Colorado Tourism Report

Colorado Travel Year 2011
Online Report
June, 2012
Table of Contents
Page
Background and Purpose Method Highlights & Conclusions Key Findings Detailed Findings Size & Structure of the U.S. Travel Market Size & Structure of Colorados Travel Market The Competitive Environment Travel and Tourism Spending in Colorado 2011 Leisure Travel Profile Sources of Leisure Travel Business Visitor Profile Trip Characteristics Profiles of Colorados Key Travel Segments 3 5 7 14 48 49 53 72 80 99 100 111 131 160
Background and Purpose
Longwoods International was engaged by the Colorado Tourism Office to conduct a program of visitor research for the 2011 travel year. The purposes of the visitor research were to:
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provide data on the size of Colorados travel market and the volume of expenditures it generates provide intelligence on:
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the competitive environment Colorados key sources of business the Colorado traveler profile trip characteristics
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trip planning, transportation, accommodations, dining, sports, recreation, sightseeing, entertainment, etc.
Colorados product delivery in terms of over 70 destination attributes
Background and Purpose
Throughout this report we emphasize leisure travel to the state, especially the ski trips, touring trips and outdoors trips that are Colorados largest vacation travel segments. Since 2007, day trips have been included in the reporting on a limited basis. Information on day trip visitor volume, expenditures and demographics is provided. Nonetheless, the primary focus of the study remains on overnight travel. Where appropriate, comparisons are made with data from previous research. In addition, U.S. travel norms are provided to put the data for Colorado in perspective.
Method
Overview
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The Visitor Study consists of quarterly random samples drawn from the MarketTools online consumer panel which comprises 5,000,000 U.S. households recruited to match population characteristics (parameters include sex, age, income, household size/composition, and geographics, within census division). The panel is continuously refreshed to maintain this balance.
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For this study, to achieve as close to a representative sample as possible, a random sample of respondents is drawn each quarter
Panelists are not paid per se, but provided with points which they can redeem for a selection of goods and services. MarketTools has established guidelines to minimize over-participation of respondents in surveys through the course of a year, including prohibition of more than one travel-related survey (or any other category) in a 12-month period. And the panel is refreshed with new respondents on a continual basis, with a general estimate of 100% refreshment over a two year period. Participants in Longwoods surveys are not pre-notified that they will be asked to complete a travel-related survey.
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Method
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Visitor Research
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A representative sample of Colorado visitors was identified through Travel USA, Longwoods annual syndicated survey of the U.S. travel market. Travel USA contacts 2 million U.S. households annually. The respondents are members of the MarketTools consumer online panel which is balanced statistically to be representative of the U.S. online population in terms of key demographic characteristics:
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because the online population differs in some respects from the general population, we draw samples based on general population characteristics and weight final data to Census data on various demographics, including age, gender, income, household composition and population density
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Travel USA is conducted quarterly and the travel patterns of a randomly selected sample of adult (18+) panel members are identified. From these quarterly studies we identified 2,797 Colorado overnight visitors In 2011, who completed a survey about their trip.
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For a sample of this size, the error range within the sample at the 95% confidence level is + / 2.0 , based on statistical probability. When comparing results on a year-to-year basis, the interval is + / 2.8%,
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Travel USA also identified and surveyed 1,249 Colorado day visitors in 2011. Colorados overnight visitor numbers are tracked to a baseline established in 1992 using the annual rate of change in market share data (i.e., Colorados share of all U.S. trips, projected to the U.S. population)
Highlights & Conclusions
For the second year in a row, U.S. travel has continued its rebound from the downturns of 2008 and 2009. Travel volume grew by 3% overall in 2011, mainly reflecting a 4% increase in visits to friends and relatives and a 3% improvement in business travel. The recovery still seems hesitant as both of these increases are lower than what we saw in 2010, and discretionary leisure trips, i.e., the ones where consumers actually choose their destination and thus can be considered marketable, grew by only 1%. At the same time, we see hopeful signs in a return to growth for some of the higher budget trip types like city trips, country resort trips and theme park trips. Although other leisure trip purpose segments did not grow in 2011, the good news was that they mainly stayed flat or declined only slightly a welcome change versus the sharp declines of prior years.
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The year 2011 was one of mixed results for Colorado in terms of visitor volume. Although total overnight trip numbers remained the same as the year earlier, the total of 28.9 million trips still stands as the record for visitors in a single year. The number of visitors coming to Colorado on marketable leisure trips and business trips rose by 4%:
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And at 14.3 million, the number of marketable leisure visitors set a new record.
However, the counterbalance, and the reason for a flat overall picture, was a drop of 6% in the number of people coming to the state to visit friends and relatives. In 2011, Colorado welcomed more people on outdoors, special event, mountain resort and casino trips. Volumes of ski and city trips declined, while touring trips and combined business-leisure travel were flat. As marketable leisure travel to Colorado rose at a greater rate than this type of travel nationwide, Colorados overall share of marketable trips rose from 2.6% to 2.7%. Colorado continued to lead all states in the competitive overnight ski travel market, garnering just under 19% of all trips in 2011.
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Overnight visitors expenditures rose by 6% in 2011 to $9.4 billion, led by tourists who spent 7% more than in 2010:
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The expenditures of people visiting Colorado on marketable trips reached $5.3 billion, 5% more than in 2010 A 7% increase in the spending of people visiting friends and relatives brought total expenditures for that segment to $3.0 billion for the year
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There was also a 1% increase in spending by business visitors. The rise in spending benefited all five of the main business sectors affected by travel and tourism.
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Expenditures on transportation rose the most, gaining 13%, and spending on lodging rose 7%. Retail purchases by travelers increased 4% in 2011, while spending on food/ beverage and on recreation, sightseeing and attractions each grew by 3%.
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Following several years of declines in the proportion of leisure visitors visiting from out-of-state, the level stabilized in 2011, and we see some instances of shifts towards more inbound travel, most notably in the key ski trip segment. The number of day trips to and within the state rose by 10% in 2011 to 28.9 million trips. And there was a 4% improvement in overall spending on those trips daytrippers spent a total of $1.4 billion in the state, up from $1.3 billion a year earlier.
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In summary, 2011 was, on balance, a good year for travel and tourism in Colorado:
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On the leisure side, balancing out a downturn in VFR travel, growth in marketable trips and market share in this segment can be attributed in part to the positive effects of maintaining a substantial budget for promoting the state, and the effectiveness of the CTOs marketing efforts using those dollars. Business travel continued to rebound Consumers seem to be leading the way in terms of increasing what they spend on travel to Colorado
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All of these indicators argue for continued strong support for funding of the CTO and its marketing programs. In terms of marketing focus and segmentation, the research clearly shows that the top segments of interest, value and opportunity for Colorado continue to be skiers in winter and touring vacationers in summer.
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The challenges in marketing Colorado to skiers include their low incidence, plus the fact that they are very resort-focused, i.e., they dont do much beyond skiing. In addition, our earlier research on Colorados image as a ski destination suggests that image is not an issue Colorado is the platinum standard. Therefore, the focus for the CTO in winter advertising should be on ensuring Colorado remains top-of-mind, and ultimately on helping to close the sale, since the state is a relatively long-haul destination. For spring/summer marketing, touring vacationers remain the logical choice around whom to focus targeting and messaging. With their relatively high vacation budgets and interest in a broad spectrum of experiences, from urban pursuits to nature and the outdoors, touring vacationers are the segment most likely to bring the benefits of tourism to every part of the state. In order to maximize the potential of this segment (right now, they are not staying very long in the state), the CTO needs to ensure that these travelers become more familiar with the broad range of urban and rural attractions and activities available to them. In addition, it is worthwhile considering the development and promotion of groupings/packages of similar product, driving routes, etc. that simplify way-finding for vacationers and encourage them to stay longer.
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Key Findings
National Trends in Tourism
Following the economic belt-tightening of 2008 and 2009, leisure travel nationwide in 2011 continued the upward momentum of 2010 and recovered some more of the ground lost during the recession:
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nationally, visits to friends and relatives rose by 3% versus 2010 There was a 1% increase in overnight marketable leisure trips, i.e., the discretionary leisure trips most subject to influence by marketing and promotional activity
Business travel also continued its national rebound in 2011, growing by 3%, and adding to the gain of the previous year:
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Though still remaining 30% below the last peak in this type of travel recorded in 2000 and 2001
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National Trends in Tourism

