Aspen Receives Mountain IDEAL Certification

ASPEN, Colo. (Aug. 6, 2024) - Today, Aspen announced their Mountain IDEAL certification as a sustainable destination. The certification is the result of multi-year contributions between Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA), the City of Aspen, Pitkin County, Aspen Skiing Company, and local non-profit organizations and individuals. This certification marks the culmination of years of leadership by the Aspen community in implementing leading environmental and sustainability programs and initiatives that have successfully represented the needs of residents as well as visitors.

“Mountain IDEAL certification represents the gold standard for sustainable destinations,” shared Bobby Chappell, Program Architect for Mountain IDEAL, Board Member for Green Destinations. It's a rigorous, comprehensive process that demands genuine commitment and tangible action from communities. In fact, Aspen has demonstrated exceptional performance, actively implementing over 50 sustainable destination management best practices, as evidenced by more than 125 specific indicators. This achievement places Aspen among an elite group of destinations to reach this significant milestone. It's a testament to their dedication to sustainability and responsible tourism management.”

The Mountain IDEAL destination standard was developed to address sustainability in mountain environments that include winter and summer activities. These unique challenges and opportunities include issues such as water and energy use related to snow-making and snow-melting systems, affordable housing for residents and seasonal employees, collaborating with public land managers and the business community, and embracing mountain cultural heritage.

In recent years, as the needs of the Aspen community changed, ACRA began to shift priorities from destination marketing to destination management working towards a more sustainable tourism landscape. Released in 2022, the Aspen Destination Management Plan aims to enhance resiliency in the community while protecting the quality of life for Aspen residents and preserve the very reason people enjoy coming to Aspen. The three pillars identified by the plan are address visitor pressure, enhance the Aspen experience, and preserve small-town character.

“The Mountain IDEAL certification is an important pillar in our destination management plan,” shared Eliza Voss, Vice President of Destination Marketing for ACRA. “We are excited to be recognized among the most sustainable mountain destinations alongside communities like Breckenridge and Vail. This is an important benchmark for our community and we look forward to continuing to push the boundaries and set the standard of what sustainability in a mountain town could and should look like.”

Aspen began its pursuit of the Mountain IDEAL certification in 2022, the same year ACRA launched the Aspen Destination Management Plan. In both 2022 and 2023, Aspen won a place among the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories, an annual list of innovative good practice stories from destinations all over the world to be shared as inspiring examples to others, from tourism professionals to travelers.

From the City of Aspen’s carbon emissions reduction goal (100% reduction by 2050) and plan, to Aspen’s leadership in hosting and developing environmentally responsible arts and culture programming and events, to recognizing a need to preserve Aspen’s small town character while managing visitor pressure, the community’s bold sustainability practices were recognized throughout the certification process. Specifically, the work of the Maroon Bells Comprehensive Management Group was recognized by the auditors. The reservation system, which ACRA hosts on its website, has been cited as a great example of public-private partnership coming together to effectively solve tourism pressures.

As part of the Mountain IDEAL certification, sustainability training and a certification program must be provided by destinations for local businesses. Aspen Chamber Resort Association partnered with the City of Aspen to create the Colorado Green Business Network of Aspen as a regional partner to the state’s Colorado Green Business Network. The Colorado Green Business Network of Aspen program will officially be launched in the community in mid-August.

“We are really proud of the progressive climate action that our community has supported and implemented for decades – positioning Aspen as a leader in sustainability,” shared Tessa Schreiner, Sustainability Manager for the City of Aspen. “The Mountain IDEAL certification is yet another example of that leadership.”

In Dec. 2023, Green Destinations, an internationally accredited certification body, conducted an onsite assessment of Aspen. Through a rigorous process, Green Destinations auditors reviewed documentation, interviewed key stakeholders, and completed a thorough evaluation of Aspen’s overall approach to sustainable destination management. Following a years-long certification process, Aspen was officially third-party certified to the Global Sustainability Tourism Council (GSTC)-Recognized Mountain IDEAL Standard by the GSTC-Accredited Green Destinations Certification Body in July 2024.

Media Contact:

Jessie Vandenhouten, Backbone Media
Aspen Chamber Resort Association
jessie.vandenhouten@backbone.media

Bobby Chappell
Senior Destination Advisor
Mountain IDEAL
bobbyc@walkingmountains.org
www.mountainideal.org

About ACRA
Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Aspen’s business community and enhancing the visitor experience. ACRA is a unique blend of a traditional chamber of commerce and a visitors' and convention bureau made up of approximately 750+ local businesses, a strong, diverse board of directors, and a dedicated staff. ACRA’s four departments which support the Aspen business community are Destination Marketing and Group Sales, Membership, Special Events, and Visitor Services. For more information visit www.aspenchamber.org or call 970-925-1940.

About Mountain IDEAL
Mountain IDEAL is a destination stewardship program specifically designed for resort, rural, recreation, and gateway communities. Understanding the nuanced challenges and opportunities inherent to outdoor locales, Mountain IDEAL's mission is to provide a comprehensive framework that facilitates stewardship and sustainability improvements through self-assessments, implementation toolkits, and recognition programs. Central to the program are the 120+ implementation guidelines of the Mountain IDEAL standard that is formally recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. First piloted in 2016, the standard has gained notable recognition, including its use in certifying Vail, CO as the first sustainable tourism destination in the United States. The Mountain IDEAL program is administered by Walking Mountains, a leading environmental educational non-profit organization that fosters stewardship through education, science and sustainability in Eagle County, Colorado. Recognition programs such as Top 100 Sustainability Stories Award and Accredited Third-Party Certification, are offered in partnership with Green Destinations.