Tired of watching a steady stream of skiers land at Denver International Airport and head straight for the hills, dozens of Denver businesses are ramping up their marketing efforts to keep those travelers – and their cash – in town overnight.
“We want to encourage people to stop and explore Denver either before or after their ski trip,” said Jane Buck, vice president of tourism for the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The easiest fruit to get is the people who are already coming to Colorado.”
No one tracks the number of skiers who include a Denver stopover as part of their vacation, but roughly 5.4 million skiers flew into the state last season and 68 percent of them landed at DIA, according to Colorado Ski Country USA.
If even 10 percent of them stop for the night, metro Denver hotels could see an extra $50 million a year.
The Timbers, a new, upscale hotel just off Interstate 70 at Peoria Street, wants to attract skiers who land at DIA late at night or have an early flight out.
The hotel is working to set up partnerships with hotels and destination management companies in Vail, Aspen and Winter Park. It is offering the mountain properties a $10 incentive for each room night they refer to The Timbers, along with a $10 discount for the booking agents’ guests.
“Due to our location, it makes sense for us to build these partnerships,” said Timbers director of sales Laurel Arthur. “We’re doing anything we can to make us a stop for skiers because they’re an attractive customer.”
To help visitors acclimate to Colorado’s high altitude, the Hotel Teatro created the Altitude Adjustment package. Rooms start at $225 per night and come equipped with complimentary lip balm, sunscreen and bottled water. Last winter, guests bought 137 such packages.
“(The promotion) has been very successful,” said general manager Coni Thornburg. “Altitude sickness can be very serious, so this is the perfect stopover for people coming from sea level to adjust, hydrate and sleep.
“Plus, not everyone skis, so it’s nice to stop in Denver and do some shopping and city things before going up to the mountains. It makes for a well-rounded vacation.”
The Denver Pavilions has offered its own promotion for the past three winters, the Shop, Dine & Ski package. Shoppers who spend $200 at the downtown mall on any single day between Nov. 25 and Dec. 31 can choose between a $25 gift certificate to a Pavilions restaurant or a free Steamboat ski area lift ticket.
“It’s part of our intention to keep visitors in downtown Denver for a bit, hopefully to visit our retail locations, dining and entertainment,” said spokeswoman Bethany Garner.
Denver hosted 9.9 million overnight visitors who spent $1.62 million in 2004, up from $1.49 billion in 2003, according to Longwoods International, a strategic research firm.
Colorado also is attracting more international visitors than in past years, due to the weakened dollar.
The state’s ski resorts saw a 28 percent jump in international visitors last season, hosting 200,000 more foreign skiers and snowboarders than came in 2003.
Looking to continue that trend, Denver’s convention bureau has convinced more than a dozen foreign tour operators to include an overnight city stay as part of their ski packages. One German tour operator saw a 20 percent jump last year in requests for pre- and post-ski stops in Denver and is projecting strong demand again this year.
“The more awareness there is of Denver as a destination, the more we’re going to see of the ski customer,” Buck said.
The Cherry Creek Shopping Center offers a Passport to Shopping package in partnership with Loews Denver Hotel, and they see a “significant increase” in the number of foreign shoppers during the ski season, according to spokeswoman Lisa Herzlich.
“We know that one of the most important things they want to do when they’re here is shop,” she said.
The Colorado Ski Train focuses more on attracting the drive-in visitor. It offers lodging and ticket packages with the Grand Hyatt Denver, the Oxford Hotel and the Four Points by Sheraton Denver Southeast.
“A surprising number of people from Wyoming, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs take advantage of the packages,” said Ski Train president Jim Bain. “And we’re looking to do more of that. We want to make Denver a ski town.”
Pam Rajala and her husband, who recently moved to Grand Junction from Gillette, Wyo., drive to Denver several times each winter to take the Saturday Ski Train to Winter Park. They spend the rest of the weekend shopping and eating out at downtown restaurants such as Marlowe’s.
“The whole purpose is to have a complete weekend – wonderful skiing and wonderful city time,” she said.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-820-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
9.9 million overnight visitors came to Denver in 2004, up 2% from 2003; 13.3 million people passed through
Denver, but did not stop and visit.
$1.62 billion spent by tourists in the city in 2004, up from $1.49 billion in 2003.
5.4 million skiers flew into Colorado last season, with 68 percent landing at DIA, according to trade group Colorado Ski Country USA.
