An anti-tourist tourist campaign?

The Hawaiian-shirt wearing, culturally insensitive tourist is out. And conscientious, “moment collectors” are in. The 2019 Visit COS marketing campaign features a juxtaposition of everyday life with life on vacation — calling on travelers to unplug and check off their bucket list rather than their to-do list. 

In the March 8, 2019 issue of the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Visit COS announced the campaign to our local business community.

“The rise of the Millennial traveler has resulted in a tourism industry marketing strategy shift. The term “tourist” hasn’t always been a welcoming one for travelers, and more recently, it’s been used mostly with a negative connotation, evoking images of traffic jams, selfie sticks and overcrowded experiences.

Today’s leisure travelers are moving past overproduced memorabilia and mementos for unique experiences that can be shared on their social media accounts with an emphasis on serene landscapes, out-of-the-box adventures and pure wanderlust.

Visit Colorado Springs’ newest advertising campaign plays on the “tourist” stigma and instead invites explorers who identify themselves as visionaries, early risers and optimists.”