Media Advisory
Secretary Salazar to Talk Travel and Tourism at Mesa Verde National Park
Will host stakeholder meeting and tour construction of the Mesa Verde National Park Research & Visitor Center
09/21/2012
Contact: Blake Androff (202) 208-6416
CORTEZ, Colo. – On Saturday, September 22, 2012, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will travel to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado where he will meet with local stakeholders to discuss how travel, tourism and outdoor recreation can serve as economic engines for local communities. Following the meeting, Salazar will tour construction underway for the park’s new research and visitor center, to be completed by the end of December.
In 2010, Mesa Verde National Park hosted more than 560,000 visitors who spent $41 million and supported 560 jobs in the local economy.
Salazar is co-chair of President Obama’s Travel and Tourism Task Force, working to expand travel to and within the U.S. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that the travel and tourism industry is on pace for record exports in 2012. International visitors spent an estimated $13.7 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of July alone--$350 million (3 percent) more than was spent in July 2011.
The park’s new visitor center will house Mesa Verde's three million artifacts and world-class archives. The facility will also feature a bookstore, visitor information desk, exhibits and trip planning materials.
Following the Mesa Verde visit, Salazar will meet with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to discuss Interior’s ongoing commitment to empowering Indian nations.
| WHO: |
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior |
| WHAT: |
Mesa Verde National Park Visitor Center Tour & Stakeholder Meeting |
| WHEN: |
Saturday, September 22, 2012 10:00 a.m. MDT Stakeholder Meeting 10:45 a.m. MDT Tour |
| WHERE: | Mesa Verde National Park New Visitor and Research Center (at Entrance of Mesa Verde National Park) Cortez, CO |
| MEDIA: |
All credentialed media are invited to attend the event and are encouraged to RSVP to Queen_Muse@ios.doi.gov. |