Please come to Denver
Denver tourism had its best year ever in 2006 with 11.7 million overnight visitors coming to the city, according to Longwoods International in a study commissioned by the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.
That was a 13% increase over the 10.4 million overnight visitors who came to Denver in 2005, the largest single one-year increase in tourism in Denver’s history.
Leading the upward trend were increases in visits to friends and family, which jumped 17%; increases in “marketable” visitors (those who are not visiting friends or relatives and chose to visit Denver over other destinations), which climbed a record 12% in 2006 to 3.6 million visitors; and business travelers, who leaped 7% to 2.6 million, surpassing a national increase of 5%in 2006.
What’s behind the move?
One major factor was that in 2005, Denver voters approved Initiative 1A, which provided the Denver Metro CVB an additional $4 million for tourism marketing in 2006.
Some study findings:
—Last year eight in 10 leisure and business visitors to Denver traveled 500 miles or more to reach the city. This is double the mileage traveled to the average destination.
—Over time, there has been a gradual shift from very long trips to Denver from the East Coast to trips from more Western and Midwestern states. In 2006, eight in 10 business visitors to Denver arrived by air – twice the national average.
—In 2006, the most popular sights, attractions and events were LoDo (Lower Downtown Historic District), Coors Brewery, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the Denver Zoo, the Colorado State Capitol, the Colorado Rockies, the IMAX/Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Buffalo Bill’s Museum and Grave, the Denver Botanic Gardens, the U.S. Mint, the Downtown Aquarium, the Denver Art Museum, Elitch Gardens, Tiny Town and theatrical and musical performances.
—Marketable, discretionary visitors gave Denver high marks in 2006 for the city’s options for entertainment, pro sports events, theater and the arts, nightlife, the variety of things to see and do, museums, art galleries, parks and gardens, interesting architecture, landmarks, shopping, dining, recreation and mountain activities.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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