The marketing efforts of the San Luis Valley Tourism Association are robust and well rounded. Some of the programs are supported solely by membership dues and include no advertising. Other programs allow you to display your ad and control how well you attract the prospects to your business. You can download the 2009 Media Kit to help plan your involvement, or read below to learn about the most up-to-the-minute information about this unified valley-wide tourism marketing effort.

San Luis Valley Heritage Guide
San Luis Valley Recreation Map
Print Advertising
San Luis Valley Website (advertising opportunities available!)
Direct Mail and E-Blasts (advertising opportunities available!)
New! 2010 Official Guide to the San Luis Valley (advertising opportunities available!)

The San Luis Valley Heritage Guide

The Heritage Guide is the print companion piece to the Heritage Website. It is 20 pages of heritage site descriptions and locator maps, all organized into six themed itineraries. The Heritage Guide won a prestigious National Planner’s Association award for excellence, and is a constant companion to the traveler who wishes to search out the Valley's most unique and special assets.

The San Luis Valley Heritage Guide is distributed within the San Luis Valley at businesses and visitor centers. It is also mailed to leads generated through advertising efforts and from the website and included in goody bags given to conventions, conferences and meetings that occur in the Valley. 25,000 copies have been distributed in 2009.

Please check it out:
View or download the online version of this award-winning San Luis Valley Heritage Guide. This guide is scheduled for a reprint in early spring of 2010. The Marketing Committee members graciously welcome your input. Email your comments and suggestions to partners@slvheritage.org.

Circulation: 25,000 copies annually
Total Value: $70,000
Funding provided by:
The development and production of the initial printing was funded by the Colorado Tourism Office through their Cultural Heritage Tourism Marketing program.
Future reprints of the Guide will be funded by the Members through their annual membership dues.

The San Luis Valley Recreation Map

This exciting map folds out to a convenient size that is big enough to clearly show the Valley, but not too big to read in the car. It lists and locates the Valley attractions, golf courses, hot springs, museums, scenic wonders, ski areas, wildlife areas, information centers and driving tours. Icons locate airports, campgrounds, cross-country ski trails, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, jeeping and snowmobiling. The services in each town are also indicated including lodging, shopping, fuel, dining, hospitals, libraries and parks.

50,000 copies are distributed annually, through display in brochure racks on the front range, northern New Mexico, and gateway communities to the valley, as well as in brochure racks along highway 160 and in many businesses like yours. And every car that enters the Great Sand Dunes National Park is given a copy of the map along with the Park information that they traditionally receive!

Please check it out, view or download the comprehensive San Luis Valley Recreation Map. This map is scheduled for a reprint in early spring of 2010. The Marketing Committee members graciously welcome your input. Email your comments and suggestions to partners@slvheritage.org.

Circulation: 50,000 copies annually
Total Value: $30,000
Funding provided by:
The development and production of the initial printing was funded by the Colorado Tourism Office through their Marketing Matching Grant program, and 50% matching funds from area businesses through their generous donations.
Future reprints of the Map will be funded by the Members through their annual membership dues

Print Advertising

The San Luis Valley Tourism Association participates in highly targeted cooperative advertising opportunities that are designed to brand the San Luis Valley and generate leads for the direct mail and e-blast campaigns.

Official Colorado Vacation Guide and Website
In 2009, this cooperative program included a total of two pages of display advertising in the Official Colorado Vacation Guide. And through our negotiations, Association partners received a $200 discount for their Enhanced Combo Directory Listings in the print guide and on the website. As of October 1, this program generated over 1,600 highly qualified leads, a copy of the Heritage Guide and Recreation Map were mailed to these prospects. The leads with Email addresses also receive the seasonal San Luis Valley E-Newsletter.

For 2010, a full page display ad will be published in the Colorado Vacation Guide. View the advertisement and see how well it complements the San Luis Valley website and Heritage Guide. Would you like to participate in the creation of these ads? Join the San Luis Valley Tourism Association Marketing Committee. For more information, email partners@slvheritage.org.

Circulation: 800,000 copies annually
Total Value: $17,000 for 2010 issue.
Funding provided by:
Funding was generously provided by the following SLV Lodging Tax Boards: Rio Grande County, Alamosa County, Saguache County and Conejos County. Total Value: $34,000
Funding for the 2010 Advertisement is provided by the Association Members through their annual membership dues.

Audubon Magazine Multiple Page Advertorial

Total Readership: 1,652,000
Total Value: $165,620
Funding provided by:
The 2009 May/June issue advertorial funding was provided by the Colorado Tourism Office, Colorado State Parks, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the San Luis Valley Tourism Association, Park County Tourism, The Southwest Travel Region and the Southeast Heritage Region.
As of October, 2009, negotiations are underway with these partners for this high quality advertising opportunity for an 2010 early spring issue of the publication. The San Luis Valley’s contribution will be made by the Association Members through their annual membership dues.

Colorado Vacation Planner
This guide to the destinations in Colorado boasts an impressive circulation of a quarter of a million. However they have never included the San Luis Valley, they just never came down to invite us. Now in 2010, the San Luis Valley will have a significant presence in the print guide and on their two websites with a program that will generate thousands of qualified leads and significant branding opportunities.
Through our successful negotiations, Association Members can benefit from generous discounts for their own advertising. Find out more by emailing us today at partners@slvheritage.org.