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Looking at the marketable leisure trip segments of interest to Colorado, we observe the following trends:
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The market for ski trips across the country continued to contract, dropping 4% in 2011 likely the result of a late Easter and warm early winter weather in the Northeast in the latter part of the year Special event travel slipped 2%, while outdoor and casino trips dropped 1% over the year Gas prices started rising again, so we see that touring trips remained flat on a year-to-year basis A great deal of the gains in marketable travel were due to sharp increases in city trips and country resort trips, both of which were hit hard during the economic downturn:
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Both were up 11% in 2011
And there were upticks in theme park vacations (4% higher) and combined business-leisure trips (up 1%). All of these gains were among the types of travel with typically higher than average spending, which suggests that spending belts may be loosening, and pent-up demand being released.
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Colorado Travel in 2011
Travel to Colorado on overnight trips in 2011 remained flat at the previous years record of 28.9 million visitors, reflecting mixed results across the major travel segments. On the positive side:
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Marketable trips grew by 4% to 14.3 million visits, setting a new record. Business travel increased at the same rate.
However, after setting a record in 2010, the number of trips to visit friends and relatives in Colorado softened by 6% to 11.0 million visits over the year. Day travel to and within Colorado continued to improve, rising by 10% to 28.9 million trips in 2011.
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Colorados Key Segments
Colorado welcomed the following number of visitors in each of the states core marketable overnight travel segments: 2010 2011 ! Touring trips 3,060,000 3,120,000 ! Outdoor trips 2,680,000 2,890,000 ! Special event trips 2,000,000 2,140,000 ! Ski trips 1,470,000 1,330,000 ! Combined business-leisure trips 1,440,000 1,440,000 ! City trips 1,190,000 1,080,000 ! Casino 910,000 1,090,000 ! Country resort trips 630,000 770,000
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On a year-to-year basis, Colorado recorded the following changes in the various segments shown above:
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By and large Colorado moved opposite to national trends, posting gains in the outdoors, touring, special event, and casino segments in 2011. Country resort trips also rose as they did nationwide. Conversely, while the country as a whole experienced an increase in city and business-leisure trips, city trips to Colorado dipped slightly and business-leisure travel was flat. Overnight ski trips were also down. At the same time it should be pointed out that the incidence of skiing while on a Colorado trip, regardless of main trip purpose remained constant at approximately 8% in 2011.
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Longer term trends in these segments are as follows:

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The national ski market last peaked in the 2006-2008 period, with consistent decline since then. The year-over-year declines in overnight ski visitor volumes for Colorado are consistent with this trend. Although the volume of touring trips nationwide flattened out in 2011, touring trips to Colorado have increased for the past three years, setting a new record in 2011 of over 3.1 million visitors. Although there seems to be a nationwide resurgence in city trips just in the past year, Colorado peaked in this segment in 2009 and has seen a downward trend since then. In the past few years, outdoor trips across the country increased as people sought to save money on travel. This type of travel leveled off nationally in 2011 as people shifted to other types of more urban vacations. In contrast, outdoor trips to Colorado have grown steadily over the past two years, rising to a record level in 2011.
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Longer term segment trends (contd):

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Despite a nationwide uptick in 2011 for resort trips, the longer-term trend seems to be fairly flat. Nonetheless, Colorado continues to add visitors in this segment, more than doubling visitor numbers in this segment over the past 5 years or so. After several years of plateau, special event travel on a national basis fell in both 2010 and 2011. The longer term trend for Colorado appears to be fairly steady despite small annual shifts up and down. The longer term trend for casino trips nationally has been relatively flat for several years, likely a reflection of the economic situation. Despite the broad national picture, this segment continues to grow strongly in Colorado. The trends in combined business-leisure trips for both the nation and Colorado continue to be quite flat over the long term. A slight improvement at the national level in 2011 may signal a potential return to growth in this segment as the economy improves and demand increases.
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Market Share
Colorados overnight marketable trips rose 4% year over year, while this type of travel increased 1% on a national basis. As a consequence Colorado increased its overall share of the national market for this discretionary type of travel to 2.7%:
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In 2011, Colorado gained a ranking of 16th among the 50 states as a destination for marketable leisure trips, up from 17th the prior year
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Colorados share of overnight touring trips rose to 3.5%, the same as a prior peak in 2007. Colorado ranked 11th among the states as a touring destination in 2011 . Colorados share of outdoor trips increased to 3.9% which ranked it 9th among the states for this type of travel. In 2011, Colorado retained its number one ranking for ski trips across the country with an 18.6% share, which was down somewhat from 2010 (20%). Close-to-home ski destinations in the East picked up share from long haul destinations like Colorado. These pleasure and business travel volume estimates are based on trips taken by individuals 18 years of age or older, and include 11.7 million trips by residents of Colorado. Colorado had a 2.0% share of day trips nationwide in 2011.
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Expenditures
Total spending by domestic visitors to Colorado amounted to $10.76 billion in 2011, 6% more than the $10.15 billion spent in 2010. Overnight visitors expenditures increased with their numbers, rising by 6% to $9.4 billion in 2011. Spending improved among both leisure and business visitors:
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The expenditures of people visiting Colorado on marketable trips topped $5.3 billion, 5% more than in 2010 A 7% increase in the spending of people visiting friends and relatives brought total expenditures for that segment to $3.0 billion for the year And business travelers spent $1.1 billion in the state, a 1% increase over the prior year.
Day visitors spending rose to $1.38 billion in 2011, a 4% increase over 2010.
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Colorado residents, the majority (83%) of day visitors, accounted for 80% of day visitors expenditures in the state
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Expenditures
The increase in spending by overnight visitors benefited all of the five main business sectors affected by travel and tourism. Expenditures on transportation rose the most, gaining 13% to reach $2.15 billion in 2011, a reflection of higher car rental rates and gas prices. And spending on lodging rose 7% to $2.65 billion, a function of higher occupancy levels and increased room rates. Expenditures on food and beverage improved by 3% to $1.84 billion Spending on recreation, sightseeing and attractions grew by a similar amount (3%) to $1.46 billion. And retail purchases by travelers increased 4% to $1.29 billion in 2011.
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Expenditures
People staying in commercial accommodations when traveling in 2011 tended to spend more on things apart from lodging than those staying with friends/relatives or in other types of accommodations, and this also applied to Colorado visitors:
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in 2010, those staying in commercial lodging accounted for 68% of all travel spending in the state people staying in private homes and vacation properties contributed 23% of all travel expenditures 5% was spent by people staying in private or public campgrounds The remaining 3% was contributed by people staying in other types of accommodations
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People visiting Colorado in 2011 on marketable leisure trips spent, on average, $370 per person in the state over the course of their trip. In comparison, the typical business visitor spent $299, and a person on a VFR trip spent an average of only $271.
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The most valuable among the marketable trip segments were people on ski trips spending $1001 per capita, followed by country resort visitors ($427), touring vacationers ($371), and people on city trips ($341)
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Expenditures
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Colorado visitors on business-leisure and special event trips spent $322 and $303 per person, respectively, while people on outdoor trips ($286) and casino trips ($163) were the most economical in their spending
As we observed in prior years, the per capita expenditures of Colorado vacationers in both marketable and VFR segments were higher than their respective national averages: However, business travelers to Colorado in 2011 spent somewhat less than the norm for destinations ($299 in Colorado vs. $349 on a national basis). In 2011, the average expenditures of Colorado day visitors were also somewhat lower than the national average ($48 vs. $56). The higher leisure visitor spending in 2011 kept the inflation-adjusted total at parity with the 1992 benchmark. After regaining some ground lost against the benchmark as lately as 2008, subsequent declines in spending and increasing inflation have left business traveler spending at a substantial disadvantage to this benchmark.
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Sources of Business
In 2011 the West, consisting of the Mountain, West North Central and West South Central census regions, continued to provide the majority of Colorados tourists:
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71% of all overnight leisure trips originated in this broad region in 2011 Contributing 41% of overnight leisure travelers about the same level as in 2010
Colorado itself remained the top provider of vacationers:

