Media Contacts: 

Heidi Barfels and Claire Molle

Press@VisitEstesPark.com

 

VISIT ESTES PARK LAUNCHES NEW ESTES INSPIRED STORYTELLING SERIES

The video series features stories of extraordinary Estes Park residents, including a two-time Olympian and a former astronaut, to encourage sustainable travel practices

 

ESTES PARK, Colo., August 8, 2024 – Visit Estes Park has launched a new video series called “Estes Inspired,” featuring remarkable stories from a two-time Olympian, a former NASA astronaut and a supervisory park ranger from Rocky Mountain National Park, who all call Estes Park home. The series highlights the storytellers’ connection to Estes Park, encouraging reverence for nature and responsible tourism. 

 

The videos can be found on the Visit Estes Park website, which is a comprehensive destination resource for travelers to plan their visit and learn about sustainable travel practices. The storytellers include: two-time Olympian and former mayor Wendy Koenig; former NASA astronaut Loren Shriver; Rocky Mountain National Park District Supervisory Park Ranger J.RisingBuffalo Maybee; and historic trading post owner Nico StrangeOwl. 

 

“Through the Estes Inspired video series, we aim to tell the important stories of our local community, sharing the deep connections residents have with the land,” said Kara Franker, CEO of Visit Estes Park. “By sharing these narratives, we hope to inspire visitors to understand why we should all take care of natural resources and join in conservation efforts, which are crucial to preserving Estes Park’s natural wonders for future generations.” 

 

In alignment with the Paris 2024 Olympics, the “Estes Inspired” campaign was launched this week with the release of Wendy Koenig’s story. Through her storytelling, Koenig details her journey to becoming a two-time Olympian with the support of the Estes Park community, which rallied behind her with fundraising campaigns and by offering her jobs to earn the funds needed to compete internationally. 

 

“Being part of the Estes Inspired campaign is an incredible honor because it allows me to inspire travelers to cherish and care for the place we all hold so dear,” said Wendy Koenig. “Storytelling is a way to connect with others and encourage them to appreciate and protect the area we are fortunate to experience.” 

 

The next “Estes Inspired” video slated for release shares the story of former NASA astronaut Loren Shriver. Koenig’s and Shriver’s videos can be seen on Visit Estes Park’s YouTube channel, with direct links to each episode here:  

 

 

Educational materials such as the “Estes Inspired” videos are essential messaging for a destination which welcomed 2.1 million guests in 2023, according to a study by Placer.AI. These guests visited Estes Park an average of 2.9 times totalling 6.1 million visits for the year. Tourism is the main economic driver in Estes Park, bringing significant benefits to the entire Estes Park community. Per a study by Dean Runyan Associates, in 2021, tourism-related spending in Estes Park generated 3,100 jobs and contributed $3,270 per resident household in local tax receipts, resulting in a total of $100.6 million in direct travel-generated earnings.

 

Media images for the “Estes Inspired” series can be downloaded through this link, credit Visit Estes Park/Michael Pisarri: https://brandfolder.com/s/6z2m6vprxb8gpq6t5jrhg3hs 

 

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About Visit Estes Park

Visit Estes Park is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Estes Park, Colorado. A Destinations International (DI) accredited DMO, Visit Estes Park's mission is to drive sustainable year-round economic growth by encouraging visitor demand. Estes Park, just 90 minutes from Denver, is the basecamp for Rocky Mountain National Park offering outdoor experiences, activities, dining, shopping and an environment that is welcoming and approachable. Known for world-class adventure, resident wildlife and scenic beauty, Estes Park is Colorado’s quintessential mountain town. To learn more, visit www.visitestespark.com.