Circulation: 225,000 summer, 225,000 winter
Total Value: $3,700
Funding provided by:
The Association Members through their annual membership dues.

The San Luis Valley Website

This is the official website of the cultural heritage of the San Luis Valley. It celebrates Colorado’s first town, Colorado’s oldest church, rich Spanish tradition, historic railroads, mining booms and abundant agriculture. Visitors learn about authentic historic sites from our early pioneers, their cultural traditions and creative spirit. Sharing our many museums, historic walking tours, cultural driving tours, historic downtowns, many heritage events and natural wonders, this website bring our history to life and welcomes visitor participation.

The site includes:

• A guide to the heritage attractions in the valley
• Directory listing of all tourism related businesses in the Valley
• A professional itinerary builder with the ability to save itineraries for future use.
• An interactive map that locates attractions and heritage sites, with descriptions and pictures.
• An E-Newsletter sign-up that generates prospect leads and creates a dialogue with our visitors.
• Coming Soon! On-line booking for lodging, attractions, packages and events for participating businesses and organizations.

This new website sincerely welcomes your ideas, pictures, videos, events, preservation projects, discounts and specials, news… you name it, we’ll add it! Don’t hesitate to contact us at partners@slvheritage.org

Enhanced Directory Listings
All tourism related businesses within the San Luis Valley will be listed as a Resource on the Directory Listings on the Website. This listing will include your Name, Address, Phone, and a brief description. Members are eligible to upgrade to an Enhanced Listing with your logo, pictures, and expanded description, as well as hot-links to your website and email. View the {Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa enhanced listing} for a good example of this offer. With over 70% of visitors planning their trips on-line, this is a critical advertising medium for your business. This program is only available to Association Members.

Pricing: Enhanced listings are $300 per year. Increase your exposure by listing your Enhanced Listing under additional categories available for only $25 per year per category.

Online Booking (coming soon!)
You pay only when you make a sale. At just 10%, the cost to you is minimal to close the deal through the Association’s efforts. The program is completely automated and you have complete control over what you offer and at what price. This highly flexible program is PERFECT FOR PACKAGES! So partner with your fellow Members and created a comprehensive vacation for your customers. This program is only available to SLVTA Members.

Pricing: 10% commission for on-line bookings. Free set-up and start up.

Direct Mail and E-Newsletters

Highly qualified leads are generated through user-response advertising and e-newsletter sign-up on the website. As the leads come it, the San Luis Valley Tourism Association responds with phone conversations, custom e-mails, direct mailing of the heritage guide and the map, e-blasts and periodic e-newsletters. These efforts bring us the highest rewards since they allow us to develop a relationship with our prospective or returning visitor. We learn more about your customers, too, which allows us to provide more targeted information through this communication. 

Direct Mail
Include your brochure in the weekly mailings to our highly qualified leads. You are charged for the number of mailings done, and you can choose your season and quantity. This program is only available to Association Members. Minimum quantity is 200.
Pricing: $50 per 200 mailed.

E-Blast and E-Newsletter 
Limited to only 12 Ads!!   First Come, First Served.
Include your button advertisement in our interactive, online marketing efforts. The E-Blast is sent to all new leads as they are received with the purpose of initiating a relationship with the prospect and enticing them to book their vacation now. The E-Newsletter goes out to the entire Leads List on a quarterly basis. It deepens the relationship with our prospect through more in-depth information about our area and its assets.  Your button on these highly effective e-mails links directly to your website!  
Pricing: $300 per year.

NEW IN 2010! THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO THE SAN LUIS VALLEY

Targeted Audience
This comprehensive publication is designed to provide our visitors with complete information about the six counties of the San Luis Valley and its services. It will include interesting articles, informative directories and inspiring photography to meet the needs of the following targeted audiences:

• Leisure Travelers
• Business Travelers
• Group Tour Operators
• Meeting and Convention Planners
• Student Travel Planners

Distribution
50,000 copies! Distribution includes being displayed in-valley, in gateway community visitor centers, front range visitor centers and all 10 Colorado Welcome Centers. The Guide will also be mailed to highly qualified leads from the targeted audience and distributed at trade shows and to the media.

Highest Quality Photography    
Through a partnership with the Art Institute of Colorado, advanced photography students captured the essence of the valley through an intensive effort that resulted in literally thousands of high quality, professional images for telling our story with a thousand words. Check some of these images out on the pictures page of the San Luis Valley Website.

It is a great honor to one of these fortunate students to their image selected for the cover of the guide. Our congratulations go to Cliff Hare for taking the exquisite photo above using a technique that delivers that 3D effect that makes this picture so mesmerizing. We’re proud to be displaying it on the cover of the 2010 Guide!

Pricing
Back cover:   $2,500 Sorry, already taken.
Inside Back Cover:   $2,150   Sorry, already taken.
Full Page:    $2,000            
2/3 Page:  $1,465              
1/2 Page:   $1,100                    
1/3 page:  $735               
1/4 page:   $550                   
1/6 page:  $360