The Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT) Thursday announced it will launch its second summer of the WY Responsibly campaign on June 1, encouraging all to be mindful travelers throughout the state. The WY Responsibly campaign is a value-based mission to educate and facilitate responsible travel by being stewards of Wyoming’s natural spaces, wildlife, communities and culture.
As the least populated state with the most room for adventure, in 2020 Wyoming experienced high visitation throughout all its national parks, monuments and forests, as well as state parks and other popular destinations where travelers could enjoy wide-open spaces. While interest for Wyoming continues to grow, the state still offers room to roam among its hidden gems and under-the-radar destinations throughout its nearly 100,000 square miles.
“Outdoor recreation has become even more popular over the past year with people looking for naturally social-distanced activities. With our wide-open spaces, Wyoming is an ideal destination for travelers and this summer we anticipate even more visitors will explore the state,” said Diane Shober, Executive Director of Wyoming Office of Tourism. “As the last bastion of the west and with nearly 50 percent of the state designated public land, it is important for visitors and residents to be mindful travelers and work together to keep Wyoming wild and free.”
The WY Responsibly campaign was initially launched as a response to COVID-19, providing safe travel tips and resources that resonated with travelers and residents alike, and led to WOT expanding the campaign into 2021 by fostering three main initiatives. These initiatives were created with input from 10 national-and state-level outdoor agencies and developed to address concerning behaviors each experienced last summer.
- Enjoy Natural Spaces Responsibly
Resources on how to respect the outdoors, including camping and trail etiquette, outdoor safety, precautions and best practices. - Co-Exist Responsibly
Resources on how to respect wildlife, reporting wildlife interactions, fishing guidelines and gear suggestions to prepare for any encounters. - Be Part of a Responsibly Community
Resources on how to respect fellow travelers and locals, including current health guidelines, tips on supporting local businesses and how to avoid overcrowding with recommendations for destinations throughout the state and along any road trip.
The WY Responsibly campaign is a component of WOT’s award-winning tourism campaign, “That’s WY.” Elements of the WY Responsibly campaign include local and national paid media investment, social media components and an ambassador program where WOT will select six outdoor, wildlife and community leaders and stewards to represent each initiative. State parks, national forests and other community visitor centers will have stickers or patches for visitors.
As an extension of WY Responsibly, WOT has also developed a “Know Before You Go” program to ensure travelers are prepared for any outdoor adventure. On this page, travelers will learn what to expect when camping on different types of land along with important fire and wildlife safety precautions, be reminded to pick up after themselves and their pets, make camping reservations early and more.
