C. International Market ......................................................................................... Pages 123-132 Public Relations Trends .................................................................................................. Pages 133-136 Digital Trends Pages 137-145 Goals and Objectives ..................................................................................................... Pages 146-156
VISIT DENVER
Convention and Tourism 2024 Review and 2025 Forecast
Each year, VISIT DENVER compiles this Marketing Plan, which contains a thorough study of industry information, customer feedback and consumer sentiment, as well as a situation analysis of local, national and international trends. Together, this information helps guide VISIT DENVER in developing its 2025 strategies and tactics.
A CASE FOR OPTIMISM...AND CAUTION
“Over the last few years, our entire relationship to travel has changed. First came the pandemic lockdown, followed by a period of whirlwind revenge travel a collective wanderlust that turned into a barrage of ambitious trips to bucket-list destinations.
What happens next?”
-Thrillist
This is the right question. What happens next?
Denver’s travel industry has made great strides in the last several years. International arrivals are fast-approaching 2019 levels. Domestic travel volume is at record levels, as is spending. The Denver product continues to improve, and the industry is valued as a key contributor to the local economy.
At the same time, as always, there are headwinds. The national economy, while strong, continues to struggle with high prices. The uncertainty surrounding the next national administration is creating anxiety and wariness. Business travel is still significantly down from 2019, and softness remains in some parts of the group market. Downtown Denver continues to experience the challenges of remote work and the short-term impacts of construction. And while great strides have been made in downtown crime and safety issues, much work is left to be done.
So...what happens next?
Whatever happens in the market, what happens next is that VISIT DENVER will continue its 115year mission to improve the quality of life for residents and stakeholders through the positive impacts of travel. This will be done by conducting strategic, aggressive sales and marketing programs, by remaining a responsible steward of the public funds VISIT DENVER receives and by maintaining the organization’s status as a positive and productive member of the local business community. This Marketing Plan will lay out those details.
THE STATE OF DENVER’S TRAVEL INDUSTRY
Travel to Denver in 2023, the most recent full year of data, saw a normalization of patterns that called back the pre-pandemic era, which saw slow but steady growth. This differs from the volatility of 2021 and 2022, both of which saw double-digit growth, as expected in the slow
climb out of the pandemic. And while this report had previously said that “there is no new normal,” the fact remains that all the markets that VISIT DENVER oversees have seen stabilization and a measure of predictability, even if some of them continue to lag earlier highwater marks. Based on available data, this pattern of normalization and stabilization continues into 2024.
Travel demand, particularly from domestic leisure audiences, continues to grow at the singledigit rates that were expected prior to 2020. According to Longwoods International’s 2023 Annual Visitor Study, overnight leisure travel in 2023 grew 5% over 2022, which was in line with overall national trends. Spending grew nearly 10% (after growing nearly 45% in 2022) despite continued concerns about travel prices and the looming threat of a recession. Demand in the group market continues to outpace earlier projections, with VISIT DENVER achieving lead volumes that exceed the organization’s 2019 high water mark. The international market has also surged back, particularly from North American and European destinations as all international flights have been restored with more on the way.
Here in Denver, the travel product itself continues to evolve. There has been significant progress in crime and safety issues, particularly downtown and citywide, though much work remains. Certain sectors of the industry, such as restaurants, have had both high points (e.g. the introduction of the Michelin program and a national Jame Beard Foundation award) yet continue to struggle with high food and labor prices and workforce issues, causing many closures and limited hours. Hotels, which enjoyed high rates during the peak of the inflationary period, have not yet seen their occupancy return to 2019 levels, primarily due to softness in the transient business market, bringing concerns about a falloff in rate These and other trends will be explored more fully below in the Denver 2024 Product Update section.
In response to these opportunities and challenges, VISIT DENVER continues to develop and execute comprehensive sales and marketing strategies that take advantage of the continued strong demand for travel, and also continues to focus on local product development, issue management and stakeholder engagement to continually ensure that the industry can maintain its well-deserved status as a key economic driver for the city.
Innumerable reasons exist for this organization to continue to “lean in”: Travel remains a highly competitive global business, with domestic visitors indicating increased demand for international trips, and domestic destinations also putting out savvy marketing messages. The recovery in the meetings market brings with it new demand dynamics that have upended decades of booking patterns. While inbound international demand is rising, few countries have yet to reach their 2019 travel levels.
Despite these headwinds, and with a new City administration in place, VISIT DENVER’s outlook for 2025 is strong. The organization retains a commitment to work through all challenges, known and unknown, with the same diligence and professionalism that has marked its stewardship of Denver’s travel industry for 115 years.
NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
U.S. Travel Forecast for 2024 and Beyond
The U.S. Travel Association (USTA) shows a stabilizing outlook for 2024 and beyond in their U.S. Travel Forecast, Winter 2024 edition, the latest figures available. As they have in past versions of this report, USTA offers their forecast in both a nominal and inflation-adjusted manner to give the industry a truer picture of recovery.
Here are their primary takeaways for 2024 and beyond: Domestic leisure trips have fully recovered, but economic headwinds pose challenges. Domestic leisure growth has decelerated to pre-pandemic levels, as consumer spending has slowed amidst higher borrowing costs, tighter credit conditions and a winding down of the postpandemic travel surge.
International inbound arrivals concluded at 84% of their 2019 level in 2023. Weaker economic growth, a strong dollar and lengthy visa wait times could inhibit future arrivals growth, but returning demand from key international markets is expected to bolster international visitation over the next few years, reaching 98% of 2019 volumes in 2024 and surpassing 2019 in 2025.
Domestic business travel is expected to grow in 2024, albeit at a slower rate. Economic growth will be driven by the cumulative impact of Fed interest rate decisions. Tourism Economics does not anticipate a full recovery in domestic business trips until 2026.
Domestic Trips (Business and Leisure)
International Trips (Business and Leisure)
DENVER’S TRAVEL INDUSTRY 2023 Longwoods Visitor Study
VISIT DENVER has many ways to measure the impact of the travel industry on the city, but none are so eagerly anticipated as the Annual Visitor Profile from Longwoods International. Longwoods surveys domestic visitors 12 months a year and produces for its clients an annual report on visitation, spending, visitor demographics and more. Their methodology is the industry standard for this kind of study, with a high degree of confidence and low margin of error. Longwoods has been researching the Denver visitor market since 1994.
In 2023, the latest figures available, Denver welcomed a record 37.4 million visitors, marking a 3% increase over the previous record set in 2022. This record number of visitors also spent more money in Denver than ever before, generating $10.3 billion in tourism revenue, outpacing last year’s record amount of $9.4 billion by almost 10%.
Overnight visitors totaled 20.5 million, a 3% rise from 2022, generating $8.8 billion in spending, a 10% increase over the prior year. Overnight leisure visitors led growth, rising by 5% over the prior year to a new high of 17.5 million.
The 2023 study shows that travel trends, both in terms of visitor numbers and spending, are returning to levels more in line with 2019. When compared to other destinations, Denver enjoyed comparably higher growth suggesting that it benefits from its unique position offering visitors both sought-after urban experiences and easy access to outdoor activities.
The study confirmed that Denver is a year-round destination with overnight visitation spread evenly throughout the year, with a modest surge in the warmer months. Denver saw 23% of visitors in Q1, 25% in Q2, 28% in Q3 and 24% in Q4.
Source: U.S. Travel Association Forecast, Winter 2024
The data further showed how crucial Denver International Airport and its air service is for continued strong Denver tourism trends. In 2023, 40% of overnight Denver visitors arrived by plane, nearly twice the national average of 24%. The airport as well as VISIT DENVER’s partners at the Colorado Tourism Office are key to Denver’s position as both a destination and a gateway to the rest of the state with overnight Denver visitors spending an average of 1.3 nights, or 32% of their trip, in other parts of the Centennial State.
Longwoods International also conducted Return on Investment (ROI) research for VISIT DENVER’s largest advertising campaign of the year, the 2023 summer advertising campaign. The study revealed the strongest ROI numbers VISIT DENVER has ever seen, showing that the campaign generated 2.7 million incremental trips, generating $1 billion in incremental visitor spending and $114 million in state and local taxes. Measured against spending, the campaign generated an ROI of $226 in visitor spending and $25 in taxes for every $1 in advertising investment.
Key numbers for 2023 include:
Denver welcomed 37.4 million total visitors in 2023, including 20.5 million overnight visitors and 16 million day visitors.
Overnight leisure visitors totaled 17.5 million in 2023, a 5% increase over 2022.
Denver visitors spent $10.3 billion in 2023, including $8.8 billion from overnight visitors and an additional $1.6 billion in spending from day visitors. Total spending increased by almost 10% over 2022.
Expenditures by overnight visitors averaged $427 per person per trip with year-over-year increases in each tracked category:
• Transportation spending within the destination reached nearly $3 billion, a 10.7% increase from 2022.
• Lodging spending hit $2.5 billion, up 9.1%.
• Restaurant Food and Beverage spend reached nearly $1.5 billon, a 9.7% increase.
• Retail Purchases totaled just over $1 billion, achieving a 7.8% increase.
• Recreation, Sightseeing and Entertainment totaled $749 million, a 9.3% increase.
