Where do most of the tourists come from? (Denver, Colorado Springs: rent, hotels)

[GlobalistPotato]

As the title says. Do most come from out of state, or are the majority of tourists already in Colorado?

What states send the most tourists to Colorado?

Are most of the markets accessible from Denver?

What mode of travel do the tourists use? Plane, Auto, RV, bus, train?

[Hipchik]

Call or email the state tourism bureau. They should have that info.
The Official Site of Colorado Tourism - Colorado Travel Guide, Vacation Planning & Trip Ideas | Colorado.com 1.800 COLORADO (1.800.265.6723)

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by GlobalistPotato

As the title says. Do most come from out of state, or are the majority of tourists already in Colorado?

What states send the most tourists to Colorado?

Are most of the markets accessible from Denver?

What mode of travel do the tourists use? Plane, Auto, RV, bus, train?

You are asking questions that really don't have pat answers. Is a day-tripper from Denver (or wherever in Colorado) a "tourist" or just somebody out for a day in the mountains? If you count them as "tourists," then they comprise a major component of Colorado travelers.

Tourists come from just about every state and a lot of foreign countries. Measured by numbers, Texas and California probably constitute two of the major states--because both have large populations and are in within a 1-2 day drive from Colorado.

Define "accessible" from Denver. At least for today, if you define "accessible" as being within a day's drive, then the whole state is pretty much "accessible." If you mean by commercial air carrier, that's something else. Amtrak or bus? Not a whole lot, by comparison.

Most tourists travel within Colorado by automobile (which I think is going to become a major problem for the Colorado tourist industry as fuel prices and availability become chronically problematic in the years ahead). Many tourists from distant locales will fly into Denver or Colorado Springs (or even Phoenix or Salt Lake City, depending on their Colorado destination) and then rent a car to get where they want to go. Again, I think that is going to cause major problems to the Colorado tourist industry as air service implodes with what is coming for fuel prices, etc. Yes, there are lot of RV'er's who travel to Colorado, and I think that is another tourist segment that will likely disappear when fuel costs explode.

[jim9251]

I think the entire state of Texas closes in summer and comes to Ouray County.

[vegaspilgrim]

Lately I've been noticing more Missouri plates than ever before. A lot of Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa as well.

[Backintheville2]

Texas, California, New York, Illinois and the states bordering Colorado. Most of those (from the non bordering states) fly in. That is my opinion from 9 years working for an airline at DIA. Luckily, I got out and came back to Texas. Nothing against Colorado, it was wonderful. It was just time to get home.

[davidv]

I guess it is all in how you define tourist. If a person who comes to Colorado from another state to visit, is he a tourist? What if he comes and leaves in the same day, is he still a tourist or does he have to spend the night? What if the person is visiting relatives, does that count?

If you are talking about counting the number people who visit from out of state, then the answer is probably the bordering states, as many of the people who live in southern Wyoming, western Nebraska, western Kansas often visit the state 3-6 times a year to shop, see shows, watch professional sporting events, attend concerts, use the airport, etc. Many come for the day and return home at night. Other bordering states probably don't send as many because either they can do these things in their own state (SLC, PHX, and ABQ all have these types of amenities)

[DOUBLE H]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Lately I've been noticing more Missouri plates than ever before. A lot of Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa as well.

I see a fair amount of these folks as well. I live just off I-70 west of Grand Junction and see the cars gas up at the exit 19 truck stop. Lots of people from the heartland states for sure come through here, also quite a bit of Wisconsin and Minnesota people as well. We'll get the first wave of out of staters the weekend before Memorial Day weekend when JUCO fires up, which is the junior college world series held in Grand Junction at Suplizio Field (12th and North).

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by davidv

I guess it is all in how you define tourist. If a person who comes to Colorado from another state to visit, is he a tourist? What if he comes and leaves in the same day, is he still a tourist or does he have to spend the night? What if the person is visiting relatives, does that count?

When I used to work in the travel and transportation industry we generally considered any non-business trip from home of over 100 miles one way as vacation travel.

[CosmicWizard]

Last August I played a game to see how long it would take me to spot a license plate from all 50 states. Every morning I would walk thru the parking lots of several hotels along Horizon Drive in Grand Junction. Now almost 8 months later, I still have not spotted a plate from Delaware. I had spotted at least one plate from all of the other states by the end of October. If memory serves me correctly, I spotted at least 40 the first week. I'd spot multiple plates from WY, UT, CA, TX, NE, OK, NM, AZ, ID, & NV every day. I'd see plates from Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Louisiana, & the Dakotas on most days. Surprisingly I'd see Hawaii & Alaska plates quite often too. I remember the last 4 that seemed to take forever were Delaware ( yet to be spotted ), South Carolina, Rhode Island, & New Hampshire. The other 46 I had spotted within a period of 2 or 3 weeks.