersköl event, we ran ads in

member benefit in 2021,

We purchased images

Guest Service Appreciation

drive-markets through the Denver

members were offered

from local photographers

Month and the ACRA staff

Post, and The Know Outdoors.

co-op ad space on

and provided those to

hit the streets delivering

Throughout the summer we ran

WE-cycle station

our stakeholders free of

cookies and gift baskets

digital ads in geotagged areas, and

billboards for a three

charge, to be able to use in

to the guest service

radio spots across three local

week period in the

their communications.

workers and our member

networks listing the benefits to the

spring and the fall.

businesses. We partnered

greater community when dollars are

The ads were featured

with the Aspen Times to

spent at local stores and services.

throughout every

create a “best guest service

To recognize not just the businesses

WE-cycle station in the

employee” category in

but the locals who staff them, we

network, offering great

their “Best of” contest

partnered with local businesses

exposure throughout

and awarded the top vote

to spotlight their staff in the fall

town for WE-cycle riders

recipients with prizes of gift

campaign, running in the

and passerbyers, as well

cards to local restaurants

FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen and

as helping to support

and a grand prize of a night

Jazz Aspen programs, as well as a

the local non-profit ride-

at the Limelight Hotel.

WeCycle kiosks throughout town.

share.

PHOTO ASSETS FOR PARTNERS

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION

A

CRA has long strived to be the best first point of contact for visitors into the destination during all phases of the trip planning cycle.

Education, sustainability, public relations, and group sales initiatives are all examples of the way ACRA communicates with our visitors and our community.

WEBSITE STATS

DESTINATION NEWSLETTERS

Our website aspenchamber.org continues to be the place where we

We have 3 segmented newsletters going out to potential

house all the useful and relevant educational content we are producing.

visitors, encompassing leisure travelers and wedding and

2021 has surpassed 2020 metrics and most stats beat the industry

meeting planners.

average. The increase in engagement on aspenchamber.org means we are getting that educational, relevant, and useful content out there.

2021 WEBSITE STATS All Traffic

Wedding Planners

19.24%

Bi-annually to

New Users

18.01%

database of 364

Sessions

14.63%

Open rate: 54%

Pageviews

17.34%

Pages / Session

2.36%

Average Session Duration

15.46%

Bounce Rate

-22.92%

Average Time on Page Organic Traffic

9.97% YOY

Users

58.81%

New Users

64.26%

Sessions

62.82%

Pageviews

62.87%

Meeting Planners Quarterly to database of 9,639 Open rate: 28.2%

Leisure Travelers

Pages / Session

0.03%

Average Session Duration

12.74%

Monthly to

-30.48%

database of 29,156

11.60%

Open Rate: 30%

Bounce Rate Average Time on Page

10

YOY

Users

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

SOCIAL MEDIA STATS Our @AspenCo social media channels remain strong with a social strategy that focuses on engaging followers with educational and relevant content that links back to the website. We also utilize our local brand ambassadors to promote our How To campaign and sustainability messaging. As video proves to be the future of social, we will shift social efforts to produce more video content on all platforms. ACRA continues to support our community and many of the assets we produce are tools for your own toolbox.

181,236 followers // 1.3 MILLION average monthly reach 133,587 followers // 1.5 MILLION avg. monthly impressions 14,600 followers // 80,000 monthly impressions

RACK BROCHURE Our seasonal rack brochure was distributed across the state at the Colorado Welcome Centers, along the I-70 corridor, and locally.

40,000 SUMMER

30,000 WINTER

HOW TO ASPEN We continue to build upon the work in our How To Aspen content, this year we added the “how to e-bike” video, which was developed to create education for bikers on trails and roads. The video was distributed to all bike shops in the Membership database to show clients prior to renting bikes. In addition to the new video, we are also partnering with the City of Aspen on expanding the How To content and including relevant information for new citizens as well as our visitors.

VISITOR RESOURCE GUIDE ACRA hosted the centralized location for COVID-19 travel information on aspenchamber.org. The visitor resource guide provides links to the most up to date public health orders, traveler responsibility code and resources for visitors if they were to contract COVID-19 during their stay. This guide was also an asset for hotel & lodging partners to utilize for pre-arrival communications to their guests.

