If it ever was a secret, it’s not only out, but also out on an increasingly larger scale. To wit: The Grand Valley is a really cool place to visit. And, for that matter, to work and live.

That’s good news in promoting travel and tourism and attracting visitors who stay in hotels, eat in restaurants and shop in stores. That’s also good news in a macroeconomic way in supporting an industry that plays such a foundational role. Consider this estimate: Visitor spending accounts for about a third of Grand Junction sales tax collections, in turn a key indicator of retail activity.

Of course, with great marketing comes great management. That’s true not only for businesses that must deliver on their promises of better products and services, but also destinations.  They must deliver on the sights, activities and welcoming hospitality that entice visitors. I’d contend Grand Junction lives up to the hype and then some.

Over the long term, great management also becomes a matter of maintaining quality not only for those who visit, but also those who live here. Protecting natural resources. Maintaining and adding needed infrastructure. Planning for and accommodating growth. Making sure those places people love aren’t ultimately loved to death.

The latest confirmation of the Grand Valley as a desirable travel destination comes in no less a source than the New York Times, which includes Grand Junction in its list of 52 places to go in 2023. That’s not 52 places in the United States, but 52 places across the world. London. Istanbul. Taipei. And Grand Junction.

Other stories in other media outlets also praise Grand Valley as attractive place to visit, play, live and retire. By one measure for 2022, Grand Junction was included in 58 media placements worth the equivalent of nearly $3.3 million in paid advertising.

That kind of publicity is a reflection of the award-winning efforts of Visit Grand Junction. The city’s destination marketing organization has done a remarkable job in building on and promoting a brand that encompasses all Grand Junction has to offer. That still includes a wonderful wine industry, by the way. But also outdoor recreation as well as arts, culture, cuisine, history and shopping.

But the very point of successful marketing efforts that bring more visitors to Grand Junction also could become an issue if not managed properly. The New York Times list hails Grand Junction in part for something that’s missing from other destinations — crowds. There’s humor, but also a cautionary tale, found in the contradictory quote attributed to Yogi Berra about a restaurant: Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.

There’s no denying the secret’s out. What people blessed to work and live here already know, others elsewhere are learning and discovering for themselves. The Grand Valley is a really cool place. It’s matter of not only sharing that place, but also keeping it cool.

Phil Castle is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or phil@thebusinesstimes.com.