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California and Texas continued to be the top out-of-state markets for overnight Colorado vacations, followed by:
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Arizona New Mexico Illinois Kansas New York Florida Nebraska Utah
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Sources of Business
In 2011, 1 in 10 Colorado overnight tourists originated from the Pacific region, with somewhat fewer coming from the South and Midwest. Only 1 in 20 vacationers visited Colorado from the Northeast. The top urban areas generating Colorados overnight tourists in 2011 were:
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Denver Colorado Springs Pueblo Albuquerque Santa Fe Grand Junction - Montrose Phoenix Los Angeles Dallas Ft. Worth Chicago Salt Lake City New York City
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Sources of Business
A very high proportion (83%) of Colorado day trips in 2011 originated within the state itself, similar to what we found in 2010 (83%). Most of the remaining day trippers visited from neighboring states such as Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Nebraska. The list of states providing day visitors also includes more distant places such as California and Texas, whose residents included Colorado on a day trip from a neighboring state or while passing through the region on a longer trip. The top urban sources of Colorado day trips in 2011 were the larger instate urban centers of Denver, Colorado Springs/Pueblo and Grand Junction/Montrose with the main regional out-of-state markets being Albuquerque/Santa Fe, Phoenix, Cheyenne/Scottsbluff and Salt Lake City:
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Other long haul markets made the top ten list (e.g., LA, Houston, Chicago, etc.), simply because of their size, but they should not be regarded as primary targets for marketing of day travel
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Colorados Overnight Leisure Travel Profile

Colorados overnight leisure visitors in 2011 were demographically very similar to vacationers nationwide in a number of respects:
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average age of 46 almost two-thirds are married 4 in 10 have kids/teens living at home over half have a college degree
There were just a few slight skews Colorado overnight vacationers in 2011 were:
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split fairly evenly by gender vs. a slight female skew nationally living in smaller households slightly lower household income
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Colorados Day Trip Profile
In 2011, people taking day trips to or within Colorado resembled daytrippers nationally in terms of:
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gender, i.e. skewed slightly female marital status a majority are married presence of children in the household Income employment education
People on Colorado day trips had the following differences compared to the norm:
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age average of 45 years old, slightly younger than the norm of 46 slightly smaller households
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Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics
Using the internet for trip planning is more prevalent among Colorado leisure visitors than it is among U.S. vacationers in general
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Half of Colorado visitors indicated they used the internet to help plan their trip 2011 trip, and to actually make a booking, compared to only 4 in 10 of their counterparts going to the typical destination Usage of the internet for these purposes for both Colorado and the U.S. in general appears to have plateaued
In the Longwoods Travel USA survey in 2010, we added a series of questions about usage of social media to help plan and converse about travel. The questions were not trip-specific, but rather about usage in the past 3 months:
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Our on-going research for other destinations has shown that use of social media for/on specific trips is still very low, i.e., less than 5% using social media sites, phone apps, etc, so in order to make incidence numbers more meaningful, we made the time frame for the questions broader than just a single trip
In 2011, just under half (48%) of Colorado leisure visitors and American vacationers in general indicated that they engaged in some travel-related activity via social media (a list of 14 common activities was provided), up slightly from 2010 (44%).
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The most common uses for social media in the past 3 months in this general context in 2011 for both Colorado vacationers and those visiting the average destination were:
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Using a smartphone while traveling (no specific purpose was specified) this has increased sharply since a year ago from 1 in 10 to 1 in 6 vacationers Posting travel photos and videos on social media websites Reading travel reviews Looking at other peoples travel photos
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As was the case in 2010, relatively few people get more involved or seek out specific information, such as:
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Learning about travel deals/promotions Seeking out or giving travel advice via social networking Reading/writing a travel blog or contributing travel reviews Subscribing to a travel newsletter Connecting with others interested in travel Following a destination on Facebook/Twitter Tweeting about a trip 33
However, for most of these activities, the general directional trend seems to be towards slightly increased usage relative to 2010.
The length of vacation trips to Colorado remained stable in 2011:

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the average Colorado leisure trip lasted just under 5 nights away from home, about the same as in 2010, though still well below the 7 nights average in 2000 the average U.S. leisure trip remained constant as well, remaining at 3.6 nights away from home for the past 4 years
Approximately 6 in 10 visitors who came to Colorado from out-of-state drove their own car or truck, while 4 in 10 arrived by plane:
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About one-quarter of non-Colorado residents rented a vehicle while visiting
In 2011, about 6 in 10 Colorado vacationers stayed in some form of commercial accommodation (hotel, motel, inn, B & B) on their trip, while a third stayed with friends/relatives:
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These proportions are the same as in 2010
Just under 1 in 10 rented a home, condo or cottage/cabin, or stayed in a campground, while a similar number stayed at a second home/timeshare.
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The typical Colorado leisure travel party numbered approximately 3 people in 2011:
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about the same as the national norm and unchanged versus 2010
The ratio of adults to children in the average Colorado and national travel party continued to be approximately 3 to 1. As we have observed for many years, the peak season for Colorado leisure travel is summer, and this held true for 2011 as well:
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Comparing 2011 to 2010, there was a very slight increase in winter and fall visitation and a corresponding drop in spring and summer traffic.
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In the Travel USA survey, respondents are asked about their participation in 38 different sightseeing, recreation, sports, and entertainment activities. On their trip in 2011, the most common pursuits for Colorado leisure visitors were:
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Shopping (37%) Visiting a national or state park (25%) Fine dining (21%) Visiting a famous landmark or historic site (19%) Hiking/backpacking (19%) Outdoor recreational activities such as swimming, camping, fishing, skiing and bicycling Local cultural venues including museums , art galleries and theater Breweries Places for entertainment and nightlife, e.g., bars/nightclubs, casinos, festivals/fairs Attractions such as zoos and theme parks
Other activities that vacationers less frequently took part in or visited included:
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Compared to the typical American vacation, a trip to Colorado more often includes activities and pastimes related to the mountains, such as visiting the national and state parks, hiking/ backpacking, skiing, camping, fishing, biking, mountain climbing, etc. In addition, Colorado tourists are more likely to take in a landmark or historic site, museum, brewery, spa, or zoo than other travelers. The types of activities that Colorado vacationers enjoyed in 2011 were virtually the same as what we saw in 2010, with the only difference being a slightly higher level of participation in shopping.
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In addition to enumerating the activities they engaged in, travelers were asked to identify which of several specific interests they had on their trip. Consistent with what we reported for the 2010 travel year, 3 in 10 Colorado vacationers in 2011 indicated that they were specifically interested in historic places on their trip, and almost as many said they were had an interest in cultural activities and attractions. There was a much lower level of expressed interest in culinary or wine experiences, eco-tourism or traveling with grand-children. The level of interest in cultural activities/attractions, culinary experiences and eco-tourism rose slightly versus 2010.. Versus the national norm, Colorado vacationers seem more interested in all of these types of travel but particularly historic, cultural and ecotourism.
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Segment Profiles Outdoor Trips
Most of Colorados outdoor vacation trips in 2011 originated instate (60%) The outdoor travelers in 2011 tended to be:
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The same age as outdoor vacationers nationally and Colorado tourists in general
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The average age increased somewhat over the year (from 42 to 45)
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Skewed male (versus and even split in 2010) Average in terms of income and lower than in 2010 Lower education level among Colorado visitors but above average for this type of travel nationally again with a decline in education level versus 2010
The year over year changes seem to mark a return to the more typical profile of this segment we have seen in the past.
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The trip characteristics of this segment in 2011:

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Among Colorados three key vacation segments, the least likely to use the internet for Colorado trip planning/booking, though above average versus to the US norm: A relatively short trip (about 4 nights) A larger than average travel party size compared to the typical Colorado vacation (3.8 people vs. 2.9), though slightly fewer than the national norm (4.1) Mainly a drive vacation with little fly-in. Compared to other segments, much greater use of campgrounds and less use of commercial accommodations
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In 2011, the activities and interests that outdoor vacationers most often took part in included:
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Hiking/backpacking (49%) Camping (48%) Visiting a national/state park (37%) Fishing (31%)
Colorados outdoor vacationers occasionally experienced:

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Historic places/historic tourism Cultural tourism Shopping Biking Eco-tourism Water activities like swimming, rafting, boating, Skiing/snowboarding Mountain climbing Hunting 41
Segment Profiles Touring Trips
Most Colorado touring vacationers in 2011 visited from out-of-state:

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In 2011 , 7 in 10 lived outside Colorado, about the same as in 2010
Touring vacationers nationally tended to be slightly older than other vacationers, and Colorado touring vacationers were skewed even older, averaging 49 years of age In terms of other demographics, this segment in 2011 :
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Was skewed male previously more female Had average income and education:
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Reflecting improvement from below par over the year
This segment made extensive use of the internet for planning and booking elements of their Colorado trip:
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They were also one of the segments most likely to use a travel agent, with 8% indicating use at the planning and booking stages of their travels
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The touring trip to Colorado in 2011, at 4.9 nights away from home, was longer than the average U.S. touring trip (4.2 nights) and the same as the typical Colorado trip (4.9 nights):
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As noted last year, it is important to remember that the actual stay in the state (not measured in 2010 or 2011) is typically only half of the trip length for this segment
The party size for Colorado touring trips in 2011 was slightly higher than the leisure trip average for the state (3.3 people vs. 2.9); however, it was similar to the national touring norm. For most touring vacationers, the Colorado trip in 2011 was a driving vacation:
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7 in 10 arrived in their own vehicle About 2 in 10 flew in, then rented a car for their touring
As in prior years, touring vacationers to Colorado in 2011 were the leisure segment making the greatest use of commercial accommodations. As we have seen before for both Colorado and the nation as a whole, the touring vacation is about variety touring vacationers tend to do a lot more and see more things than other segments
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The top activities and specific interests for touring vacationers in 2011 included:
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Visiting a national or state park (62%) Visiting a landmark or historic site (53%)
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75% indicated they were particularly interested in historic places on their trip
Shopping (46%)
Among Colorados key leisure segments, they were the group most likely to seek out/visit:
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Cultural activities and attractions, including museums or art galleries, theater Fine dining, exceptional culinary experiences , wine and brewery tours/tasting Casinos Nightlife, such as bars, discos and nightclubs Festivals/fairs Zoos
In addition to sightseeing and entertainment, touring vacationers in Colorado often participated in outdoor activities such as hiking/backpacking, swimming, mountain climbing, camping, etc.
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Segment Profiles Ski Trips
In 2011, we observe a return to the more typical demographic profile for ski vacationers in a number of respects:
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Three-quarters of overnight trips are from out-of-state vs. 6-in-10 in 2010 A strong male skew vs. a more even gender split a year earlier An upscale income and education profile, though not as extreme as in 2010
Colorado ski vacationers in 2011 continued to be younger than other vacationers, which is typical of skiers across the country. With the greater influx of out-of-state skiers we also see higher than average use of the internet and travel agents for trip planning and booking compared to Colorado visitors generally. Colorado ski trips averaged 4.5 nights away from home in 2011, about the same as the year before. Colorado ski parties tended to be larger than the typical Colorado visitor party, at about 4 individuals.
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In 2011, ski vacationers were slightly more likely to drive to their destination in the state (55%) than fly in (43%):
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about 3 in 10 made use of rental cars, and a few (7%) traveled by bus
The accommodations used by ski vacationers in 2011 reflect a mix of commercial accommodations, rentals, second homes and unpaid accommodations:
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About half stayed in hotels, motels and/or inns/lodges 1 in 3 rented a condo, home or cottage 1 in 10 used their own home or time share And 2 in 10 stayed with friends and relatives
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The activities that ski vacationers most often took part in while visiting during 2011, apart from skiing itself, were:
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Shopping (31%) Brewery (21%) Fine dining (14%) Nightlife including a bar, disco or nightclub (14%)
About 1 in 10 also took in a landmark/historic site, national or state park, spa, or hiking. With the exception of culinary experiences, these visitors had below average interest in the rest of the specific types of experiences we asked about on the survey, e.g., historic, cultural or eco-tourism, or wine.
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Detailed Findings
Size & Structure of the U.S. Travel Market
Size of the U.S. Travel Market 2011 Overnight Trips
Marketable Leisure Trips 42% (695 Million)
Visits to Friends/ Relatives 44% (718 Million)
Business Trips 14% (222 Million)
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U.S. Market Trends for Overnight Trips 2011 vs. 2010
All Overnight Trips
Marketable Leisure Visiting Friends/Relatives Business Trips

-10 0
1 4 3
10
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U.S. Overnight Marketable Trip Trends 2011 Travel Year

Resort City Theme park Business/Leisure Touring Casino Cruise Outdoors Special Event Ski
-10
-4 -2 -1 -1 -1 0 1 4 10
11
-5
10
15
20
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Percent Change `11 vs. `10
Size & Structure of Colorados Travel Market
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Day & Overnight Trips to Colorado in 2011

Total Trips = 57.9 Million
Day Trips 50% (28.9 Million)
Overnight Business 6% (3.7 Million)
Overnight Leisure 44% (25.3 Million)
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Size of Colorados Travel Market 2011 Overnight Trips

Marketable Leisure Trips 49% (14.3 Million)
Visits to Friends/ Relatives 38% (11.0 Million) Business Trips 13% (3.7 Million)
55
Overnight Trips Including Colorado in 2011

Overnight in Colorado 99% (28.8 Million)
Pass Thru 1% (0.2 Million)
56
Main Purpose of 2011 Overnight Leisure Trips vs. the U.S. Norm
VFR Touring Outdoors Special Event Combined Business-Leisure Ski/Snowboard City trip Casino Resort Theme park Cruise 0
1 1 2 1 4 5 4 4 4 3 3 6 7 9 9 9 12 11
44
51
6 5
20
!"#$"%&'
40 US Norm
60
Colorado
57
Main Purpose of 2011 Overnight Business Trips vs. the U.S. Norm
Base: Overnight Business Trips
33
Conference/convention
33
67
Other business
67
20
40
60
!"#$"%&'
80
100
Colorado
US Norm
58
Overnight Trips to Colorado 1994 to 2011

35.0
<1%
30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
Note: Referencing this and subsequent charts showing annual trends, the Travel USA survey was standardized for Leisure travel starting in 1992, so all charts about Leisure travel begin with that year. Questions about business trips were added in 1994; so charts about business travel or that show a total of Leisure and business start with 1994 data.
23.0 20.4 20.8 25.1 26.1 25.3 24.7 26.2 24.0 24.9 25.8 25.9 28.0 27.4 27.5 28.9 29.0
345546%/'67'8#49/'
26.9
59
Overnight Leisure Trips to Colorado 1992 to 2011

35 30
<1%
345546%/'67'8#49/'
25 20 15 10 5 0 `92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
19.9 17.6 17.2 17.5 19.4 20.8 21.6 20.8 19.8 20.2 22.1 21.3 22.3 22.5 23.4 24.0 23.4 24.1 25.4 25.3
60
Structure of Colorados Overnight Leisure Travel Market