The top five states sending vacationers to Denver in 2023, apart from Colorado itself, were:
• California
• Texas
• Kansas
• Florida
The top five cities from outside of Colorado sending leisure visitors to Denver in 2023 were:
• Los Angeles*
• Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM
• New York City
• Dallas-Ft. Worth
• Houston
Note: All are VISIT DENVER advertising markets
DENVER 2024 PRODUCT UPDATE
The following section documents the current state of Denver’s tourism product. It is always important to document the strengths and weaknesses of the city’s infrastructure, since it is an area over which VISIT DENVER has little control. As is said around the organization on a regular basis, “ VISIT DENVER owns nothing,” meaning that once the sales and marketing efforts do their job, it is up to the business owners to close the deal.
Denver Tourism Roadmap Update
VISIT DENVER continues to focus on the Denver Tourism Roadmap, a long-term destination strategic plan that guides the organization’s approach to product development. In 2024, after several years of pandemic-related disruption, the VISIT DENVER leadership team decided that a new Roadmap was needed, building on the lessons of the 2016 version as well as the learnings from the COVID era.
To assist with the development of the Roadmap, VISIT DENVER retained NextFactor, the leading industry consulting firm for destination master plans and the same organization that helped build the original plan nearly 10 years ago.
The new 2024 Denver Tourism Roadmap, like its predecessor, has gone through a rigorous series of inputs and strategic planning sessions that will help the organization chart a course for the next 10 years. Here are several key steps that have been undertaken in the development of the plan:
VISIT DENVER board input on initiatives for the new report
DestinationNext community input survey that was completed by more than 250 respondents across key stakeholder sectors
12 sector-specific focus groups across leisure and hospitality sectors attended by nearly 120 participants discussed ranking of areas of focus and discussion, big ideas and sector-specific feedback.
Input from 17 members of VISIT DENVER’s Convention Advisory Board, who offer a unique outside perspective of the city’s hospitality industry.
21 one-on-one, in-depth interviews with stakeholders and elected officials including members of Denver City Council and Mayor Mike Johnston. Topics of discussion included opportunities for growing the visitor economy, issues to address and big ideas to consider.
Resident sentiment survey that polled nearly 620 people citywide, including representative samples within each City Council district, ages, ethnicities and income groups
The VISIT DENVER board had a final input session in August that ratified the Roadmap and the seven areas of focus for the new plan:
Tourism Improvement District (TID)
The TID was formed in 2017, with the help of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA), to make sure that Denver had the marketing funds available to grow the tourism and convention business well into the future. As part of its formation, the TID also dedicates funds annually to the City for the expansion of the Colorado Convention Center (CCC), and the remaining funds then flow to VISIT DENVER for sales and marketing efforts. Past efforts using the TID tax revenue include programs such as the annual Mile High Holidays campaign and the operations of the Mile High Tree as well as the MLB All-Star Game festivities. Both programs helped drive overnight business to Denver.
In 2024, the TID remained committed to key strategic areas and its mission of increasing overnight demand by convention and meeting visitors as well as leisure visitors to Denver, especially in the low- and off-peak seasons like major holidays and weekends. Specific programs include funding a holiday season marketing campaign highlighting the Mile High Tree, client concessions to attract meetings and conventions in future years and regional leisure marketing.
The TID continues to serve a significant role in helping Denver remain competitive when attracting conventions. While competing cities offer convention center discounts and financial incentives to book citywide business, the TID program has helped attract critical business with a robust economic impact. Additionally, there has been increased competition from mega-hotels (facilities so large that the entire meeting can be held in one hotel, eliminating the need for a convention center), competing for convention center business. Since the TID’s creation, VISIT DENVER has booked 84 groups with a $1.2 billion economic impact and $98.3 million in tax dollars. In 2024 to date, VISIT DENVER has booked 13 groups through TID incentives, worth $261.3 million in future economic impact which will result in nearly $21.0 million in tax dollars for the city.
Transportation and Accessibility
Located almost exactly 1,000 miles from both Chicago and San Francisco, Denver is the most isolated city in North America, 600 miles from the closest city of comparable size and surrounded by minimally populated areas of prairie to the north, east and south and mountains to the west.
Denver International Airport
Denver’s success in the 21st century, both in the leisure and meetings markets, relies heavily on its accessibility, and primarily on the strength of Denver International Airport (DEN) to provide convenient air service, and ground transportation from the airport to a compact, walkable downtown. DEN is Colorado’s largest economic engine, bringing in $33 billion annually.
DEN continues to outperform nearly every airport in the country, based on the strength of its domestic network and growing international service In terms of passenger counts, DEN is the third busiest in the country and seventh busiest in the world (Source: DEN, July 2024 Air Service Profile). In 2023, DEN had 77.83 million passengers, surpassing the previous record set in 2022 Year-to-date in 2024, passenger traffic is up 8.5% versus 2023 (through May).
