Study shows Colorado Springs tourism and spending increased in 2023

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Visit Colorado Springs revealed on Thursday, June 20 that visitation and spending in Colorado Springs had increased in 2023.

A study from the 2023 Longwoods International Travel USA Visitor showed visitation was up from 24 million in 2022, to 24.8 million in 2023 while spending was 2.9 billion, up from $2.8 billion in 2022.

“Evaluating our visitation and spending from the last few years paints a picture of how our destination fared during and post-pandemic,” said Doug Price, President & CEO of VCOS. “In 2021, Colorado Springs was a popular choice due to the strength of our wide-open spaces and ample outdoor adventures that could be safely enjoyed. In 2022 and 2023, domestic leisure travel returned at full force and continued boosting our visitation.”

Some key findings from the research include:

• 75% of overnight travelers were repeat visitors, with 53% having visited within the last 12 months.
• 36% of overnight travelers noted the main purpose of their trip was visiting friends and family, 16% were touring and 12% visited for the outdoors.
• Most visitors (30%) came in July- September, 26% visited April-June, 23% visited October- December and 23% visited in January-March.
• 31% of travel parties had a member who required accessibility services. 74% were satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the ease of accessibility.
• Activities visitors engaged in during their trips were all higher than the U.S. norm, 68% of visitors did outdoor activities, 64% entertainment activities, 48% cultural activities.
• 62% of overnight travelers were very satisfied with their overall trip.

“Of the 2023 findings, some trends we look forward to diving into further include travelers visiting friends and family, as well as improving our efforts to help visitors with accessibility needs,” said Alexea Veneracion, Director of Communications at Visit Colorado Springs. “It’s typical that one of the main reasons travelers come to our destination is to visit friends and family. This stat points to the importance of tapping into residents to support tourism and know the best spots to recommend. It’s also vital for destination marketing organizations like ours ensure residents are informed on how to be good stewards of our parks, trails, and open spaces so they can educate their visitors who come to town.”

Colorado Springs is “Destination Verified” with Wheel the World, meaning the city provides various accessible experiences and excursions.

To read more about the impact of tourism in the Pikes Peak Region, VisitCOS.com

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