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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DESTINATION PROMOTER

I

n 2021 ACRA continued efforts in the destination management space, a pivot that has been underway for many years. We began with visitor facing education in 2015 and this year engaged Destination Think! to develop a destination management plan for delivery in early 2022. The process began in July, bringing residents and community values to the forefront of our work. Touch points included 1300 resident surveys, 2 tourism town-halls, 2 co-creation labs, 10 one-on-one interviews and a staff workshop. We are looking to find harmony so this can be a sustainable destination the future, which we do through the lens of collaboration, communication, and evolution.

2021 OCCUPANCY 2021 was a tale of 2 seasons with Aspen posting some of our lowest occupancy in years for January and February, but then recovering with a strong summer season. Average

OCCUPANCY

YOY

ADR

January

38.3%

-49.0%

-25.2%

February

45.8%

-42.3%

-17.6%

March

66.0%

95.6%

6.7%

April

32.5%

2,499.4%

101.7%

May

33.9%

1,691.4%

71.5%

June

64.8%

171.5%

34.3%

July

87.7%

44.9%

41.3%

August

75.8%

26.1%

33.5%

September

69.3%

11.5%

41.3%

October

54.4%

7.4%

23.3%

November

33.8%

7.4%

16.7%

December

64.1%

58.2%

48.9%

Daily Rate also saw large increases during the summer and fall season.

Aspen Chamber Resort Association is proud of all community partnerships but would like to acknowledge that the Destimetrics Hotel Occupancy data is provided as part of our data partnership with Aspen Skiing Company and Snowmass Tourism.

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

COLLABORATION As always, collaboration with our partners is a crucial part of our success.

•

We continued to work alongside our partners at Pitkin County, City of Aspen, Aspen Skiing Company, and Snowmass Tourism to ensure a balanced approach to economic recovery and public health.

•

We continued our partnership with the Maroon Bells Reservation System for a second year and made improvements with the working group including being able to accommodate walk-ups and better manage of parking reservations by overselling the spots. H20 Ventures reported a total of 19,521 parking reservations and 106,355 shuttle riders through 10/31. The RFTA Shuttle Season was extended through 10/23. On April 12, 2021 reservations went on sale and we had the largest website traffic to date with 11,219 users and 9,026 new users.

•

ACRA continued to support long standing events, as well as allocating additional dollars to different organizations that align with our strategic plan and furthering the distribution of educational content.

•

Colorado Tourism Office Restart Destinations- This summer, ACRA applied for and was awarded a Colorado Tourism Restart Destinations Grant which is funded via CARES act money. The purpose of this program is to provide direct support to the Aspen Chamber Resort Association as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The recovery assessment caters to the town of Aspen. A full-day workshop was spent creating strategies that can be implemented to support the pillars of the Destination Management plan.

•

In collaboration with Aspen Skiing Company, Snowmass Tourism, and Pitkin County ACRA funds the Fly Aspen Snowmass Contractor position for air service development, restoration & maintenance.

PROMOTIONS In our role as destination managers, we utilize marketing as a tool to provide responsible tourism messaging. As a community asset ACRA is providing a unifying thread and acts as consistent educational resource, teaching our visitors to be better stewards of the place we call home.

TwoSix Digital is a tourism-based digital

2021 CUMULATIVE RESULTS

agency that we utilize to promote seasonal and educational content campaigns through Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, native and video networks. All campaigns drive people back to our website where users are served up relevant and useful content for their trip planning journey.

Facebook / Instagram Impressions

Link Clicks

14,832,261

263,295

VIDEO VIEWS

518

PINTEREST Impressions

Link Clicks

4,483,293

12,149

VIDEO VIEWS

--

YOUTUBE Impressions

690,629

Link Clicks

VIDEO VIEWS

684

364,520

STACKADAPT Impressions

Link Clicks

VIDEO VIEWS

7,667,562

38,880

105,518

Overall Results

27,673,745

315,008

470,556

Impressions

Link Clicks

VIDEO VIEWS

ACRA worked with BVK agency to utilize existing assets to build new video and display creative, as well as running media with the new ads.