DEN currently serves 190 domestic and 31 international destinations with nonstop service. The airport has recently welcomed new nonstop routes to Dublin, Ireland on Aer Lingus; Monterrey, Mexico on Viva Aerobus; new year-round service to Paris, France on Air France and Istanbul, Turkey on Turkish Airlines. Recent domestic routes include Asheville, NC; Dayton, OH; Greensboro, NC; Lexington, KY on United as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In addition, DEN completed a 39-gate expansion in 2022, increasing overall capacity at the airport by 30%. The new gates, on all three concourses, allow DEN’s airlines the opportunity to grow and for DEN to accommodate new airlines, including international carriers.
DEN is also planning for future growth. Vision 100, the airport’s strategic plan, will enable it to prepare for and reach 100 million annual passengers. The strategic plan will serve as a blueprint to align decision-making and enable accountability so DEN can thoughtfully prepare to serve 100 million passengers in the next eight to 10 years. DEN’s strategic plan is centered on the four pillars of Vision 100 and under each pillar are strategic objectives:
Powering their people
Growing their infrastructure
Maintaining what they have
Expanding global connections
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) and 16th Street Mall
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is the regional agency operating public transit services in eight out of the twelve counties in the Denver metro area. It operates over a 2,342square-mile area, serving 3.08 million people. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. Directors are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district of about 180,000 constituents.
RTD currently runs 86 local, 23 regional, 14 limited and three SkyRide bus routes plus some special services. It also includes six light rail lines and an additional four commuter rail lines with 77 stations and 113.1 miles.
In 2023, the system had a ridership of 65,021,500, or about 238,500 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024.
In 2024, RTD has been undergoing a series of significant infrastructure improvements that, while disruptive in the short-term, should ultimately help the system serve its riders’ needs better for decades to come. Key projects include:
Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project:
After nearly 30 years, RTD is investing in its oldest rail infrastructure to ensure the longterm integrity of the network. Light rail service began in Denver on October 7, 1994, with 5.3 miles of track connecting 30th Avenue and Downing Street to Interstate 25 and Broadway. Much of today’s downtown track infrastructure, commonly referred to as the Downtown Loop, has been in place since the line was first constructed. This section of track has expanded over the years to now serve 10 rail stations on the D, H and L lines, with street-level trains operating adjacent to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
The near-term work will occur in four phases, with the first phase commencing in June 2024, focusing on track at five key intersections in the Downtown Loop. Phases two through four of the approximately $152 million-dollar, full-depth reconstruction project will occur in 2025.
16th Street Mall Reconstruction Project:
Built in 1982, the 40-year-old 16th Street Mall is currently undergoing a major restoration. The project will reconfigure the Mall’s layout to create wider sidewalks, a new amenity zone and center-running Free Mall Ride shuttle service. Phased construction began in 2022, starting at Market Street and moving towards Broadway before reaching completion in late 2025.
Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT):
After years of studying East Colfax Avenue and gathering significant community input, RTD and the City and County of Denver advanced a center-running bus rapid transit (BRT) service from Broadway to Yosemite with a dedicated transit lane in each direction. The project includes new and enhanced transit stations, service amenities, improved pedestrian and bike connections and placemaking opportunities. West of Civic Center Station to Denver Union Station, BRT will operate in the side-running transit lanes along 15th and 17th Streets. East of Yosemite to I-225, BRT will be side-running in mixed flow traffic with potential enhanced stations that will be coordinated with the City of Aurora.
Upon completion in 2027, the project will reduce transit travel time by 15 to 30 minutes, provide more affordable and reliable access to over 250,000 jobs and community services along the corridor, enhance comfort and safety and create exciting streetscape, placemaking and economic development opportunities.
Colorado Convention Center Expansion
The rooftop expansion of the Colorado Convention Center was completed in December 2023, with the first event held in the new space in March 2024. Since then, the expansion has made it possible for Denver to book future citywide meetings that wouldn’t have booked Denver without the new space. Adding a total of 135,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, the expansion makes the Colorado Convention Center the best and most user-friendly meeting space in the nation.
In partnership with the Colorado Convention Center team of ASM Global and Sodexo Live, VISIT DENVER continues to drive bookings for 2025 and beyond.
Key features of the expansion include:
Multi-function Bluebird Ballroom
• The signature feature of the expansion is the 80,000-square-foot, column-free multifunction space that includes 19 subdivisions of varying sizes. This is the largest ballroom in the state.
Pre-function Concourse
• The new 35,000-square-foot wrap-around, pre-function concourse features dramatic views of the Rocky Mountains and is conveniently accessible via the center’s existing street-level lobbies.
Rooftop Terrace
• The 20,000-square-foot rooftop terrace features spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains to the north and west and stunning views of Denver’s skyline to the east. The space is designed to enable seamless indoor/outdoor events.
