A record 10.4 million overnight visitors came to Denver in 2005, up 5 percent over the previous year, according to data released Tuesday by the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.
While here, they spent a total of $2.43 billion at local hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops, up from $2.32 billion in 2004.
And with a $23 million boost to tourism funding in the pipeline, more growth is on the horizon, industry leaders believe.
But how will the return on investment be measured?
Denver voters last fall approved an additional $4 million to market the city, and Gov. Bill Owens signed a bill this month that increases the state’s tourism budget to $19 million.
The visitor data released Tuesday will be a good benchmark against which to gauge the impact of the increased funding going forward, said Richard Scharf, president and chief executive of the bureau. The data came from a survey conducted for the bureau by Toronto-based market- research firm Longwoods International.
“Hopefully, what we’re seeing is this is a positive trend for the future – more visitors and more spending,” he said. “We still have room to grow.”
This fall, the bureau plans to survey key markets to determine the impact of its new $3 million advertising campaign, which features the tagline, “How will Denver awaken you?”
Launched last month, the campaign focuses on drawing new leisure travelers to the city.
“This extra money will allow the bureau to continue to get a larger share of travelers,” said Eugene Dilbeck, the former bureau chief who is now executive director of the Center for Travel & Tourism at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. “City trips have been on the rise for the past several years, and Denver is poised to benefit more from that.”
Business travel rebounded significantly in Denver last year. It was up 25 percent, to 2.5 million, topping pre-9/11 levels. Attendance at the Colorado Convention Center, which completed a $310 million expansion in late 2004, grew from 571,797 people that year to 927,145 people last year.
“The convention center has performed so well since the expansion,” said Ann Wil liams, spokeswoman for Denver’s Division of Theatres & Arenas, which runs the building. “All these conventioneers and trade shows coming in are having a direct positive effect on the businesses in downtown Denver and surrounding area.”
Business travelers are typically the biggest spenders, averaging $97 per person per day in 2005. Total business- traveler spending grew from $700 million in 2004 to $820 million last year.
“Marketable” tourists – defined as people not visiting friends or relatives who specifically chose to visit Denver – grew 7 percent to 3.2 million people. They spend an average of $91 per person per day.
Visitors staying with friends and relatives declined slightly, from 4.9 million in 2004 to 4.7 million last year. They spend only $42 a day on average.
“Last year was a very good year, and I’m thrilled to say that this year is going even better,” said Chuck Freije, general manager of the Adam’s Mark Hotel. “It says a lot about Denver.”
The 16th Street Mall was once again Denver’s top free attraction, followed by the Lower Downtown historic district and the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. The Denver Zoo was the top paid attraction.
The top states that visitors came from were Colorado, California, Texas, Illinois and Wyoming.
Statewide visitor numbers are expected to be released next month.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-820-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
