Colorado tourism officials are hoping that some of the $700 billion the government spends to prop up Wall Street trickles down to the state in the form of vacations and business trips.
“If a plan is put together that helps the economy, that should also help tourism,” said Matt Cheroutes, spokesman for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “Having a fundamentally sound economy is critical for tourism.”
High oil prices and rising unemployment are likely to put a dent in Colorado’s winter travel season. A weak dollar could soften the blow by attracting more foreign visitors.
“I have seen a definite softening of demand this year from a year ago, particularly on the domestic side. International remains quite strong,” said Bill Tomcich, president of Stay Aspen/Snowmass, the largest lodging-reservation agency in the Roaring Fork Valley.
If consumers believe the economy is heading south, they may skip the ski vacation this year, he said.
“The news is coming at an auspicious time in our booking cycle,” he said. “We are very concerned and watching matters very closely.”
Responding to the economy, several ski areas have rolled out special promotions, said Colorado Ski Country USA spokeswoman Jennifer Rudolph.
The Denver Metro Convention and Tourism Bureau expects revenue from lodging taxes to fall 3 percent or more in 2009, chief executive Richard Scharf said.
The group will launch its annual advertising campaign early in hopes of making a greater impact, Scharf said. The ads will focus on the the affordability of a vacation to Colorado, he said. The bureau also will continue to target regional travelers.
As for convention business, advance bookings are strong, but Scharf said he worries about the smaller late bookings that usually fill out the calendar.
Tourism rose 4 percent in 2007, and tourism spending rose 10 percent to $9.8 billion, according to state figures.
Cheroutes said the state is spending more advertising dollars on regional markets, and has increased marketing in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Mexico and Japan.
Greg Griffin: 303-954-1241 or ggriffin@denverpost.com
