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Welcome to the December edition of the RMI newsletter! We are excited to share the magic of the holiday season with you as we dive into the second edition of the new and improved RMI newsletter. But hold on … did you notice something different with the header image? That’s right, in the spirit of holiday giving, we thought the RMI newsletter needed to be given a proper, eye-catching, “Insight”ful name!
In this month’s issue of RMInsights, we have curated an informational array of content that captures what we have been up to since the last time you heard from us in September. Sneak peeks include staff updates, a 2024 International Roundup spotlight, RMI’s past and future business travel arrangements, and much, much more.
Grab a candy cane and hot chocolate and take a sleigh ride with us through December’s edition of “RMInsights”!
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CLIENT UPDATES & PARTNERSHIPS | | |
RMI held a virtual training for Explore Minnesota to train international staff members on their goals and destinations. This live training was hosted November 21 and was recorded and circulated to all attendees. These efforts ensure we're providing marketing opportunities to our clients that meet their strategic goals and target audience, and ultimately help boost visitation to their destination. | |  |
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Mathias, Lori, Kim and Evan recently returned from Salt Lake City for The Great American West Mid-Year Meeting. Each year, state tourism directors and representatives join RMI mid-way through the fiscal year to ensure current international marketing efforts remain on track, while also building the framework for next year's international marketing plans. It's a highly impactful meeting, bringing together key strategic decision-makers and re-establishing the importance of the region's cooperative partnership to ensure the program continues to drive visitation and spending from international travelers to Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Registration opened for the GAW's annual tradeshow, International Roundup (to be hosted in Casper, Wyoming, in 2024); we are expecting another sold-out show that will help generate an estimated $200M+ in future travel revenue for the five-state region. 64 suppliers from across Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, along with 45 buyers from seven international markets, are already planning to attend this year's event.
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STAFF UPDATES / ANNOUNCEMENTS | |
RMI added two new team members this quarter! Read on to meet Ashlie and Elvira: | | | |
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ASHLIE CONNELLY – OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Positive Pollyanna, go-to project assistant & organizer of all things
“It’s been an exciting and eventful few months getting to know the RMI team and the incredible work they do, I couldn’t have asked for a better team to be a part of. I have really enjoyed assisting in various projects while learning so much about our warehouse needs, media and our annual tourism tradeshow, International Roundup, that we assist in hosting on behalf of the Great American West. I look forward to what's to come and am excited to continue to grow with RMI!”
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ELVIRA AMANKWA – PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & EVENTS MANAGER
Forward thinker, results driven & master planner
“There’s no better time than now to have joined RMI. The preparations for IRU 2024 are in full swing. Registrations are coming in strongly, and we will have a full house at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper, Wyoming. The Great American West has put an exciting program together for you, jam-packed with great networking, education, business opportunities and fun. I am personally looking forward to welcoming you very soon and to helping you on-site to get the most out of your experience.”
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RMI welcomed its newest members with open arms for a team-building activity at Cheyenne, Wyoming’s, Terry Bison Ranch. This retreat served as a perfect setting for our new members to integrate with the beautiful region and get to know the rest of the RMI team. There's just something about feeding bison that fosters great team connections and fond memories shared! As we returned from our adventure, the bonds formed outside the office translated seamlessly into enhanced teamwork and collective enthusiasm for the upcoming projects to come!
Introducing The Great 8! Eight amazing team members ready to take on the next big thing! Proud of this team!
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The 2024 RMI TRIP Report is in the data collection phase and is expected to survey 17 top international inbound tourism markets and collect data from more than 500 companies. The eight-month process results in trade information collected for hundreds of destinations!
Learn more about the RMI TRIP Report here.
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In October, Evan and Lori attended Idaho Conference on Recreation & Tourism (ICORT) in Lewiston, Idaho. While at the conference, they learned about the current travel landscape in Idaho and met travel professionals throughout the state who play an important role in the travel trade. Attending tourism conferences not only broadens the reach of RMI but also allows our staff to learn and grow from others around us. | |
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Mathias and Alyssa attended the WHTC Fall Summit October 24-27 in Yellowstone National Park. Staged at the historic Old Faithful Inn in the world's first national park, Mathias was honored to present an international update to the Wyoming travel industry, touching on the recovery of international markets for the state of Wyoming. This important event allows RMI to connect with the Wyoming tourism and hospitality industry, building important relationships while learning valuable new insights that will help the Wyoming tourism industry prosper. Outside of the conference, Mathias and Alyssa had a blast experiencing winter in Yellowstone for the first time, visiting the Firehole Flats and touring Old Faithful Inn and the Crow's Nest! | |
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Evan and Lori, along with
Great American West state representatives, participated in a sales mission to Italy November 5-9, 2023. This week was spent in Milan, Modena and Vicenza, training the travel trade, highlighting key routes through the region, generating new leads, and strengthening relationships with top tour operators in the market. The states were accompanied by Gateway City Partner Denver and a United Airlines representative, who also met with travel agents to further train them in ideal routes into the Great American West.
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RMI is proud to have joined and supported Leadership Cheyenne’s annual “Boo-tification” Ball to aid in Leadership Cheyenne’s beautification of Cheyenne project fundraiser. Mathias, Alyssa and Evan had a great time at the event, and check out those costumes! | |
RMI was honored to support the local arts within our community and sponsor the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra for its annual “Holiday Magic” performance, held at the Cheyenne Civic Center on December 9. This group is a gem in our community! | |
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Looking ahead: Want to learn more about why meetings matter? Look for a blog post in January by our newest RMI team member, Elvira Amankwa!
Missed the last post? Check out Mathias' blog post on why Data is King!
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RMI will be closed December 23-January 1 to allow our staff to enjoy the holidays with friends, family and loved ones. During this time, we wish everyone a safe and merry holiday season! See y’all in 2024 for another kick a$$ year to come! |
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RMI
1720 Carey Ave. #600
Cheyenne, WY 82001
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