BVK also managed SEM in 2021.

Display: Overall CTR at .15% SEM: 112% conversion rate at $0.43 CPC

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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DESTINATION PROMOTER GROUP SALES STATS

Leads Sent Lodging Revenue

2021

2020

200

105

$351,082

$351,607

Booking Ratio

24%

19%

Tradeshow Prospects

187

190

4

3

@weddingsaspen followers

2,715

2,397

@weddingsaspen posts

482

403

Site Visits

PUBLIC RELATIONS Promo Communications holds the contract for Public Relations for ACRA. They continue to pitch stories as well as host media relations, and work with community partners on these initiatives. They are a key part of promoting our destination management and sustainability tactics to visiting journalists.

15,986,288,276 TOTAL DOMESTIC & ONLINE VIEWERSHIP/PRINT IMPRESSIONS

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

$147,900,540 TOTAL PR VALUE

EVOLUTION We adapt to dynamic changes in our ecosystem and believe that constantly evolving is the key to relevance and success. Sustainability, responsible tourism, diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the forefront of our marketing plan.

Responsible Travel Partnering with a like-minded brand to elevate Aspen’s exposure was a goal for 2021, so we partnered with Field Notes brand (a pocket notebook company) and licensed works of art from different local artists. It is available for purchase at a selection of local retailers and a portion of the proceeds benefits Pledge for the Wild. ACRA also makes a donation for each book when we give them to our stakeholders. You can purchase our field notes at the following local retailers: Ute Mountaineer, Kemo Sabe, O2 Aspen, ACES, Red Brick, and Pitkin County Dry Goods.

Sustainability The sustainability landing page on aspenchamber.org is the umbrella for all the initiatives we have taken on over the years: Tag Responsibly, How To, and our Aspen Pledge. We envision this as an evolving home for additional programming that may come out of the destination management plan.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion ACRA has made a conscious effort to diversify our influencers and have seen good engagement from hosting Olivia Christine & Samvia Henry. We continue to work alongside existing community events like Aspen Gay Ski Week to support their efforts in the social media realm as well. We utilize SiteImprove, a website monitoring tool, that advises on accessibility needs on aspenchamber.org.

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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VISITOR EXPERIENCE

O

ur front line staff has done an outstanding job this year. They were able to quickly adapt to the changing COVID-19 rules and procedures throughout the year and share the latest information with visitors and locals. Visitor Services operates four information centers located at the North Mill Street ACRA office, the Wheeler Opera House, the Information Pavilion in town at the corner of Cooper and Galena Streets and our Guest Services location at the Aspen Airport. This year the Wheeler Opera House delayed their reopening until June 1st due to COVID-19 precautions and exterior construction.

IN-TOWN VISITOR CENTERS The new year started out very well with good snow conditions and happy visitors, both skiers and non–skiers. Our downtown Pavilion staff saw healthy numbers of guests as did the North Mill Street location. By February, spring break students and families started arriving, so the town had great energy. We did not see the large numbers of international visitors but with plenty of domestic guests, it seemed a successful winter season. Summer was quieter than usual in town with the postponement of many of our traditional events until fall, however outdoor recreation including parks and trails saw a huge spike in activity. Our staff has done their best under fluctuating guidelines to make sure all guests are educated on any mandates that are in place and providing updates as needed. As we have done throughout the year, we understand the importance of providing information and answering any questions with a positive tone and attitude. We express our gratitude that, despite these uncertain times, they have made Aspen their destination choice.

AIRPORT VISITOR CENTER 2021 has proven to be a very positive, yet challenging year for our air traffic. The first quarter, our staff fielded hundreds of calls and in person inquiries from concerned travelers about Pitkin County’s Travel Affidavit and COVID-19 testing requirements. We continue to share up-todate information provided by Pitkin County and reassure travelers that they are welcome and that these requirements are for their safety as well as the community. Our summer was very busy with flights arriving with visitors exited to be here with positive attitudes regarding COVID-19 rules and full of questions about exploring our town and valley. Unfortunately, our car rental companies experienced a shortage of rental vehicles and now that Epic Mountain Express is no longer serving the valley, there is an extreme shortage of affordable transportation to Denver for our visitors. We ended the year with several days of inclement weather starting just before Christmas which, combined with significant COVID-19 related issues at the airlines, created severe problems with flight cancellations, delays and baggage delivery. Ground transportation was extremely limited and added another layer of frustration. However, most travelers showed resilience and tolerance.

