Denver draws record number of visitors in 2006

Denver's tourism numbers reached an all-time high in 2006, with 11.7 million overnight visitors to the Mile High City.That was up 13 percent from 2005, which is the largest one-year increase in the city's history.
The tourism statistics are from the annual study performed by Longwoods International, a business research company based in Toronto.

In 2005, Denver voters approved a lodging tax that gave an extra $4 million in tourism marketing funds to the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"It's a great story about our community," said Richard Scharf, president and CEO of the bureau. "It's a great industry to be in."

In 2006, visitors spent a record $2.76 billion in Denver, up from $2.43 billion in 2005.

Marketable visitors -- defined as those who don't have friends or relatives visiting Denver -- increased 12 percent from 2005 and spent an average of $93 a day per person.

The number of those who did visit friends and family increased 17 percent.

Overnight leisure travel was 9.1 million in 2006, compared to 7.9 million in 2005.

A total of 2.6 million business travelers came to Denver in 2006, up 7 percent from 2005.

"Business travelers are back out having fun on trips," Scharf said.

Business visitors spent the most, an average of $96 a day per person in 2006. Eight-of-10 business travelers came to Denver by air. Four-in-10 rented a car.

Tourists' spending on recreation and entertainment increased 18 percent, and food and beverage spending rose 10 percent.

Lower Downtown, Coors Brewery and Red Rocks Amphitheater were the top three entertainment destinations tourists visited in 2006.

Tourists spent $430 million on retail sales, up 10 percent from 2005.

The top three places visitors shopped in 2006 were the 16th Street Mall, Cherry Creek Shopping Center and Flatirons Crossing.

In 2006, 54 percent of Denver's leisure visitors came from the West; 6 percent of all visitors came from the Northeast.