Tourists are visiting both Colorado and Denver in slightly higher numbers and staying slightly longer – but they may be spending less per person while they’re here.
Those are the findings of two annual travel trend studies released Wednesday. Tourism officials greeted the results with guarded optimism, predicting the growth will continue through this year.
“There is a direct correlation between the increase in tourism and the strengthening of our economy,” said Peter Meersman, Colorado Tourism Office chairman.
The annual Longwoods International study, commissioned by the tourism office, counted 25.8 million overnight visitors to the state in 2004, up 4 percent over 2003. Those visitors accounted for slightly more spending than a year earlier – $7.3 billion in 2004, up from $7.1 billion in 2003.
Another Longwoods study, commissioned by the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, documented a 2 percent increase in Denver visits – 9.9 million overnight trips in 2004, up from 9.7 million in 2003. The total spending remained at roughly $2.3 billion.
The largest number of Colorado visitors – 11.2 million – came in 2004 to stay with friends and relatives, up 7 percent over 2003.
Ralph and Carol Enos, retirees from Orange, Calif., find themselves in that group. They drove to Denver in their motor home to spend three days with old friends.
“This downtown area is super,” Carol Enos said Wednesday as the couple waited for a 16th Street Mall shuttle bus. “I just bought a Colorado charm for my charm bracelet.”
“Friends and relatives” visitors like the Enoses spent an average of $39 per day, according to the Denver study, less than half the daily amount spent by business travelers.
Business travel dropped by 2 percent statewide but increased by 4 percent in Denver last year. Even so, total business travel spending in the city declined by $80 million, to $700 million.
The Westin Tabor Center said it saw a 15 percent increase in business travelers in 2004.
“That was the first time in several years we saw that kind of growth,” Westin general manager Dani Stein said. “Business travel is very important to us because of the frequency of stay and the money they pay.”
The number of visitors who came to enjoy the scenery or participate in outdoor activities declined last year, while those taking ski trips held steady. Business-pleasure, casino, city and country-resort trips all showed incremental growth.
Colorado guests, on average, stayed longer in 2004 than in past years – 6.3 nights, up from 5.8 nights in 2003.
Colorado spent $4.9 million on tourism advertising in 2004, every dollar of which generated $18.10 in tax revenue, according to the study.
“We have gotten a very, very good return on our marketing investment,” Meersman said. “And we have a lot of momentum going forward.”
This year, the tourism office has only $3 million to spend on marketing efforts, which means the state will stop running tourism ads after September.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-820-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