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

VISITOR COUNTS BY LOCATION AIRPORT

PAVILION

590 N. MILL STREET

WHEELER OPERA HOUSE

January

3,847

January

882

January

130

January

-

February

5,004

February

793

February

102

February

-

March

6,057

March

1,299

March

174

March

-

April

2,407

April

859

April

259

April

-

May

1,899

May

1,365

May

622

May

-

June

4,891

June

4,759

June

1,060

June

99

July

6,538

July

6,671

July

1,127

July

284

August

6,244

August

4,638

August

960

August

180

September

5,349

September

4,489

September

1,064

September

210

October

3,070

October

3,276

October

613

October

103

November

2,341

November

1,115

November

249

November

61

December

7,272

December

1,581

December

175

December

96

YEAR-END TOTAL

57,909

YEAR-END TOTAL

31,727

YEAR-END TOTAL

6,535

YEAR-END TOTAL

1,033

TOTAL INTERACTIONS: 97,204

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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ORGANIZATIONAL VITALITY

A

CRA strives to create an open and trusting atmosphere that inspires creativity. As COVID-19 continues to affect the landscape of the workplace environment, our organization has remained flexible to support employee needs. We implemented new technology that enhances productivity and facilitates connectivity in a hybrid workplace, and continue to nurture ACRA’s most valuable asset, our team.

In 2021 we transitioned our server to the cloud. This enabled staff to access files and work from the office or remotely as necessary. Having our files on the cloud also encourages teamwork in shared documents and allows people to access documents simultaneously.

Despite the inherent challenges of a hybrid work environment, our leadership continues to promote employee wellbeing and engagement, with team ski mornings, take out Tuesdays and bonus time off such as Thanksgiving week.

We also welcomed new employees in 2021 so we focused on establishing trust and developing these new relationships. To bring new staff up to speed on operations and culture at ACRA, we implemented “Lunch & Learns”, an opportunity to learn about the organization and spend dedicated time with colleagues. In August, we hosted an all-day staff retreat with Candra Canning with Live Bright Now. We celebrated our success in 2020, bonded, and made agreements as a growing team and look forward to a successful 2022.

AWARDS US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

Destination Website “The Road Less Traveled”

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CONDÉ NAST READER’S CHOICE AWARDS

Aspen was named #1 Small City in the United States

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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LETTER FROM THE TREASURER To Our Members; As it was for many of our members, 2021 was a year of different twists and turns for ACRA. Visitors and part-time residents continued to flock to Aspen, filling our shops and restaurants. While this strong showing generated higher revenues for many businesses, it also highlighted the issues of labor availability and cost. The infamous ‘supply chain issues’ plagued some of our members all year, leaving them with less or different inventory and supplies than they may have previously had.

ACRA shared many of our members’ experiences in 2021, We prudently budgeted for minimal membership dues growth for the Chamber and low tax revenue growth for Destination Marketing. We were pleased to see an influx of new members resulting in dues almost 10% over our budget target and tax revenues 16% over our expectations, the result of so much more business in Aspen during the year. Congress changed the laws governing PPP loans, allowing additional non-profits, like ACRA, to apply and subsequently receive forgiveness. On the expense side, the streamlining of our operations in 2020 showed real benefits as we maintained a reduced staff for much of the year at both ACRA and Destination Marketing, while expanding our services to members.

Later in 2021, ACRA made the decision to expand our staff to provide more and better service and information to our members and the community as we moved into 2022. Destination Marketing undertook a serious look at ‘Destination Management’, looking for better ways to manage both our continued popularity as a destination and its’ impacts on Aspen as a place where people live.

