What happens when thousands of people descend on small rural towns for a special event? The result can be anything between mayhem and a magic shot in the arm for the local economy. 

This summer, the Enduro World Series, an international mountain biking event, will include a weekend of events at Burke Mountain in Vermont. The Enduro expects to attract 2,000 to 5,000 visitors – all of whom will need lodging, food, transportation, parking, and attractions to give them a satisfying experience during their visit.  

In anticipation of the Enduro and other regional events, the Center has been supporting community leaders and institutions in Island Pond, Burke, Lyndon, and St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to work together to develop and manage tourism that can be sustainable and beneficial to the communities. This work, an outgrowth of our Rural Tourism Academy, uses a collaborative approach to sustainable tourism on a geographic scale that’s natural from the perspectives of visitors and the destination itself.  

 “By working together, all of our communities can benefit from the opportunities–and better cope with the challenges—brought by world-class events like the Enduro,” said Gillian Sewake, director of Discover St. Johnsbury. “The Center’s ability to bring our communities together has created a new and beneficial model that we can use to improve our regional capacity to host big events in a way that provides benefits for visitors and residents alike.” 

 With local partners, we are curating resources for Enduro spectators to explore and experience the Kingdom with the aim to distribute visitors across the region, spreading the benefits throughout the economy. This curated list will live on the Northeast Kingdom’s GetNEKedVT website, our destination marketing program in the Kingdom. 

 “I think the impact of this collaboration is much wider than just addressing a single event, Enduro,” said Nicole Gratton, planning director of the Town of Lyndon. “I think the time spent with the other collaborating communities over the past year has strengthened our relationship. I know I can lean on the surrounding towns to ensure a large event can be planned more efficiently and effectively. We are much stronger together than apart!”