Nonresident survey: 89% of respondents have visited Greeley; image and marketing seen as priority

GREELEY, Colo. — City staff presented results of a nonresident survey at a July work session showing mostly positive perceptions among people who have visited Greeley and identifying awareness and marketing as the biggest barriers to attracting more visitors.

Nelvis Alvarez, a city engagement manager, introduced the nonresident survey, and Robert Heacock of ETC Institute presented findings based on 807 responses from Colorado and Wyoming residents (margin of error ±3.4%). The survey excluded responses from Greeley, Evans and Garden City.

Heacock told council that 89% of respondents said they had visited Greeley. Among respondents with a visit history, perceptions were “very positive or at least not negative” across categories such as higher education, agricultural opportunities, health care and dining. The most common visit reasons were visiting family or friends, work/business, dining and shopping; fewer respondents cited college or sporting events.

Respondents identified a lack of knowledge about what Greeley offers as a principal barrier to increased visits, along with preferences for nearby cities and a perceived lack of things to do. Heacock recommended drilling into awareness gaps and using the results to guide marketing investments.

“We want to understand what brings people to Greeley and what factors would encourage them to visit more often,” Heacock said. He noted the survey was intended to provide a baseline for the city’s nascent visitor marketing program and to inform where limited marketing dollars can be applied.

Council members asked about specific categories—Councilor Debuti pressed for a definition of “agricultural opportunities,” which the presenters said likely reflected respondents’ perception of the region’s agricultural economy and related events such as rodeos and the Greeley Stampede.

Staff suggested the results will help the city prioritize promotion of lesser‑known attractions (for example, the jazz festival) while continuing to support well‑known assets like the Greeley Stampede and UNC athletics. Alvarez and Heacock said the city can use the survey as a baseline and conduct follow‑up efforts to drill down on specific barriers and potential markets.

Sources: Presentation at the Greeley City Council work session, July 2025; nonresident survey presentation by Robert Heacock, ETC Institute; staff presentation by Nelvis Alvarez.