ACRA finished 2021 in a better financial position than we thought possible at the start of the year. Starting from this stronger base, ACRA will continue to provide even more value to our members and visitors, and do all it can to support and promote Aspen’s business community.

Thank you, Charlie Bantis Chair, ACRA Finance Committee

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ASPEN CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

OPERATIONS $880,793

DUES $657,687 GRANTS $532,992 PPP $279,260

GENERAL $351,982

PARTNERSHIPS $98,000 GENERAL SERVICES $72,212

TAX REVENUES $2,803,688

GENERAL EXPENSES $1,951,117 OPERATIONS $709,489

GROUP PARTICIPATION CO-OP FUNDS $19,980 $14,141

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STAFF DEBBIE BRAUN President & CEO

KRISTEN ANDERSON Executive Assistant

JENNIFER ALBRIGHT CARNEY Vice President of Event Marketing

ELIZA VOSS Vice President Destination Marketing

JESSICA HITE Senior Marketing Manager

BRIDGET CROSBY Marketing Manager

COMMITTEES ACRA provides community members with various opportunities to volunteer and serve on our committees.

THE 2021 COMMITTEES: Executive Committee Finance Committee Public Affairs Committee Marketing Advisory Committee Nominating Committee

SARAH REYNOLDS LASSER Senior Director of Business Development

LIZ CLULEY Senior Sales Manager

ALYCIN BEKTESH Communications Manager

MACKENZIE SEXTON Membership Assistant

MELANY MURO

AFFILIATIONS

Special Events Coordinator

NICHOLE HELLINGER Administrative Assistant

DIANA MORRISSEY Visitor Services Manager

SUSAN BANTIS Airport Guest Service Director

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GUEST SERVICES Georgia Carol Broeking Cindy Fioroni Jacquelyn Kasabach Dinah Kinsman Connie Orcutt Carol Ann Foley Twohig Susan Wall

AIRPORT AMBASSADORS Robert Albright Patricia Althouse Sylvia Balcom George W Johnson Jacquelyn Kasabach Cheryl Mcculloch William Post Heather Rydell Karen Salamida Darlene Walsh Anne S Ware

SUMMER MARKETING INTERN Carter Cheo

SUMMER JR. AMBASSADOR SUPERVISOR Isa Oliver

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ASE: Visioning Committees Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Brand USA Colorado Chamber of Commerce Colorado Destination Marketing Organization Colorado Tourism Office Destination Colorado, Sarah Reynolds Lasser, Board Member Destinations International Destinations Marketing Association of the West, Debbie Braun, President Meeting Professionals International Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Rotary Club of Aspen Sister Cities Society of Incentive Travel Excellence U.S. Travel Weddings International Professionals Association, Liz Cluley, Board Member Western Association of Chamber Executives

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THE ASPEN PLEDGE

I PLEDGE TO EXPLORE ASPEN RESPONSIBLY. I WILL COME PREPARED FOR ANY EXPERIENCE. I WILL FEED MY SENSE OF ADVENTURE, BUT NEVER FEED THE WILDLIFE. I WILL FOREGO HIGH FASHION, AND DRESS FOR HIGH ELEVATIONS. I WILL VENTURE INTO THE GREAT UNKNOWN WHILE STAYING ON THE KNOWN TRAILS. I WILL CARVE THE SNOW AND NOT THE TREES. I WILL FIND MYSELF WITHOUT MOUNTAIN RESCUE HAVING TO FIND ME. I WILL HIT THE SLOPES WITHOUT HITTING THE OTHER SKIERS. I WILL TAKE AWESOME SELFIES, WITHOUT ENDANGERING MYSELF-IE. I WILL CAMP ONLY WHERE PERMITTED AND SECURE A PERMIT WHEN NECESSARY. I WILL REMAIN IN ONE PIECE,

BY LEAVING THE WILDLIFE IN PEACE. I WILL ADHERE TO SKI PATROL CLOSURES AS I WANDER HERE AND THERE. I WILL NOT SKI IN JEANS.

ASPENCHAMBER.ORG

590 N MILL ST, ASPEN, CO 81611

970-925-1940