Day Trips Propel Colorado to 50.6 Million Total Visitors in 2008, an Increase in Overall Visitation according to Longwoods International
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Roland Alonzi / 212-219-7560, ext. 6765, ralonzi@mmgmardiks.com
Caitlin Sullivan / 970-372-6571, csullivan@mmgmardiks.com
Day Trips Propel Colorado to 50.6 Million Total Visitors in 2008, an Increase in Overall Visitation according to
Longwoods International
Colorado Remains Number One in Overnight Ski Trip Market Share,
Reveals a Double-Digit Increase in City Trips
DENVER (June 18, 2009) – Colorado welcomed a total of 50.6 million domestic visitors in 2008, a two percent increase over total visitation in 2007 according to The Colorado Travel Year Study 2008, a profile of Colorado’s visitors by research firm Longwoods International. The 2008 visitation number includes 27.4 million overnight domestic visitors, the second-largest total number of overnight visitors to the state since 1994. Colorado also had 23.2 million day trips, an increase of eight percent over the number of day trips taken in 2007 (21.5 million trips).
Aggregate spending by domestic overnight and day visitors totaled $10.9 billion, a slight decrease from 2007 when there was $11.1 billion in spending. Of the total expenditures in 2008, $9.6 billion was made by overnight visitors, the second highest amount recorded since 1994 (2007 saw $9.8 billion in overnight spending and $1.3 billion from day trips).
“With continued collaboration, hard work, innovative ideas and compelling offers, Colorado held its own in 2008, especially given the challenging year that destinations across the country faced due to the recession and the state of the travel industry,” said Rob Perlman, chairman of the Colorado Tourism Office Board of Directors. “The fact that we were able to weather the storm and still come through with these numbers reflects the continued appeal of Colorado to travelers around the world and, the importance of staying highly visible in this very competitive marketplace, even more so in a soft economy.”
Colorado’s overall marketing plan was created so that the organization can be flexible and adjust to changes in the marketplace and capitalize on emerging markets and audiences. For instance, the CTO shifted its marketing and communications efforts in 2008 to focus on regional and in-state travelers, just as the economy began to soften.
“It was a calculated strategy based on the growing national trend of close to home travel that we started to see last year,” said Kim McNulty, director of the Colorado Tourism Office. “However, we maintained a strong national presence, as Colorado is considered a long-haul destination.”
Colorado remains the top overnight destination for ski trips with18.3 percent market share. City trips to Colorado increased 16 percent in 2008 and now represent the fastest growing travel segment for the state. The growth of this segment, which has a market share of 4.4 percent nationally, is in line with other domestic U.S. destinations. Nationally, Colorado ranks 19th overall in market share of overnight trips, down slightly from 2.5 percent in 2007 to 2.4 in 2008.
To view the complete Longwoods International Colorado Travel Year Study 2008 presentation, visit http://www.colorado.com/ai/Longwoods_Colorado_2008_Travel_Year_Presentation.pdf
ABOUT LONGWOODS INTERNATIONAL
Longwoods International is a Toronto-based marketing research consulting firm. Established in 1978, Longwoods quickly developed a specialization in tourism research. In 1985, the company carried out the largest survey ever conducted on the travel behavior of the American public, to help guide the Canadian Government in developing advertising to the U.S. market. This study evolved into a syndicated quarterly study that now surveys over 2,000,000 U.S. travelers each year, providing destination marketing organizations with estimates of visitor volumes, visitor spending and other characteristics of those visiting their destination, competitive insights, etc. The company has also developed Longwoods R.O.Eye™, a method for quantifying the impact of a client’s marketing campaign on bottom-line sales, or visits and spending in the case of a destination. Current tourism clients include the U.S. Government (OTTI), New York City and New York State, Washington DC and the State of Washington, California, Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming, Ohio, Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan, Philadelphia, and others. Longwoods client base extends beyond tourism to include numerous major corporations/agencies in the U.S. and abroad, including Proctor and Gamble, RBC Royal Bank, Farmers Insurance, GM, Bell Canada, US Navy, US Postal Service, and Canada Post.
ABOUT COLORADO
Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine, and renowned ski resort areas. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of four major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 10 national parks and monuments, and 54 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, call 1-800-COLORADO or visit www.COLORADO.com. Media are invited to visit the Colorado Media Room at www.COLORADO.com/mediaroom.php for story ideas, press releases/press kits as well as high-resolution, downloadable photos and video for editorial use.
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