Denver had its best year ever for tourism in 2005, with a record 10.4 million overnight visitors coming to the city, up 5 percent over 2004, according to data released this morning by the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The study, conducted by market research firm Longwoods International, found that visitors to metro Denver spent a total of $2.43 billion last year, up from $2.32 billion in 2004.
The city saw a major rebound in business travel, which spiked up 25 percent, to 2.5 million. Business traveler spending also grew, from $700 million in 2004 to $820 million last year.
“We’re very pleased that 2005 set a record, both for the largest number of visitors and the most money ever spent in Denver by travelers,” said Richard Scharf, president and chief executive of the bureau. “The 25 percent increase in business travelers shows the impact of the new convention center expansion and also shows that business travel is finally returning to pre-9/11 levels.”
The top states to send visitors to Denver were Colorado, California, Texas and Wyoming. The 16th Street Mall was once again Denver’s top attraction, followed by the Lower Downtown historic district, the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and the Castle Rock Factory Outlets.
States sending visitors to Denver were (in order):
1. Colorado
2. California
3. Texas
4. Illinois
5. Wyoming
6. Florida
7. Nebraska
8. Minnesota
9. Oklahoma
10. Arizona
Top urban areas sending significant leisure travel to Denver in 2005 were:
1. Los Angeles
2. Colorado Springs-Pueblo
3. Minneapolis
4. Chicago
5. New York
6. Salt Lake City
7. Phoenix
8. Oklahoma City
9. Houston
10. Washington D.C.
Top Denver Attractions 2005
1. 16th Street Mall
2. LoDo Historic District
3. Cherry Creek Shopping Center
4. Castle Rock Factory Outlets
5. Colorado Mills
6. Denver Zoo
7. Coors Brewery
8. Red Rocks Amphitheatre
9. Flatiron Crossing Mall
10. Denver Zoo
11. Colorado State Capitol
12. U.S. Mint
13. Denver Museum Nat. & Science
14. Park Meadows Retail Resort
15. Larimer Square
Top Denver Paid Attractions 2005
1. Denver Zoo
2. Denver Museum of Nature & Science/IMAX
3. Colorado Rockies
4. Butterfly Pavilion
5. Six Flags Elitch Gardens
6. Buffalo Bill’s Grave
7. Colorado History Museum
8. Children’s Museum
9. Colorado Railroad Museum
10. Denver Botanic Gardens
11. Downtown Aquarium
12. Molly Brown House
13. Denver Broncos
14. Denver Art Museum
15. National Western Stock Show