Tourism sets record with $29.2B in boost to Colorado economy last year, governor's office says

The Colorado Tourism Office announced on Tuesday that tourism contributed a record $29.2 billion to the Colorado economy last year. The research was released by Gov. Jared Polis' office with the CTO, which is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Polis' office said that the report shows that tourism continues to be an important economic driver across Colorado. His office did warn that indicators from last year and earlier this year suggest that an increase in competition, uncertainty related to federal policy changes and weather-related challenges all contribute to slower growth of the state'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 in a statement. 

Last year's record is a 2% increase over $28.5 billion in 2024, according to the report. Polis' office also said tourism directly supported 187,860 jobs across the state that are dedicated to serving visitors. 

The report states that travel generated $1.91 billion in state and local tax revenue, an increase of 1.9% over 2024. According to Longwoods International Travel USA, visitation to Colorado increased by 1.4%, from 95.4 million visitors in 2024 to 96.8 million visitors in 2025. 

The research indicates that Colorado has competition from states like California, which fell short of Colorado's growth in tourism spending. Last year's numbers also indicate that visitation to the state is impacted by weather-related challenges like lower-than-average snowfall and the proximity of wildfires. Some mountain communities have experienced seasonal declines as high as 40% because of those 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 Colorado Tourism Office, in a statement. "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% increase in visitor spending shows that after accounting for inflation, real growth increased approximately 1.7%. 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 6 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%) 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% of travel parties had a member that required accessibility services, notably above the US norm of 17%.