Hotels
Supply continued to grow in Denver even during the pandemic but is leveling off as of July 2024. According to CoStar Group, pipeline properties are concentrated in the CBD and East/DEN areas of the Denver metro area.
More than 13,000 downtown hotel rooms and nearly 55,000 rooms in the metro area are already within walking distance of the convention center, with more on the way. According to CoStar, as of July 2024 there are 1,220 rooms under construction and an additional 2,791 rooms in final planning across all Denver submarkets.
In 2024, many downtown Denver hotels celebrated openings, as well as multi-million-dollar renovations. Here is a shortlist:
Courtyard by Marriott Denver Stadium will add 118 rooms near Empower Field at Mile High in March 2024.
In June 2024 the Cambria hotel opened in Denver’s River North (RiNo) Arts District with 153 hotel rooms. with 2,000 square feet of flexible meeting space that provides Rocky Mountain views. The Zeppelin light rail station is an easy walk from the hotel.
In the spring of 2024, The Kimpton Claret Hotel situated in the heart of the fast-developing Belleview Station along the growing South Denver Corridor. The 19-story, new-build hotel features 190 guest rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces.
Populus, the 250-room hotel planned adjacent to Civic Center Park, will feature a rooftop terrace. The property will be the first carbon positive hotel in the country and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2024.
The Sonder Jefferson Park, a 93-room hotel, will open in December 2024.
Restaurants
Travelers choose destinations in part due to the strength of a city’s culinary offerings. Similarly, they may avoid destinations they don’t feel can provide them with the fresh, creative and adventurous dining options they crave. This makes developing and promoting the city’s food and beverage scene a high-stakes endeavor.
Denver’s restaurant industry is at an inflection point as 2025 approaches. This sector has always been a key pillar in the city’s reputation as a sophisticated urban destination. That reputation
received a significant boost in the last 18 months with the addition of the Colorado Michelin Guide in 2023 and the awarding of Outstanding Restaurateur to Denver’s Id Est Hospitality Group in June 2024 by the James Beard Foundation.
This was a volatile industry even before the pandemic, with razor-thin margins and persistent staffing challenges. Add to these the steep rise in food costs that began in early 2022, which persists today, as well as high labor costs due to a tight job market and Denver’s high minimum wage, and the restaurants must feel they are in the perfect storm.
Inflation continues to stress the local restaurant industry. Prices continue to rise for foodservice and hospitality providers in ways that are unsustainable, including taxes and regulatory fees, credit card fees, insurance and the cost of goods. Operators can’t increase prices fast enough to cover costs; some legacy businesses are in peril.
There have been innumerable stories related to how high prices are causing people to re-think their dining out decisions, leading to a decline in incidences of dining out (though spending is up in part due to higher prices; source: eMarketer, 2024) and putting additional pressure on restaurants. This has caused the closure of some notable Denver restaurants such as Stoic & Genuine, Three Saints Revival, Avelina and Il Posto (though Denver chef Dana Rodriguez recently opened a new restaurant, Carne, in the same space).
This is a sector that has always had its share of ups and downs and, ultimately, there is cause for optimism. The second year of the Michelin program will be announced in early September and there is every indication that consumers value such ratings, with nearly a quarter of travelers saying Michelin ratings are important to their destination decision, particularly among younger more diverse travelers (Future Partners, 2024).
Cultural Attractions, Festivals and Events
Attributed to the devastating effects of the pandemic – the city’s creative community lost nearly 30,000 jobs and more than $1.4 billion in revenue between April 1 and July 31, 2020 – this vital and critical sector of Denver’s tourism product has roared back to life. The latest Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Economic Activity Study reported $2.6 billion in total economic activity in 2022, a 14% increase over 2019.
According to Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA), in their 2022/2023 Community Report, their programs had the following impact and results:
More than $205 million total economic impact
More than 727,000 tickets distributed across more than 4,000 performances of 44 different productions
More than 866,000 total guest interactions
Additionally, according to Denver Arts & Venues, the City has infused art into the resident and visitor experience through their programs, including:
More than 1,000 hosted cultural events
2.7 million attendees
350 artists and organizations receiving funding
More than 80 active public art projects
All of this speaks to a city that values culture as one of its defining principles, a quality that is highly visible to visitors who seek to enrich their lives through culture on their visit.
Some other significant cultural developments in the city include:
In June, Denver PrideFest celebrated its 50th anniversary with a weekend-long festival that saw hundreds of thousands of attendees in Denver’s Civic Center Park.
Denver’s other major cultural festivals had strong performances including March Powwow, Cinco De Mayo, Juneteenth, Cherry Creeks Arts Festival and Colorado Black Arts Festival. The city’s robust festival calendar offers locals and visitors alike multiple opportunities throughout the year to connect with the city’s diverse communities and artists.
