On Tuesday, July 28, Governor Polis and the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO), a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), announced that tourism contributed a record $29.2 billion to the Colorado economy in 2025, despite ongoing headwinds.
Annual research compiled by Dean Runyan Associates and Longwoods International Travel USA shows that tourism continues to be an important economic driver across Colorado.
However, indicators from 2025 and early 2026 continue to suggest that increasing competition, uncertainty related to federal policy changes and weather-related challenges are contributing to slower growth of Colorado’s tourism industry.
“Colorado is the best place to live, work, play and visit. Welcoming over 96 million visitors in 2025, Colorado’s thriving tourism industry supports our local economies, fosters adventures, and provides every Coloradan and visitors to experience all that our great state has to offer. With our world-class outdoor recreation, our breathtaking landscapes, and exciting cities and towns, its no surprise Colorado was a destination for almost 100 million people last year,” said Polis.
According to Dean Runyan Associates, the record $29.2 billion in traveler spending represents a modest 2 percent increase over $28.5 billion in 2024. Tourism also directly supported 187,860 jobs across the state that are dedicated to serving visitors. While this represents a decline of 0.6 percent, worker earnings rose 1.6 percent to $10.5 billion.
Travel generated $1.91 billion in state and local tax revenue, an increase of 1.9 percent over 2024. Additionally, according to Longwoods International Travel USA, visitation to Colorado increased by 1.4 percent, from 95.4 million visitors in 2024 to 96.8 million visitors in 2025.
“With over 96 million visitors, Colorado’s tourism industry proved its resilience in 2025. These numbers demonstrate that Colorado remains a premier destination for travelers, and our focus remains on innovative strategies that enhance our unique visitor experience while ensuring this vital industry continues to drive economic mobility for residents across the state,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director of OEDIT.
Competition for travelers and the associated traveler spending is increasing across the U.S. Colorado’s 2 percent growth in visitor spending is consistent with peer states like California, which saw an increase of 1.7 percent. However, U.S. travel spending grew by 4.2 percent in 2025, more than double Colorado’s growth. Colorado’s market share has also continued to decrease, dropping from a high of 2.3 percent in 2019 to 1.79 percent in 2025.
In addition to increasing competition, 2026 numbers indicate that communities across the state are seeing fluctuations in visitation related to weather-related challenges, including lower-than-average snowfall and the proximity of wildfires. Some communities, including mountain resort destinations, have experienced seasonal declines in visitation as high as nearly 40 percent due to these conditions.
“Colorado’s tourism industry continues to be a powerful economic driver, contributing a record $29.2 billion to our state’s economy in 2025,” said Timothy Wolfe, director of the CTO. “While the statewide numbers are encouraging, we also recognize that destinations across Colorado are experiencing different challenges — from increased competition to weather-related impacts. We remain committed to working alongside our partners to help communities adapt while continuing to inspire the world to explore Colorado responsibly and respectfully.”
Other notable results from the Longwoods International and Dean Runyan Associates studies included:
• Further analysis of the 2 percent increase in visitor spending shows that after accounting for inflation real growth increased approximately 1.7 percent. This indicates travelers purchased more goods and services and did not just pay higher prices.
• In 2025, every $1 million in travel-related spending resulted in six jobs for the industry.
• The top travel markets for Colorado included Colorado, California, Texas, New York and Florida.
• Denver and the surrounding metropolitan area remained Colorado’s largest travel economy at about $14.2 billion, nearly half (48.5 percent) of all travel spending in the state.
• For 2025 overnight visitors, the average length of stay was 3.3 nights.
• The top activities and experiences for overnight visitors were outdoor and entertainment activities, followed by cultural and sporting activities.
• 22 percent of travel parties had a member that required accessibility services, notably above the U.S. norm of 17 percent.
To view the full reports for The Economic Impact of Travel in Colorado 2025 and Colorado 2025 Visitor Research, visit https://oedit.colorado.gov/tourism-research.
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