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In 2023, Colorado welcomed an impressive 93.3 million visitors who contributed $28.3 billion to the state’s economy. This surge in tourism spending helped sustain 188,000 jobs and generated $1.8 billion in state and local tax revenue. The momentum in Colorado’s tourism sector continues to thrive, maintaining a strong upward trajectory since 2010, with the exception of the pandemic years that temporarily disrupted global travel.
The year 2023 marked new milestones, with both visitor numbers and spending hitting record highs. For comparison, back in 2014, a then-record 71.3 million visitors spent $18.6 billion in the state.
According to Longwoods International, a research firm specializing in visitor impact analysis since the 1980s, Colorado has seen a significant increase in tourism, particularly following ad campaigns that promote the state as a prime vacation spot. Colorado was the first state to collaborate with Longwoods in 1986 to measure tourism impacts. In 2023, the Colorado Tourism Office allocated $12.7 million towards media advertising, with $11 million dedicated to the long-running “Come To Life” campaign and the remainder supporting the “Do Colorado Right” ads, which emphasize safety in outdoor activities.
Travelers influenced by these marketing efforts booked approximately 21.6 million overnight stays in 2023, a slight 4% decrease from the previous year. However, visits to friends and family reached a new peak, with 14.8 million nights, up 14% from 2022. Overnight visitors spent $22.9 billion, while a record 53.8 million day-trippers contributed an additional $5.5 billion, nearly equally divided between in-state and out-of-state visitors.
Of the overnight trips, around 5 million were outdoor enthusiasts, 2.7 million were for special events, and 1.1 million were resort stays. Additionally, 2 million involved city stays, and 1.3 million were casino visits.
A detailed economic review by Dean Runyan and Associates, who have also long studied Colorado’s tourism trends, showed that the $28 billion spent by visitors in 2023 supported 188,000 jobs, an increase of 5% or 9,450 jobs compared to 2022. These workers earned a collective $9.9 billion, reflecting a 13% rise from the previous year.
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