The City of Cottonwood, Tourism & Economic Development Department, invites proposals from qualified firms experienced in destination marketing and tourism promotions to enhance the Visit Cottonwood website (www.visitcottonwoodaz.org).

This proposal seeks to refresh the website rather than a full redesign, focusing on improved SEO, graphic design, and social media integration. Additionally, we aim to develop monthly email marketing themes and retargeting strategies to expand Cottonwood’s exposure effectively.

The City of Cottonwood Tourism & Economic Development department acts as the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for ‘Visit Cottonwood’. Collaboration exists with Arizona Office of Tourism, the Greater Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, the Old Town Association, Verde Valley Wine Consortium and other tourism-focused stakeholders to establish strong alliances for concentrated publicity. Cottonwood has a regional tourism-promotion program that reaches out beyond the City limits, and throughout the Verde Valley to promote area attractions and events.

The www.visitcottonwoodaz.org serves as a key resource for potential visitors, tourism partners, and our community. It must prominently feature information on Cottonwood’s wine industry, accommodations, cultural heritage, dining options, attractions, shopping, outdoor activities, arts, and entertainment.

The updated website must be visually appealing, user-friendly, and optimized for both desktop and mobile platforms. It should support easy data tracking and analytics.

Project Objectives:
1. Update existing content and enhance design to accurately reflect the visitor experience in Cottonwood. Enhance the visitor engagement and storytelling with monthly email marketing graphic design and social media integration.
2. Maintain and integrate current branding taglines such as “Heart of Arizona Wine Country,” “You are welcome here,” and “Inspiring a vibrant community.”
3. Ensure the website is mobile-friendly and SEO-optimized, suggesting strategies for improved messaging, blogging, photo contests, and geo-referencing.
4. Encourage user-generated content and align promotions with seasonal opportunities.

Since 2020, the City of Cottonwood has served as the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Visit Cottonwood, establishing a robust branding campaign around the tagline “You are welcome here.” The website needs a refresh and update to more accurately reflect the destination and its offerings. The firm chosen should be savvy with destination management organization needs and diverse opportunities that exist within the community/region.

The website underwent redesign in fall 2021, including a new logo. While our existing branding campaign with the tagline “You are welcome here” has been effective, the growing prominence of our destination necessitates a more professional and updated online presence.

Targeted Audience:
Cottonwood attracts tourists seeking an affordable and unique experience, making the website a vital resource for visitors and local businesses alike. The ultimate goal is for the destination website to highlight seasonal promotions, special packages, and events, with a focus on maintaining an updated events page.