The announcement by DCPA that their Off-Center immersive production department would take on semi-permanent space on South Broadway, eventually leading to a permanent facility, speaks to the city’s spirit of innovation.
Record-breaking participation in VISIT DENVER’s own Denver Arts Week, with nearly 600 events at more than 300 participating cultural organizations, was testament to citywide enthusiasm for the arts.
Denver’s strong events calendar continues to emerge as a competitive advantage. A combination of large annual festivals, cultural exhibitions and a substantial, year-round music calendar including more than 200 at Red Rocks alone combine to make the city’s events calendar a “must check” for visitors of all kinds.
Sports
The Denver Sports Commission, an affiliate of VISIT DENVER, had a busy year in 2024 working to pursue new sports events for Denver, while preparing for first-time sporting events coming to the city.
Denver Sports also made connections and recruited business at several networking events, including the SportsETA Chief Executive Summit in San Jose, CA; the SportsETA Symposium in Portland, OR; Connect Sports in Milwaukee and TEAMS in Anaheim, CA
Key 2024 Events
U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team vs. Korea at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, June 1
Mexico vs. Uruguay at Empower Field at Mile High, June 5
BMW Championship Golf at Castle Pines Golf Club, August 20-25
ONE Championship Fight Night (mixed martial arts) at Ball Arena, September 6
Sustainability
Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency has led the way in decreasing the
city’s greenhouse gas emissions and prioritizing a sustainable future for the city. Likewise, VISIT DENVER collaborates with its venues, hotels and other partners to ensure that sustainable options are offered that allow both the community and natural environment to thrive. Below are a few of VISIT DENVER’s sustainability efforts as well as those from its biggest partners:
VISIT DENVER Environmental and Sustainability Industry Recognitions:
• In November 2023, the Events Industry Council (EIC) announced that VISIT DENVER has achieved PLATINUM Level certification according to the EIC Sustainable Event Standards. Denver is the first destination to achieve the highest level of certification. The EIC Sustainable Event Standards are specific standards for environmental and social responsibility within the events industry. Created by the EIC Sustainability Committee in partnership with industry professionals and leading sustainability practitioners, the requirements provide event planners and suppliers with prescriptive actions for producing and delivering sustainable events.
• In 2024, VISIT DENVER maintained a Silver Level member status of the Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN). This is a voluntary program that encourages, supports and rewards organizations that make the move toward the goal of true, operational sustainability.
Hotel Sustainability Reports: Every two years, VISIT DENVER surveys the downtown hotels on their sustainability practices, including Waste Management, Energy Conservation, Air Quality and more. The survey provides meeting planners and visitors with comparable information regarding the sustainable practices of Denver hotels. This survey was updated in 2024.
Green Vendor Directory: VISIT DENVER provides a one-stop resource to showcase vendors’ sustainability practices. The Green Vendor Directory allows visitors to sort businesses by certification type and practice. VISIT DENVER is proud to support and promote partners and their sustainable efforts.
Colorado Convention Center’s commitment to sustainability:
• CCC’s certifications include LEED Existing Building – Operations and Maintenance Level GOLD and ISO Standard 14001 – Environmental Management System. The CCC is pursuing LEED Gold certification for the new ballroom and rooftop terrace since completion.
• The CCC’s Waste Management Program, Energy and Water Conservation efforts, Air Quality policies and sustainable catering support the CCC’s commitment to making all events held at the Convention Center sustainable.
Denver International Airport’s dedication to energy efficiency and the environment:
• The seventh busiest airport in the world holds a strong commitment to sustainability. Programs like the Environmental Management System, wastewater reduction, airport solar program, single-stream recycling and a partnership with the CBGN support the airport’s goals to reduce its impact on the environment. In addition, the RTD A Line offers a “green” way to travel to and from the airport.
Diverse Denver Recap and Statement
VISIT DENVER prioritizes the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all of its operations and sales/marketing efforts. The DEI Board Committee, which was formed in June 2020, provides ongoing input for focus areas of internal policies/practices, community affiliations and support, social impact/work force development efforts and marketing efforts and programs.
With the engagement of Darrell Hammond, Sr., of Higher Ground Consulting, several DEI educational training courses for staff were conducted throughout 2024. All staff members participated in Outward Mindset workshops to gain more skills for interacting with clients, stakeholders and co-workers. In addition, staff recruitment efforts have increased the diversity among VISIT DENVER employees.
Based on opportunity areas identified by the 2021 DEI Perception Survey, staff-led Impact Teams researched and developed proposals for enhancing internal policies and practices, with the goal of enhancing DEI efforts. VISIT DENVER’s Board and leadership team have consistently embraced and guided this ongoing journey to enhance the organization’s DEI efforts.
