GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — The Glenwood Springs Tourism Board recommended Thursday that the city stick with the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association to handle tourism marketing and promotion for the next two years.

Tourism board members heard presentations from chamber representatives as well as Edwards-based marketing firm Hill Aevium, which was the only other entity to bid for the contract.

The unanimous recommendation now goes to Glenwood Springs City Council, which will consider the 2012-2013 tourism marketing contract at its Aug. 4 meeting.

It's the first-ever competitive process used to award the contract since City Council decided last year to remove the tourism board function from the chamber and make it a city-appointed board. One of the board's charges is to put the contract out to competitive bid every two years.

The chamber has historically been the city's exclusive contractor to handle tourism promotion using funds from a 2.5 percent lodging tax.

In a points-scoring system used to evaluate different aspects of each proposal, the chamber came out slightly ahead of Hill Aevium in its bid to retain the contract.

The scoring was designed to put some objectivity into what can tend to be a subjective selection process, if it were based solely on the presentations, said consultant Kate Collins of Write Brain West, who was hired to facilitate the bidding and selection process.

Tourism board members agreed that it would be best to continue the marketing relationship with the chamber.

“There are things the chamber is doing that [Hill Aevium] can't do, such as run the local visitor's center,” board member Steve Beckley said. The visitor's center is located in the chamber office building on Grand Avenue.

In making its pitch, the chamber team also proposed a new image to use alongside the current Glenwood Springs marketing slogan, “Soak It All In.”

The chamber has been working with local graphic designer Kate Hudnut of Gatherhouse to create a new iconic character, “Glen Wood,” who is proposed to be a regular addition to advertising and promotions.

The outdoorsy, adventure-seeking character will allow the chamber to leverage its marketing efforts, especially with its online and social media marketing, said the chamber's Internet marketing consultant, Jason Goss of Internet Honey.

“What makes the chamber different, and where we stand out, is that we already have the necessary partnerships with the tourism community, businesses and the city to create a successful marketing effort,” Lindsey Lewis, vice president of tourism marketing for the chamber, said in her presentation.

“The chamber resort association was set up to promote tourism,” she said. “And we are ready and willing to make changes as the tourism board sees fit.”

Linda Hill of Hill Aevium acknowledged that the chamber has done a good job in its marketing efforts. But an outside agency can bring some fresh ideas to the table, she said.

“We know we can do a great job for you if you decide to enter an agency relationship,” Hill said. “Our biggest concern is that our expectations meet your expectations.”

Hill Aevium clients include one of Glenwood's largest tourist attractions, the Hot Springs Pool and Spa of the Rockies. In addition, the firm handles tourism promotion for the cities of Estes Park and Grand Junction, as well as marketing for Colorado State University and Mesa State College.

The city had initially invited five potential bidders for the contract, but only the chamber and Hill Aevium submitted proposals.

Glenwood Springs Mayor Matt Steckler, who sits as one of the city council representatives on the tourism board, said the board's recommendation will hold a lot of weight when council takes up the issue.

“What you determine here really does matter,” he said. “We're not going to go back and do all the leg work again.”

The nine-member city tourism board includes five tourism and nontourism business representatives, as well as four at-large citizen representatives.

jstroud@postindependent.com