The Outdoor Recreation Economy program co-hosted the Rockies Playground Outdoor Industry Strategy Summit in Eagle, Colorado, on August 22. Hosted with the Vail Valley Partnership, the event brought together outdoor industry professionals from across Colorado to discuss the future of the outdoor industry in the region. Among the sold-out event attendees were CEOs, non-profit leaders, policymakers, and students from the Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) and Masters of the Environment (MENV) programs.
The opening remarks were delivered by Joel Hartter, Director of the Outdoor Recreation Economy program, who spoke about the challenges and opportunities facing the outdoor industry and how workforce development efforts can support the growth of the outdoor economy. “The outdoor economy is at an inflection point,” Hartter said. “According to recent data, 53 percent of Americans participated in outdoor activities last year, and we now represent 1.8 percent of our nation’s annual GDP. An outdoor workforce study shows that one child in every K-12 class in America is likely to have a career in the outdoor industry at some point in their career. We’re an incredibly powerful industry sector, and the outdoor economy has the potential to lead in leadership, sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
“The Outdoor Recreation Economy program is designed to support workforce development for those who seek careers in the outdoor industry,” Hartter continued. “The outdoor economy has the opportunity to leverage and capitalize on the enormous talent we have available to us. We strive to create a new funnel and bring in talent from outside or adjacent industries, and also retain the talented professionals who are already in the outdoor industry and help them advance their careers.”
Conor Hall, Director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC), delivered the keynote remarks for the event. “This industry is enormous,” Conor said. “It’s one of the largest industries in the country. It’s bigger than agriculture, it’s bigger than mining, the pharmaceutical industry, and the automobile industry. The outdoor recreation industry has the power to have an enormous impact on our daily lives, on the policies that are passed, and on our access to public lands and waterways.”
- Natalie Ooi, Teaching Associate Professor for the Outdoor Recreation Economy Program, moderated a panel discussion on Destination Stewardship and the Outdoor Industry. Panelists included:
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Chris Romer, President & CEO, Vail Valley Partnership
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Roger Poirier, Staff Director for Recreation, Lands, Heritage and Tribal Relations, White River National Forest
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Mia Vlaar – Economic Development Manager, Town of Vail
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Tim Wolfe – Director, Colorado Tourism Office
Following the panel discussion, the group was divided into breakout groups for whitewater brainstorm sessions on financing, workforce, supply chain, branding, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. These collaborative conversations were led by industry professionals from across the region and encouraged participants to voice their experiences and gather input about trends and innovative ways to be successful in the outdoor industry.
“The Rockies Playground Outdoor Industry Strategy Summit was a great opportunity to hear directly from outdoor industry community leaders about the challenges they’re facing and how our program can help support them and prepare the next generation of outdoor leaders,” shared Mark Gasta, Associate Director for the Outdoor Recreation Economy program. “Our students had the chance to network with industry professionals and get a real sense of what challenges they’ll tackle in their careers.”