30 25
21.6 24.0 20.8 20.9 19.8 22.1 20.2 21.3 22.3 22.5 23.3 23.4 24.1 25.4 25.4
6%
20 15 10 5 0
19.9 17.6 17.2 17.5

7.3 7.1
19.4
9.8 9.3 7.4 7.6
9.9
9.6 10.2 10.2
11.1
10.5
11.2
10.8
10.9
10.5
10.5
10.8
11.6
11
12.5 10.4 9.8 9.9 10.1
11
11.7
11.3
9.6
10
11
10.8
11.1
11.7
12.4
13.5
12.9
13.3
13.8
14.3
4%
`92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11 Marketable Trips Visits to Friends/Relatives
*Data are rounded.
61
Overnight Business Trips to Colorado 1994 to 2011

6.0 5.0 345546%/'67'8#49/' 4.0 3.0
4.9
4%
2.0
3.2 3.3
4.2 3.6
4.5
4.5 3.8 4.1 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.9 4.0 3.4 3.6 3.7
1.0 0.0 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
62
Overnight Touring Trips to Colorado
3 345546%/'67'8#49/'
2
3.3 3.2 2.5 2.6 3.0 2.4 2.6 2.3 2.4 2.9 2.6 2.4 2.7 2.4 2.9 2.7 2.9 3.1 3.1
2.2
0 `92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
63
Overnight Ski Trips to Colorado
3 345546%/'67'8#49/'
2
2.7
1
1.6
2.2 1.8 1.9
2.1
1.9
1.8
1.6
1.5
1.6
1.5
1.5
1.6
1.8
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.3
0 `92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
64
Overnight Outdoor Trips to Colorado
3 345546%/'67'8#49/'
2
2.8 2.2 1.7 2.9
2.6
2.7
2.5
2.7 2.4
2.2
2.0 1.5 1.6 1.6
2.2 1.9
2.1 1.7
2.2
2.1
0 `92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
65
Overnight Business-Leisure Trips to Colorado

4
3 345546%/'67'8#49/'
1
1.5
1.8 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.4 0.9 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.4
0 `92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
66
Overnight Special Event Trips to Colorado

4
3 345546%/'67'8#49/'
1
1.4 1.1 1.1 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.3
1.7
1.7
1.9
2.1 1.8
2.0
2.1
2.0
2.1
0 `92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
67
Overnight Country Resort Trips to Colorado

3
345546%/'67'8#49/'
0.8 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.6
`92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
68
Overnight City Trips to Colorado
345546%/'67'8#49/'
1
1.2 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.5 0.3 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.9 0.7 0.6 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.1
`92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
69
Overnight Casino Trips to Colorado
345546%/'67'8#49/'
1
1.1 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.9
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.5
`94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
70
Day Trips To/Within Colorado
35 30 25 20 15
23.2 24.2 26.2 28.9
10%
345546%/'67'8#49/'
10 5 0 `08 `09 `10 `11
71
The Competitive Environment
Colorados Share of U.S. Overnight Leisure Trips

Percent Identifying Colorado as Main Destination of Trip
3.0 2.5 2.0 Percent 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0
Rank: 19th
`92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
73
Colorados Share of All U.S. Overnight Marketable Trips
3 2.5 2 Percent 1.5 1 0.5 0
Rank: 16th
`94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
74
Colorados Share of All Overnight Touring Trips
4 3.5 3 Percent 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0
Rank: 13th
`94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
75
Colorados Share of All Overnight Outdoor Trips
4 3.5 3 Percent 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0
Rank: 9th
`94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
76
Colorados Share of All Overnight Ski Trips
25 20 15 10 5 0
Percent
Rank: 1st
`94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
77
Overnight Marketable Leisure Trips to Colorado by Month
Millions of Trips
1.5
1
1.6 1.3 1.1 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.9 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.7 1.3 0.9 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.6 1.4 1.2 1.1 0.9 1.2 1.6 1.5 1.5
0.5
1.1
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
78
Overnight Marketable Leisure Trips to Colorado by Month (Contd)
Millions of Trips
1.5
2.3
1.9
1.8 1.8
1.9 1.6 1.4 1.2 0.9 0.9 0.7 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.4 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.6 1.0
0.5
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
79
Travel and Tourism Spending in Colorado
Total Travel Spending in Colorado in 2011

Total = $10.76 Billion
Overnight Visitors 87% ($9.38 Billion)
Day Visitors 13% ($1.38 Billion)
81
Total Travel Spending in Colorado in 2011

Overall Total = $10.76 Billion
Total Overnight = $9.38 Billion Total Day = $1.38 Billion
Other Colorado 70% ($0.96 Billion)
Other Colorado 65% ($6.10 Billion)
Denver Metro 35% ($3.28 Billion)
Denver Metro 30% ($0.42 Billion)
82
Total Travel Spending in Colorado Overnight Visitors
2010 Total= $8.8 Billion
Colorado Residents 25% ($ 2.2 Billion)
Out-ofState Visitors 75% ($ 6.6 Billion)
Out-ofState Visitors 74% ($6.9 Billion)
83
Total Travel Spending in Colorado Day Visitors

Out-ofState Visitors 22% ($ 0.3 Billion) Out-ofState Visitors 20% ($ 0.3 Billion)
Colorado Residents 78% ($1.0 Billion)
84
Total Spending in 2011 by Sector Overnight Visitors

Total Spending = $9.4 Billion
Transportation 23%
$2.2 Billion
Accommodations 28% $2.6 Billion
Retail 14%
$1.3 Billion
Eating/Drinking 20%
$1.8 Billion
Recreation 15%
$1.5 Billion 85
Total Spending in 2011 by Sector Day Visitors

Total Spending = $1.4 Billion
Eating/Drinking 34%
$466 Million
Retail 32%
$439 Million
Transportation 16%
$230 Million
Recreation 18%
$246 Million 86
Overnight Travel Spending in 2011 By Sector Denver vs. Other Colorado Regions
Base: Overnight Visitors
$1,800 $1,600 $1,400
$1,304 $1,166 $973 $849 $669 $484 $310 $804 $1,149 $1,674
345546%/'67':655*#/'
$1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0

Accommodation
Food/Beverage
Transportation
Retail
Recreation
Denver
Colorado Regions
87
Recreation Expenditures in 2011 Overnight Visitors
Other 58%
$845 Million
Ski-related 34%
$490 Million
Gaming* 8%
$123 Million
*Gaming expenditures are routinely included in the Recreation category, one of the five standard groupings used by economists to analyze travel and tourism expenditures.
88
Colorado Expenditure Tracking Overnight Visitors
$3.0
$2.0 Billions
2.6 2.6
1.9
$1.0
1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 0.8 1.0
1.7 1.7
1.9
2.0
2.2
1.5 1.6
2.2 2.2 1.9 1.8
1.9
2.1
2.2
2.4
2.5 2.6
2.1 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.0 1.8 2.2 2.0 1.7
1.8 1.8
$0.0
Transportation
`92** `97** `99 `00 `01
** Source: Dean Runyan & Associates
Accommodations
`03 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09
Food
`10 `11
89
Colorado Expenditure Tracking Overnight Visitors
$3.0
$2.0 Billions $1.0

1.5 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.3 0.9 0.5 0.6 0.5 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.5
$0.0
Retail
`92** `97** `99 `00 `01 `03 `05 `06 `07
Recreation
`08 `09 `10 `11
90
** Source: Dean Runyan & Associates
Total Spending in 2011 by Type of Accommodations Overnight Trips

Commercial Lodging 69% Private Home 17%
Other 3%
Vacation Home 6% Campground 5%
91
Total Spending in 2011 by Purpose of Trip Overnight Visitors

Visits to Friends/ Relatives 32%
$3.0 Billion
Ski 14%
$1.3 Billion
Business 12%
$1.1 Billion
Other Pleasure 14%

