Tourism officials say business has rebounded in Denver but it has taken years of somewhat slow activity.
Colorado in general hit a low point after 9-11 because the state’s large resorts relied heavily on fly-in business which declined after the US attacks.
“Denver area travel agencies scrambled to keep customers informed and rebook flights right after 9-11, but the rest of 2001 was bleak. The local travel business started to pick up two years ago and has been robust since for many agencies,” said the Denver Business Journal.
State ski resorts had a record number of visitors in the 2005-06 season.
Overall, tourist visitors to Metro Denver stayed relatively flat at around 8 million a year. Business travel dropped after 2001 until 2003, but it rebounded to 2.5 million last year.
Denver last month hosted its largest convention ever, the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association that brought in 28,000 people.
The state legislature’s emergency infusion of several million dollars of tourism marketing funds has also been helpful in Denver’s revitalization.
Report by David Wilkening