The focus on DEI will remain as a constant thread, in 2025 and beyond, woven into the fabric of all things VISIT DENVER. There will be a focus on additional training and opportunities to keep an "outward mindset" top of mind through action and conversations, as well as continued work with the Board Committee and the DEI focus areas. This includes the organization’s official Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
The Mile High City welcomes everyone! We are committed to making the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion a way of life for our organization, our partners in the hospitality industry and our visitors.
At VISIT DENVER, we believe that travel makes the world a smaller and more connected place. It brings people together and fosters interaction among diverse cultures. It builds understanding, appreciation, empathy and respect for one another. This philosophy is essential to who we are as a community and why Denver is one of the top destinations in the country to live and to visit.
Denver celebrates its rich cultural heritage across our vibrant neighborhoods with attractions, restaurants, festivals and events throughout the year. Go to Diverse Denver, where you will find our Accessibility Guide, our Land Acknowledgment to support Indigenous people, and more.
2025 Convention and Tourism: SWOT
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
STRENGTHS
Travel demand is strong, even as it has settled into pre-pandemic growth rates. In 2023, domestic leisure travel volume reached 102% of 2019 and is expected to hit 104% by the end of 2024 (U.S. Travel Association).
The Denver brand, which received a major refresh in 2023, provides VISIT DENVER with a strong platform from which to market the city, both from tourism and convention standpoints, positioning Denver as “uplifting by nature,” an outdoor city full of urban exploration and sophistication.
Denver has a mild year-round climate, 300 days of sunshine and easy access to outdoor activities, both in the city and the nearby Rocky Mountains. This has been an important part of the brand in attracting visitors in the post-pandemic era with people who are seeking outdoor and less-populated areas to visit.
Denver has a compact, walkable and vibrant downtown that is easily accessible and includes a wide array of amenities that are attractive to residents and visitors alike, including many options for entertainment, arts and culture, sports, dining, nightlife, retail and outdoor activities. Despite current challenges related to crime and safety, as well as the reconstruction of the 16th Street Mall, downtown Denver continues to be an anchor of the city.
Smart use of marketing funds in annual regional and national tourism promotional campaigns, including advertising, public relations, social media and search marketing, will keep Denver top-of-mind for the growing domestic leisure travel market. This includes expanded national advertising in the first and fourth quarters, which are historically soft times for visitation from these segments.
The Colorado Tourism Office is a strong partner of VISIT DENVER, providing additional domestic and international marketing support, which in turn drives additional visitation for Denver.
The Denver Tourism Roadmap, which initially launched in 2016, is being rewritten for the next 10 years to help guide the development of Denver’s tourism product for future years and help VISIT DENVER focus on the top priorities. To-date, the in-progress plan has received input from more than 800 people including board members, industry representatives and Denver residents.
The Tourism Improvement District (TID), launched in 2017, continues to add funds to help maintain the now-completed Colorado Convention Center (CCC) expansion and attract meeting business and marketing initiatives.
New hotels continue to be added to Denver’s supply. More than 6,500 properties are in planning, or some phase of construction, concentrated in the downtown and airport submarkets. According to CoStar, as of July 2024, 1,220 rooms are under construction and an additional 2,791 rooms are in final planning across all Denver submarkets.
Denver is a central location for meetings, just 340 miles from the exact center of the Continental United States. Denver’s status as a regional capital gives the city a leg upin many areas, including dining, retail, arts and culture and sports, as well as with business, medicine, technology and financial services.
Denver’s long-term prospects in the conventions market remain strong. Meeting lead volume now exceeds 2019.
The CCC has a strong reputation among clients that will only improve upon the completion of the center’s expansion in late 2023.
Denver International Airport (DEN) remains a central component of Denver’s success in both the leisure and meeting sectors. DEN is currently ranked as the third busiest airport in U.S. and the seventh busiest in the world (latest figures available), due in large part to its strong domestic network and growing international connections.
Recent international flights from Monterrey, Mexico (Viva Aerobus); Dublin, Ireland (Aer Lingus) and Istanbul, Turkey (Turkish Air), along with existing flights from the U.K, France, Germany, Japan, etc. Have combined to increase DEN’s international lift by more than 30% in recent years.
The recently completed 39-gate expansion has also greatly enhanced DEN’s competitiveness and made the city more attractive, particularly to meeting planners.
The A Line train from DEN to Denver Union Station, which launched in April 2016, provides an efficient option for transportation between the airport and downtown for both meeting planners and leisure travelers, and addressed one of the main complaints from meeting planners.
Denver continues to maintain its position as a top city for “green” meetings and has won many awards and recognition for sustainability.