$1.4 Billion
Special Event 7%
$0.6 Billion
Outdoors 9%
$0.8 Billion
$1.2 Billion
Touring 12%
92
Spending Versus Overnight Visitor Volumes in 2011
VFR Ski Business Touring Outdoors Special Events

7 7 9 10 14 5 12 13 12 11
32 38
Other Pleasure 0 10
14 16
20
!"#$"%&'
30 Visitor Volumes
40
Expenditures
93
Actual Travel Expenditures on Overnight Trips 1992 to 2011

Total Spending Up 6%
7% 10
8 ;45546%/'67':655*#/'
6 1%
4
6.9 5.2 5.7 5.8 5.5 5.6 5.9
8.2 7.6
8.3 7.7 7.4 7.7
2
1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.6 1.7 1.2 1.1 1.1
0 `92`97`99`00`01`03`05`06`07`08`09`10`11 `97`99`00`01`03`05`06`07`08`09`10`11
Leisure
Business
94
Inflation Adjusted Travel Expenditures Overnight 1992 to 2011

10
8 ;45546%/'67':655*#/'
6
8.5 8.9 8.0 7.8 7.9 8.3
8.3
8.0
7.8 7.2 7.1 7.2
8.0
2
2.0 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.3 1.1 1.1
0 `92 `97 `99 `00 `01 `03 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11 `97 `99 `00 `01 `03 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
Leisure
Business
95
Per Person Expenditures by Trip Purpose

Base: Overnight Trips
Ski Country Resort Touring Marketable City B/P Special Event Business Outdoors VFR Casino
$0
$1,001 $427 $371 $370 $341 $322 $303 $299 $286 $271 $163
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000 $1,200
<."#*+"'=>9"%?4&@#"' 96
Per Person Expenditures

Base: Overnight Leisure Trips
Marketable
$370 $296 $299 $349 $271 $205 $48 $56
Business
VFR
Day trips $0
$100
$200
<."#*+"'=>9"%?4&@#" '
$300 US Norm
$400
Colorado
97
Expenditures on Day Trips
4%
1.5 ;45546%/'67':655*#/'
1
1.3 1.3 1.2 1.4
0.5
0 `08 `09 `10 `11
98
2011 Leisure Travel Profile
Sources of Leisure Travel Business
Sources of Business
States contributing more than 5% States contributing 2% - 5% DMAs contributing more than 2%
101
Regional Sources of Business
80
60 Percent
40
67 63 61 67 70 70 71 71 65 65 67 66 63 61
20
10 12 15 12 14 12 13 10 10 12 9 10 10 9
West
`97 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06
Pacific Coast
`07 `08 `09 `10 `11
102
40
Percent
20
10 9 10 8 10 8
10 9
10 11 9
11 10 9
Mid-West
`97 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07
South
`08 `09 `10 `11
103
40
Percent
20
North-East
`97 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
104
State Sources Of Overnight Trips

Colorado California Texas Arizona New Mexico Illinois Kansas New York Florida Nebraska Utah Washington Minnesota Wyoming 0
41 6 6
3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 6 7
42
2 2 2
1
2
2 2
2 2
10
20 2011
30
!"#$"%&'
40
50
105
2010
State Sources Of Day Trips
Base: Day Leisure Trips
Colorado Wyoming California New Mexico Texas Utah Nebraska Arizona 0

3
3
83
83
2
1
2
3
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
0
20
40
!"#$"%&'
60
80
100
106
Urban Sources of Overnight Trips
Denver, CO Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM Grand Junction-Montrose, CO Phoenix, AZ Los Angeles, CA Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX Chicago, IL Salt Lake City, ID/UT New York, NY 0
2
3 2
28
29
9
10
3
3
3 3
3
3
4
2
2
2
2
2
3
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
107
2011
2010
Urban Sources of Overnight Trips (Contd)

Base: Overnight Leisure Trips Kansas City, KS Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Wichita-Hutchinson Plus, KS Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney Plus, NE Houston, TX Seattle-Tacoma, WA Atlanta, GA Tucson (Nogales), AZ Washington, DC Oklahoma City, OK Amarillo, TX
1
1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
<1
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
108
2011
2010
Urban Sources of Day Trips

Denver, CO Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO Grand Junction-Montrose, CO Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM Cheyenne-Scottsbluff, NE/WY Los Angeles, CA Salt Lake City, ID/UT Phoenix, AZ Houston, TX Portland, OR Chicago, IL 0
2 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 0 <1 0 <1 1 4 4 3 3 18 19
58 58
20
!"#$"%&'
40
60
80
109
2011
2010
Instate Overnight Leisure Trips

Percent of Overnight Leisure Trips Originating in Colorado
50 40 30 20
29 30 30 32 29 24 19 21 30 26 22 25 26 31 33 35 42 41
!"#$"%&'
40
10 0
21
`92 `93 `94 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
110
Visitor Profile
Gender
50
Male
45
50
Female
55
20 Colorado
40 US Norm
60
112
Age
Average Age Colorado = 45.7
Average Age U.S. Norm = 45.2
18-24 25-44 45-64 65 or older 0 10
14 14 34 37 33 33 19 16
20
!"#$"%&'
30 US Norm
40
Colorado
113
Marital Status
64
Married
66
26
Never Married
25
10
Divorced/Widowed
9
20
!"#$"%& '
40
60 US Norm
80
Colorado
114
Household Size
1 member
15 12 40 37 15 18 30 32
2 members
3 members
4+ members 0 10 20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
50
Colorado
US Norm
115
Children in Household
No child under 18
16 14 18 17 21 21
61 62
Any child between 13-17 yrs
Any child under 6 yrs

0 20
40 !"#$"%&'
60
80
Colorado
US Norm
116
Income
$75K+
24 20 21 23 16 14
39 43
$50K-$74.9K
$25K-$49.9K
Under $25K 0 10
20
!"#$"%&'
30 US Norm
40
50
Colorado
117
Education
Post Graduate
20 18 36 39 31 27 12 15
College Graduate
Some College
High School or Less 0 10
20 Colorado
30 US Norm
40
50
118
Employment
Full-time
49 47
Part-time
9 10
Not employed for pay
42 43
20 Colorado
40 US Norm
60
119
Percent Who Are Male

80
60 60 53 55 48 50 49 50 51 54 48 60 59 51 50
60 !"#$"%&'
57
56
40
20
0 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
120
Percent Who Earn Over $75,000

80
60 !"#$"%&'
40 41 43 41 36 42 39
40
23 26 27
32
34
37
35
36
20
17
16
0 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
121
Percent With College Education

80
60 60 53 55 48 50 49 50 51 54 60 59 60
60 !"#$"%&'
57
56
57
56
40
20
0 `95 `96 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
122
Gender
45
Male
45
55
Female
55
20 Colorado
40 US Norm
60
123
Age
Average Age Colorado = 44.8

14 13
Average Age U.S. Norm = 45.8
18-24
25-44
31
39 36
45-64
16 16
35
65 or older 0 10
20 Colorado
30 US Norm
40
50
124
Marital Status
Married
66 67
Never Married
23 23
Divorced/Widowed
11 10
20
40 Colorado
60 US Norm
80
125
Household Size
1 member
13 11 39 36 17 19 32 34
2 members
3 members
4+ members 0 20 Colorado
40 US Norm
60
126
Children in Household
No child under 18
16 16 21 18 21 20
60 61
Any child under 6 yrs 0 20
40
!"#$"%&'
60 US Norm
80
Colorado
127
Income
$75K+
23 21 24 27 19 16
34 36
$50K-$74.9K
$25K-$49.9K
Under $25K 0 10
20
!"#$"%&'
30 US Norm
40
Colorado
128
Education
Post Graduate
16 15 34 37 34 29 15 18
College Graduate
Some College
High School or Less 0 10
20
!"#$"%&'
30 US Norm
40
50
Colorado
129
Employment
47
Full-time
44
10
Part-time
11
43
Not employed for pay

