• Board will be formed with town representatives

Representatives from the Lincoln County’s towns, chambers and economic development groups met in a conference call this week to make plans for a unified effort to promote tourism.

Lincoln County Economic Development Director Bob King directed the meeting for a statewide program that will be coordinated with the Wyoming Department of Tourism.

Every community in the county has an invitation to participate in forming a strategic plan centered on tourism, the county economic director advised.

“Working together, we are stronger,” King said in an interview with SVI Media. “Mainly, we are stronger when we are working together. We can pull our funds and reach a broader audience.”

King advised that each community can direct a member of their own tourism board to join the county effort and if a board is not available, a mayor can appoint a representative.

He noted Kemmerer and Diamondville could combine for one person, while another representative could come from the Fossil Basin Promotion Board.

A meeting on tourism held in the summer of 2024 brought representatives from several communities. “The Ranch turned up in August for the discussion,” recalled King. “Every town was there except Thayne and La Barge.”

The county based operation will have assistance from Berkly Young Strategies, contracted by the Wyoming Travel and Tourism Board to assist regional efforts.

“We’ll be working on a name for the organization and in February that will be taken to the [Lincoln County] Commission,” explained King. “They can ratify the work and stand it up. Then we’ll put out a memorandum of understanding for each community to sign.”

The initial work of the tourism board will focus on implementing an overall strategy and then pursue grant funding.

As Lincoln County Economic Development Director, King will oversee the board but it will have a leadership team that includes a president, vice president and treasurer.

“The thing we’re trying to accomplish is to have one voice for travel and tourism,” King concluded.