Industry Acronyms & Definitions

Destination Stewardship

CTO's official definition of destination stewardship is that it is "a transformational holistic approach that seeks to find harmony between quality of life for residents and a strong visitor economy while protecting our cultural and natural resources." 

Read more here: https://www.colorado.com/care-colorado-coalition

Responsible Tourism

According to the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO), responsible tourism is important because "[w]ith many Colorado residents voicing concerns about the impacts of travelers on special places and natural resources, the [CTO] Roadmap’s steward pillar laid the groundwork for a new partnership aimed at protecting what makes Colorado such a special destination. As part of this initiative, the Colorado Tourism Office is encouraging travelers to explore off-peak seasons and less-visited destinations, while inspiring them to travel like a local, engage in voluntourism and support causes important to Coloradans."

Read more here: https://oedit.colorado.gov/responsible-tourism

Values-Based Approach

Additionally, Destination International makes the case that "words matter in politics, and those words need to be chosen carefully. If we are going to be successful in changing the narrative surrounding our industry, it starts with a values-based approach. That means talking to stakeholders in a manner that is simple and emotional, and connects their values to your organization. In this policy brief, we demonstrate why our industry must utilize a new tourism vocabulary to connect with stakeholders in a meaningful way and better illustrate the value of destination organizations." 

Read more about the Destinations International lexicon here

Community Shared Value

A community shared value is a value that is appreciated at an individual level and shared by every member of the community. Community values are the non-negotiable core principles or standards that the community’s residents wish to maintain. They must be acknowledged, honored and constantly defended to ensure that change and development occur in accordance with these. Community values guide the community’s vision, mission and strategic plan as well as its goals, objectives, activities, capital projects, budgets and services.

For additional reading, here is a report on what it means for a tourism organization to
"Become a Community Shared Value"