45
20
!"#$"%&'
40
60
Colorado
US Norm
130
Trip Characteristics
Use of Internet For Trip Planning

80
60
48
51
!"#$"%&'
47
50 52 36 38 31 29 24 24 11 15 41 42 41 42 43
40
28 27 20 12
n/a n/a n/a
39 37 38 39
20
1 2
'95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 `11
'95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 `11
Colorado
U.S. Norm
132
Used Internet to Book All/Part of Trip
Colorado
49
US Norm
41
0 Colorado
20
!"#$"%&'
40 US Norm
60
133
Social Media Used in the Past 3 Months
Used any social media for travel-related purposes Used Smartphone while traveling Posted travel photos/video online Read travel reviews online Looked at travel photos/video online Learned about travel deals/events Got travel advice via social networking Read a travel blog
0
8 8 7 9 9 9 11 11 15 15 18 17 17 16
48 47
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
50
Colorado
US Norm
134
Social Media Used in the Past 3 Months
Used any social media for travel-related purposes

7 6 7 5 6 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4
48 47
Connected with others interested in travel Gave travel advice Blogged about a trip "Followed" a destination/attraction on Facebook or Twitter Subscribed to a travel e-newsletter Contributed travel reviews Tweeted about a trip 0
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
50
Colorado
US Norm
135
Social Media Used in the Past 3 Months, 2011 vs. 2010
Used any social media for travel-related purposes Used Smartphone while traveling Posted travel photos/video online Read travel reviews online Looked at travel photos/video online Learned about travel deals/events Got travel advice via social networking Read a travel blog
0
5 8 7 7 9 11 9 9 18 11 17 17 15 15
48 44
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
50
2011
2010
136
Social Media Used in the Past 3 Months, 2011 vs. 2010
Used any social media for travel-related purposes Connected with others interested in travel Gave travel advice Blogged about a trip "Followed" a destination/attraction on Facebook or Subscribed to a travel e-newsletter Contributed travel reviews Tweeted about a trip
0
2 4 4 5 5 5 4 5 6 6 5 7 6 7
48 44
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
50
2011
2010
137
Length of Colorado Trip

Average 2011 = 4.9 Nights 1 night 2 nights 3-4 nights 5-6 nights 7-13 nights 14+ nights 0
7 7 14 14 15 16 20 20 21 21
Average 2010 = 4.8 Nights
23 23
10 2011
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
138
2010
Length of Trip
Colorado
`00 `01 `03 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11 `00 `01 `03 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11
6.8 6.2 5.8 5.7 5.6 5.4 5.2 4.7 4.8 4.9 5.6 5.0 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.5 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6
U.S. Norm
4
<."#*+"'A60'67'A4+)&/'
8
139
Transportation Used on Colorado Trip

Base: Overnight Leisure Trips Originating Out of State
Own car/truck Personal Vehicles Rental car Camper/RV

5 3 23 24
59 54
Plane Commercial Vehicles Bus Taxicab Train 0

6 8 6 6 4 5
37 39
20 2011
40
!"#$"%&'
60 2010
80
140
Accommodations Used on Trip

Hotel Home of friends/relatives Motel Campground/trailer park Time share Rented home/condo Bed & breakfast Rented cottage/cabin Country inn/lodge Own home/condo 0
3 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 3 4 8 10 19 20
33 32
36 34
10 2011
!"#$"%&'
20 2010
30
40
141
* Values may add to more than 100% because of usage of multiple types of accommodations
Size of Travel Party

Colorado
2.3
0.7
Total = 3.0
US Norm
2.3
0.6
Total = 2.9
2 Adults
3 Children
<."#*+"'A60'67'!"695"'
142
Size of Travel Party

2011
2.3
0.7
Total = 3.0
2010
2.3
0.7
Total = 3.0
2 Adults
3 Children
<."#*+"'A60'67'!"695"'
143
Distribution of Trips by Quarter

January-March
24 22 22 25 30 33 24 20
April-June
July-September
October-December 0 10 20
30
40
!"#$"%&'
2011
2010
144
Distribution of Trips by Quarter

January-March
22
24 24
April-June
25 30 27 24 25
July-September
October-December 0 10 20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
Colorado
US Norm
145
Distribution of Trips by Quarter January to March

30 25 20
!"#$"%&'
16 19 22 23 21 18 19 19 18 21 20 21 21 18 23 21 24 22
15 10 5 0 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 `11
146
Distribution of Trips by Quarter April to June

35 30 25
!"#$"%&'
28 24 25 24 29 27 24 26 28 25 29 27 26 21 27 28 25 22
20 15 10 5 0 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 `11
147
Distribution of Trips by Quarter July to September

40 35 30
!"#$"%&'
35 33 34 31 31 33 34
37 32
37 33 30
35
36 33 29 30 30
25 20 15 10 5 0 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 `11
148
Distribution of Trips by Quarter October to December

30 25 20
!"#$"%&'
24 22 22 24 21 19 23 20 19 20 18 19 20 18 21 21 20 24
15 10 5 0 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 `11
149
Activities on Trip
Shopping National/State park Fine dining Hiking/Backpacking Landmark/Historic site Museum Casino Swimming Bar/Disco/Nightclub Camping 0
5 9 10 12 12 12 11 12 15 6 12 14 19 19 11 21 22 25
33
37
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
150
Colorado
US Norm
Activities on Trip (Contd)

Brewery Fishing Skiing/Snowboarding Art Gallery Biking Fair/Exhibition/Festival Zoo Spa Theater Beach/Waterfront 0
1
3 6
8 8 8 7 6 6 6 6 5 5
5 3 5 4 3
6 17
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
151
Colorado
US Norm

Dance Mountain climbing Pro/College sports event Boating/Sailing Business meeting Rock/Pop concert Theme park Winery Golf Rafting 0
1 2 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 1 3
5 5 5 4 4 4
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
152
Colorado
US Norm

3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 <1 1 <1
Hunting Trade show Rodeo Business convention/conference Motorcycle touring Tennis Opera Symphony 0
10
!"#$"%&'
20
30
40
153
Colorado
US Norm
Activities on Trip
Shopping National/State park Fine dining Hiking/Backpacking Landmark/Historic site Museum Casino Swimming Bar/Disco/Nightclub Camping 0
9 10 12 14 13 12 12 13 18 19 19 19 21 22 25 24
33
37
11 12
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30 2010
40
154
2011
Activities on Trip
Brewery Fishing Skiing/Snowboarding Art Gallery Biking Fair/Exhibition/Festival Zoo Spa Theater Beach/Waterfront 0
4 5 4 6 6 6 6 6 5 6 6 7 7
8 8 8 8 8
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30 2010
40
155
2011
Activities on Trip
Dance Mountain climbing Pro/College sports event Boating/Sailing Business meeting Rock/Pop concert Theme park Winery Golf Rafting 0
3 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 4
5 5
4 3 3 3 3 3 4
10
20 2011
!"#$"%&'
30 2010
40
156
Activities on Trip
3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Hunting Trade show Rodeo Business convention/conference Motorcycle touring Tennis Opera Symphony 0
10 2011
!"#$"%&'
20
30
40
157
2010
Specific Interests on Trip
Historic places Cultural activities/attractions Exceptional culinary experiences Traveling with grandchildren Eco-tourism Winery tours/Wine tasting 0
4 5 6 9 6 10 13 11 19
30 21 26
10 Colorado
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
158
U.S. Norm
Specific Interests on Colorado Trip
Historic places Cultural activities/attractions Exceptional culinary experiences Traveling with grandchildren Eco-tourism Winery tours/Wine tasting 0
6 4 7 9 7 10 13 10 26 22
30 31
10 2011
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
159
2010
Profiles of Colorados Key Travel Segments
Instate Trips By Segment

