History

• Tourism in Colorado officially began in 1859 with the start of the Gold Rush. Colorado's clean air and mineral springs attracted visitors for health reasons. Many tourists visited the state, but promotion of tourism did not happen until 1983 when the Colorado Tourism Board was formed. In 2000, the Colorado Tourism Office replaced the Colorado Tourism Board. The new office began with a board of 15 members from tourist related businesses and continues to promote tourism in the second decade of the 21st century.
  
  

Financial Loss/Gain

• Colorado's tourism budget was cut from $12 million dollars to zero in 1993, largely due to the Tabor Amendment which required state voters to approve any new or increased taxes. The loss was substantial resulting in over $1.4 billion dollars gone from state coffers. Eventually the loss increased to $2 billion annually. Funding was not reinstated until 2000. Eventually, Governor Owens increased the budget in 2006 and by 2007 visitors bolstered the economy by spending $9.8 billion dollars in the state. In 2010, the Colorado Tourism Office manages a budget of around $20 million dollars to promote tourism in Colorado.
  
  

Skiing Industry

• Colorado's ski industry began after World War II, enlisting members from the 10th Mountain Division who had trained on Colorado's mountain slopes for service in the war. Seeing the potential for development of ski slopes, several members returned after the war to begin what is known now as Colorado's ski industry. Several ski resorts were developed including Aspen (1946), A-Basin (1946) and Vail (1957), revitalizing nearby towns along the way. In 2008, $1.7 billion was spent by skiing visitors to Colorado; 18 percent of the total revenue received in Colorado was from overnight tourists.
  
  

Revenues from Conventions

• Denver has become one of the premier spots to host conventions in the country, including the Democratic National Convention in 2008. That convention alone generated $266 million dollars for Colorado, with the city and county of Denver benefiting from half of those funds. In 2009, 66 conferences were held generating an income of over $400 million dollars. Downtown restaurants, hotels and other vendors are highly impacted when Denver hosts conventions, boosting the economy of the city and state as a whole.
  
  

Gambling in Colorado

• The Colorado gaming industry was born in 1991 with the passage of a bill to legalize gambling in the state. Three old mining towns benefited directly from this passage: Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek. All three towns bolstered their economy by building casinos. Statistics are gathered every month from gaming establishments. In April 2010, $11 million dollars was generated statewide for that month alone.