• by Larissa Faw , May 21, 2018

The tourism boards of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota are revealing a new branding identity in an attempt to better attract international travelers to their five-state region.

This new makeover was developed by the states along with tourism marketing firm Rocky Mountain International and Wisconsin-based agency BVK. 

Formerly known as the Real America, the new "The Great American West" brand is designed to better represent and define the area's special Western attributes, particularly to those unfamiliar with generic regional differences. After all, what is "Real" America? 

"This new brand will set us apart in a highly competitive international marketplace as it will help tell the stories of the diverse offerings in our region," says James Scoon, director of global sales & services for the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

The new logo, brand and name will be used to promote the brand to tour operators, consumers and the media across seven key overseas markets, including The United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Benelux and Nordics.

The five states formed a multi-state international promotional cooperative in the early 1990s after realizing they are stronger together and can pool resources to better connect with travelers from those seven markets, while also growing general visitation.