We live in a place that people spend their whole lives dreaming about. The kind of place that graces postcards and screensavers: mountain peaks, extensive trail systems, rivers flowing through the valley, and a lifestyle that city dwellers and suburbanites alike dream about. That’s the magic of Eagle County and the Colorado Rockies. But anyone who’s spent more than a season here knows the truth: balancing that magic with the realities of being a world-class destination is hard.

Tourism is the lifeblood of our local economy. It creates jobs, fills hotel rooms, and supports restaurants, outfitters, galleries, festivals, and retail shops from Edwards to Eagle to Red Cliff. It also helps pay for amenities we all enjoy, like trail maintenance, open space, public transit, childcare facilities, and events that connect us as a community. But this economic engine comes with real challenges: environmental strain, crowded trails, parking headaches, increased wildfire risk, and rising tension between the quality of life for locals and the needs of the visitor economy.

That’s where the concept of destination stewardship comes in. It’s a smarter way to think about tourism, one that doesn’t just chase numbers but instead prioritizes environmental integrity, economic vitality, and community well-being. Destination stewardship asks: how do we keep welcoming people while preserving what makes this place so special in the first place?

An essential part of the answer is education. Enter the cleverly named and executed "They Did What?" campaign, which is quickly becoming a local favorite. With a mix of wit and wisdom, this campaign offers practical guidance to help visitors and residents alike enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Whether it’s what to bring on a hike, how to behave around wildlife, or why blasting your Bluetooth speaker on a backcountry trail is a big no-no, it gets the message across with humor and heart.

You’ll find tips like packing essentials to be prepared (because no one wants to hike out a tourist in flip-flops), staying on marked trails, respecting wildlife by keeping a safe distance, and observing local fire restrictions—because we all know what a careless ember can do in the Rockies. It also reminds us that taking the bus or carpooling isn’t just good manners, but is a way to reduce congestion and emissions, keeping our valley cleaner and quieter.

Local businesses are encouraged to download the partner toolkit (available in both English and Spanish) which provides free assets and tools to use in your marketing efforts. This is available to local businesses because if we want to remain a destination that people love to visit (and a place that people are proud to call home) we need innovative solutions and all hands-on deck.

At its core, destination stewardship is about respect: respect for the land, for the people who live here, and for the visitors who come seeking inspiration, adventure, and connection. It’s about planning for the long haul, not just the next busy season. Because if we don't take care of this place, who will? These aren't anti-tourism policies; they’re pro-community strategies that keep both the economy and the environment healthy and communicate with our visitors the local ethos that we live by.

So, the next time you see someone walking a dog off-leash in a wildlife zone, carving their name into an aspen, or lighting a fire where they shouldn't…well, you might find yourself asking: They did what?!  But let’s also make sure we’re asking the more important question: What are we doing to make it better?

Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership, 3-time national chamber of the year. Learn more at VailValleyPartnership.com