Outdoors
24 39
60 66
Ski
Touring
0 20
30 32
40
!"#$"%&'
60
80
100
2011
2010
161
Average Age
Touring
49 47
Outdoors
45 44
Ski
0 20
41 39
40
<."#*+"'4%'B"*#/'
60
Colorado
US Norm
162
Average Age
Touring
49 50
Outdoors
45 42
Ski
0 20 40
41 42
60
<."#*+"'4%'B"*#/'
2011
2010
163

Touring
55 47
Outdoors
56 49
Ski
0 20 40
!"#$"%&'
63 56
60
80
Colorado
US Norm
164

Touring
55 47
Outdoors
56 51
Ski
0 20 40
!"#$"%&'
63 51
60
80
2011
2010
165
Percent With Income $75K+

Touring
53 51
Outdoors
40 42
Ski
0 20 40
!"#$"%&'
61 60
60
80
Colorado
US Norm
166
Percent With Income $75K+

Touring
53 41
Outdoors
40 47
Ski
0 20 40
!"#$"%&'
61 72
60
80
2011
2010
167
Percent With Who Are College Graduates

Touring
62 65
Outdoors
51 52
Ski
0 20 40
!"#$"%&'
73 62
60
80
100
Colorado
US Norm
168
Percent Who Are College Graduates

Touring
62 58
Outdoors
51 59
Ski
0 20 40
!"#$"%&'
73 79
60
80
100
2011
2010
169
Use of Travel Agents

Touring
For Trip Planning
8 5 3 2 9 5
Outdoors Ski
Touring
For Trip Booking
8 5 5 2 10 5
Outdoors Ski
0
10
!"#$"%&'
15
20
Colorado
US Norm
170
Use of Internet for Trip Planning & Booking

Touring
For Trip Planning
70 65 49 35 68 54
Outdoors Ski
Touring
For Trip Booking
58 60 41 31 54 50
Outdoors Ski
0 20
40
!"#$"%&'
60
80
Colorado
US Norm
171
Length of Colorado Trip

Touring
4.9 6.6
Outdoors
3.8 4.0
Ski
0 2 4
4.5 4.6
10
<."#*+"'A@CD"#'67'A4+)&/'
2011
2010
172
Length of Trip
Touring
4.9 4.2
Outdoors
3.8 3.4
Ski
0 2
4.5 3.4
10
<."#*+"'A@CD"#'67'A4+)&/'
Colorado
US Norm
173
Size of the Travel Party

A60'E7'!"695"'
2
3.3 3.2
3.8
4.1
3.9
4.1
0 Touring Colorado Outdoors US Norm

174
Ski
Transportation Used on Colorado Trip

Touring
Own car/truck
74 69 75 79 55 54
Outdoors Ski
21 19 13 7 43 44
Touring
Plane
Outdoors Ski
0
20
40
60
!"#$"%&'
80
100
2011
2010
175
Transportation Used on Trip

Touring
Own car/truck
74 73 75 85 55 82
Outdoors Ski
21 16 13 5 43 15
Touring
Plane
Outdoors Ski
0
20
40
60
!"#$"%&'
80
100
Colorado
U.S. Norm
176
Accommodations Used on Trip

Hotel Motel Campground/trailer park Home of friends/relatives Country inn/lodge Rented cottage/cabin Bed & breakfast Time share Own home/condo Rented home/condo 0 Touring
3
0 1 8
19 9 10 12 34
48
40
42
19
8 4 9
5
6 3 4 4 4
5
8 11
7
8
6
27
20
!"#$"%&'
40 Ski
60
Outdoors
177
* Values may add to more than 100% because of usage of multiple types of accommodations
Activities on Colorado Trip in 2011

National/State park Landmark/Historic site Shopping Hiking/Backpacking Museum

0
9 7
62 37 12 53 16 11 46 22 31 35 49 10 34
10
20 Touring
30
!"#$"%&'
40 Skiing
50
60
70
Outdoors
178

Fine dining Art gallery Casino Swimming Bar/Disco/Nightclub

0
6 5 7
31 12 14 18
18 7 5 17 17 8 16 14
10
20 Touring
30
!"#$"%&'
40 Skiing
50
60
70
Outdoors
179

Brewery Mountain climbing Spa Biking Theater

0
3 1
11 6 21 10 14 8 5 10 8 18 8 3 3
10
20 Touring
30
!"#$"%&'
40 Skiing
50
60
70
Outdoors
180

Camping Zoo Winery Beach/Waterfront Fair/Exhibition/Festival

0
1
8 48 2 8 2 3 7 5 4 7 10 2 7 5
10
20 Touring
30
!"#$"%&'
40 Skiing
50
60
70
Outdoors
181

Rafting Boating/Sailing Fishing Rock/Pop concert Trade show

0
7 10 1 6 9 2 6 31 6 6 1 4 3 1 0
10
20 Touring
30
!"#$"%&'
40 Skiing
50
60
70
Outdoors
182

Dance Golf Skiing/Snowboarding Theme park Pro/College sports event

0
0
3 6 4 3 4 5 3 12 93 2 3 2 2 3
10
20
30
40
!"#$"%&'
50
60 Skiing
70
80
90
100
Touring
Outdoors
183

Business convention/conference Business meeting Hunting Rodeo Motorcycle touring

0
2 1 5 2 1 3 2 10 0 2 4 1 2 1 0
10
20
!"#$"%&'
30
40
50
60
70
Touring
Outdoors
Skiing
184
Specific Interests on Trip in 2011

Historic places Cultural activities/attractions Exceptional culinary experiences Eco-tourism Winery tours/Wine tasting 0
6 5
75 29 15 51 24 15 18 12 16 15 17 7 9
20 Touring
40
!"#$"%&'
60 Ski
80
Outdoors
185

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Colorado Travel Year 2011

Background and Purpose

Colorados product delivery in terms of over 70 destination attributes

Background and Purpose

Highlights & Conclusions

Highlights & Conclusions

Highlights & Conclusions

Highlights & Conclusions

Highlights & Conclusions

Highlights & Conclusions

Highlights & Conclusions

National Trends in Tourism

National Trends in Tourism

Both were up 11% in 2011

Colorado Travel in 2011

Colorados Key Segments

Colorados Key Segments

Colorados Key Segments

Longer term trends in these segments are as follows:

Colorados Key Segments

Longer term segment trends (contd):

Colorado itself remained the top provider of vacationers:

Colorados Overnight Leisure Travel Profile

Colorados Day Trip Profile

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

The length of vacation trips to Colorado remained stable in 2011:

About one-quarter of non-Colorado residents rented a vehicle while visiting

These proportions are the same as in 2010

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

Overnight Leisure Trip Characteristics

Segment Profiles Outdoor Trips

Segment Profiles Outdoor Trips

The trip characteristics of this segment in 2011:

Segment Profiles Outdoor Trips

Colorados outdoor vacationers occasionally experienced:

Segment Profiles Touring Trips

Most Colorado touring vacationers in 2011 visited from out-of-state:

In 2011 , 7 in 10 lived outside Colorado, about the same as in 2010

Reflecting improvement from below par over the year

Segment Profiles Touring Trips

Segment Profiles Touring Trips

Segment Profiles Ski Trips

Segment Profiles Ski Trips

Segment Profiles Ski Trips

Size & Structure of the U.S. Travel Market

Size of the U.S. Travel Market 2011 Overnight Trips

Marketable Leisure Trips 42% (695 Million)

Visits to Friends/ Relatives 44% (718 Million)

Business Trips 14% (222 Million)

U.S. Market Trends for Overnight Trips 2011 vs. 2010

All Overnight Trips

Marketable Leisure Visiting Friends/Relatives Business Trips

U.S. Overnight Marketable Trip Trends 2011 Travel Year

Percent Change `11 vs. `10

Size & Structure of Colorados Travel Market

Day & Overnight Trips to Colorado in 2011

Overnight Business 6% (3.7 Million)

Overnight Leisure 44% (25.3 Million)

Size of Colorados Travel Market 2011 Overnight Trips

Marketable Leisure Trips 49% (14.3 Million)