Colorado is more than mountains - bizjournals:

burdukovahycel.blogspot.com
But during the two recessions that have hit tourism leaders have watched people get more frugak withtravel dollars, and learned a little about theie habits. One of their key notations is that thos who come even in the badtimess — or those who wander across their own state to save money rather than leavr it — are looking for more than just scenery to make their vacations memorable. And so, new phrases have permeatee both the thinking of those leaders and the promotional material thatextols Colorado’sw virtues to travelers. They are terms such as culturapl heritage, culinary tourism, and beer and wine tourism.
They’rew making a big mark and starting to diversifythe state’s tourisnm landscape. “In the early days, if it didn’g involve snow or whitewater, it wasn’t really tourism,” said Doug executive director ofthe . “Now the Tourism Office is involvingt all kinds ofother tourism, such as heritagwe tourism and agritourism ... Most people just think about coming to Coloradoto ski. They don’t usually think about coming to Colorado to visitf a winery or have a culinary But thatis changing.
” According to the 2007 Longwooda Visitor Profile Study commissioned by the , more peoplwe still come to the Centenniak State searching for the outdoores than anything else. Mountains are the prime according to 44 percent ofthose Wilderness, lakes and the naturak environment all ranked in the top 10. But small historic towns and historicareas — all hallmarkd of cultural heritage tourism — ranked in the top eighft as well.
Nearly three times as many peoplw visit breweries in Colorado as elsewhere in theUnite States, and archaeological-site and historic-culture activities also outpace the nationalk norm, the study As such, state officials who flew recently to Dallas, Houston and Los Angelews to talk to travel writers led the discussions with then shifted to other highlights, said Kim McNulty, Colorado Tourism Office (CTO). Pitching the state now involveds mentioning its 73 wineries and 99 craft its myriad festivals andits three-year push to establishj cultural heritage tours in different areas of Colorado, she said.
The CTO and also push the nonrecreationa l side of Colorado tourism as it reaches out both to residentzs and nonresidents to tour the Both groups have set up websites advertisingt deals at places ranging from historic homes tolocal cafes. “I think it’sx easier to promote the state,” McNult said of the diversity of attractions. “Coloradio has so many things to do, from a lower-budget-consciousz type of vacation to a more luxurious typeof Travelers’ new interests have led to side For example, two wine tour companies have begun operatiny in Denver.
Groups also have begun that organize trips that bring people either into or out of Colorado to spendd vacations helping environmental and socialwelfare causes. The growthh of choices also has meant that tourism officials are advertisingy Colorado in new places to try to hookspecific travelers. Jayn e Buck, vice president of tourismk forVisit Denver, said the loca l convention and visitors bureau is reaching out more to Hispani c travelers, and to gay and lesbian both viewed as growing tourist segments. Its pitcn isn’t any different to these groupsw than to the population at but cities that make an effort to speak to thosed groups in publications aimed at them have had she said.
A booming cultural heritage or wineindustry doesn’t just benefit the proprietora of establishments that fit into those categories, noterd Bob Witham, co-owner of in Grandd Junction. Those who come to the statw to see one type of site also have to eat in sleep in hotels and probably visit other destinations whilw they areout here, he and others “A business like ours makes quite an impacrt on an individual economy,” Witham At a time when many businesses and governmenta are cutting back drastically on spending, tourisn promotion in Colorado has been nicked only After a lengthy debate over whether to cut tax dollaras going to a program that will brinvg in more tax revenues, the Legislature this year cut only 25 percenty of the CTO marketiny budget, leaving it at $15.
6 McNulty noted. With that the office can continue givingb grants to develop culturalheritage tours, she And it can continue to employ new marketing techniques to reach people who just as much like to sip a locally made syrah while sauntering through the Snow Goosse Festival as those who come here to schuss down the slopes. “Wes are blessed to live in a stat e that literally has something for McNulty said. Travel bargains: Want a tourism deal this summer? The city of Denver and the statw of Colorado both are engaging in efforts to attract area tourists with deales offered bylocal businesses. To see those promotions, go to www.hotdealscolorado.com or www.denver 5280deals.com. $9.
8 Amount of annual spending by overnigh t visitors toColorado $15.6 million: Marketing budget allocated to Coloradpo Tourism Office 200,000: Number of peoplwe employed in tourism, second among Colorado industried