Come Fish in Wyoming

This is my final project for my English class. I developed a template for the Wyoming Department of Travel and Tourism to use to develop a new marketing campaign since their current one is outdated and slightly corny. Let me know what you think!

Western Tourism

Recently I was researching what led to tourism in Wyoming and the West. I stumbled across a book called "Welcome to wonderland promoting tourism in the Rocky Mountain West" by Peter J. Blodgett. There are four or five parts of the book. The fourth section is called Constructing Wonderland. I found chapter 12, Western Tourism, 1880-1920, the most relevant to my topic. Blodgett discusses how the construction of the continental railroad had a major impact on tourism in the west. Without the railroad there would have been no reason to develop tourism. "Among the most significant enterprises that developed were those catering to the wants and desires of... the outdoor enthusiast..." (Blodgett, 362). They capitalized on wealthy travelers, since the upper-class clientele possessed substantial incomes and leisure time. Many hotels and resorts were established along the railroads because of the easy transportation and access to travelers. Blodgett basically gives a run down of the history or tourism and the marketing of the west since 1880.


WYO - The University of Wyoming Cowboy  by Alicia Spagnola

 I found this book very interesting. As Blodgett states, Americans had a "fascination with recreation in natural settings, an influence that would continue to grow over time in the second half of the nineteenth century and in turn affect the evolution of tourism and national parks by the early twentieth century" (Blodgett, 364). I believe this is still true today. Americans and even foreign travelers envision Wyoming as the unchanged land of Cowboys and Indians that is still truly Wild West. Marketers for the state today still capitalize on this idea. Their current slogan is "Wyoming - Forever West". Wyoming promotes it's seclusion and small population to emphasize the vast acres of open land and national parks we have. It still caters to the outdoor enthusiasts that Blodgett mentioned. Promoting fishing, hunting, hiking, and just taking in the scenery in general to tourists. Back in the 1800s to 1920s the West was promoted as a place to escape and relax. Then it was a place to travel to on train to visit a spa and resort. It is still promoted as a place to escape and relax, but its more to become one with nature and to get away from the hustle and bustle of the high based city life that so many people live in these days. This is exactly what I want to continue to promote the state as if I land a job with the Dept. of Travel and Tourism. I don't want to ever lose the Wyoming I have come to know and love.

Wyoming Fly Fishing

When hopping on YouTube.com and doing a basic search for Wyoming fishing, several different options pop up; including fly fishing over different regions of the state, as well as certain species of fish. When glancing over who has posted the videos, it is evident that “WyomingTourism” is responsible for the majority of them. “WyomingTourism” is the YouTube account for the Wyoming Department of Travel and Tourism. One of the videos they published is called “Wyoming Fly Fishing”. It is basically a video promoting the state of Wyoming and its bountiful waters to fish in. To check out the video go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF6XzkIqhfM

The video begins with glimpses of wildlife associated with Wyoming, such as buffalo and deer. It also shows people on horseback, riding up the hillside, with packs on their horses as if they are on a long journey. The commentator states, “This is an invitation to you to come fly fish in Wyoming.” Jack Dennis then appears and there are now images and videos of streams, rivers, lakes, fish, and people catching fish. Jack divides the state into five sections: southeast, southwest, central, northern and far northwest. While discussing the major rivers in each region of the state a brief map of that section appears. He also mentions the four different species of cutthroat trout native to Wyoming, as well as the fact that the state has vast acres of public, state, and private land established for anglers to have access to and fish on. It wraps up with people again on horseback, Jack Dennis catching a massive trout and the commentator stating “Accept this invitation from Wyoming… We are asking to take but a single week and try any region. You’ll soon discover why Wyoming is an angling secret worth experiencing…” The very end of the video has the Wyoming Travel and Tourism slogan, “Wyoming: Forever West”, as well as their website and phone number. It states their website is www.wyomingtourism.com, which is incorrect. It is actually .org, not .com.

I think the video does a good job at grabbing the attention of their target audience. The target audience appears to be out-of-state male anglers about 40 to 75 years old. This is based on the inviting tone and slow paced conversation-like presentation from the commentator. They also do an effective job at incorporating credibility with a fly fishing expert. Jack Dennis he is world renowned, the coach of the U.S. Fly Fishing Team, and a well-known Jackson Hole outfitter; he is seen as an expert in the eyes of any avid angler. I think a glitch in the Dept. of Travel and Tourism's marketing campaign is that the average youtube user is between the ages of 16 and 40, which is not within their target range at all. A more modern and upbeat video may be more effective to grab the average youtube user or they may want to try another mode of advertising to reach their original target audience. I think this video will be a good resource for my final project as it will give me something to work from and improve.