Denver has a highly regarded medical and bio-science campus at Anschutz Medical Campus, which enhances the city’s reputation as a center for medical meetings and serves as a pool from which VISIT DENVER can recruit ambassadors to assist in the sales process, as well as provide experts and speakers for related groups.
Denver City Council’s 2016 approval of regulations and a taxing mechanism for short-term rental properties (e.g. Airbnb and VRBO) opened the door for partnerships with these providers and generated additional Lodger’s Tax.
Denver has a growing reputation for its arts and cultural scene with world-class museums, performance venues such as the Denver Performing Arts Complex, blockbuster exhibitions and annual festivals like the Denver Film Festival. In addition, there are hundreds of arts and cultural organizations bringing creativity to the city and its neighborhoods, thanks in large part to the unique Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) funding that was renewed in 2016 for 10 more years. Innovations like art installations in alleyways and non-traditional, immersive programming by Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Off-Center programming also represent new ways to appeal to visitors.
The city’s many tourism, sports, entertainment and cultural-related organizations have been very successful in the last several years in attracting high-demand events, exhibitions and festivals, bolstering the city’s already robust events calendar. VISIT DENVER’s continued role in this process will be an ongoing asset.
Denver celebrates its rich ethnic diversity, including its Black heritage, Hispanic/Latino population, Indigenous communities and its engaged LGBTQ+ community, as well as an expanded focus on people with disabilities, through a wide variety of events, attractions and restaurants.
VISIT DENVER’s board committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion continues to evaluate VISIT DENVER’s practices, from staffing to marketing, in an ongoing effort to ensure the city’s wide diversity is always represented. A consultant hired in 2021 continues to drive this process.
VISIT DENVER’s website allows the Bureau to effectively reach visitors across devices and with timely, engaging content. An expanded social media effort, including enhanced social media advertising and increased use of video, is also crucial in communicating with visitors.
Visitors to Denver now have two attraction passes offering discounted admissions to top attractions. The Denver CityPASS launched in 2018, offering tickets to three, four or five of the eight participating attractions, and the Mile High Culture Pass is a three-day pass providing admission to seven of Denver’s top cultural attractions. The Mile High Culture Pass was relaunched in 2022, and both are selling well.
Denver has a robust culinary reputation that was strengthened in 2023 with the announcement of the Michelin Guide and in 2024 with a national James Beard Foundation award for the Id Est Hospitality Group, operator of two of Denver’s one-star Michelin restaurants. Michelin is the global standard of restaurant reviews, and the launch of Denver’s program has immediately elevated the reputation of the city’s dining scene with domestic visitors, meeting planners and international travelers. The program has a threeyear contract term with an option for two additional years.
Denver is known as the country’s leading craft brewing city with more than 150 breweries metro-wide. Additionally, the city is becoming increasingly known for its burgeoning craft distilling culture and innovative wineries.
The Denver metro area has extensive parks and open spaces, nearly 80 golf courses and more than 850 miles of bike paths, underscoring the city’s outdoor brand.
Denver has six professional sports teams and modern facilities.
The strength of the Denver Sports Commission in identifying, securing and servicing highvalue, high-impact sporting events, both professional and amateur, puts Denver in a good position to grow its sporting event footprint.
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre hosted a full calendar of concerts, films and fitness events in 2024, with more than 200 total events, extending its season into November and reinforcing the city’s reputation for live music, culture and fitness.
Live music in Denver continues to achieve national recognition with the continued success of the Mission Ballroom in RiNo, the impressive (and largely free) concert calendar at Levitt Pavilion, as well as other smaller venues, especially outdoor ones like Number 38. The success of Denver-based bands OneRepublic, the Lumineers, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and others, as well as strong local festivals, including the Underground Music Showcase and Westword Music Showcase, also aid in this effort.
Denver has a rich Western heritage that is associated with the Rocky Mountain West and anchored by one of the world’s most prestigious livestock shows, the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo. In 2015, voters approved funds for the development of a new National Western Center that is intended to be a year-round destination that will engage local visitors and promote out-of-state tourism in collaboration with partners such as Western Stock Show Association, Colorado State University System, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and History Colorado.
Denver has a variety of authentic, lively and growing neighborhoods filled with unique restaurants, shops, cultural/historical attractions and parks. Shopping at local merchants is particularly important to international visitors.
Denver’s outdoor brand is supported by the continued development and activation at Civic Center Park, including concerts, events and the Civic Center EATS food truck roundup.
The Amtrak Winter Park Express ski train offers seasonal, weekend rail service from Denver Union Station to Winter Park Resort, creating an option for skiers to stay at least one night in Denver. The service returned to a full January-April schedule in 2024 and is expected to return in 2025 even with discussions of expanding in frequency during upcoming ski seasons.
The introduction of the Rocky Mountaineer luxury train from Denver to Moab, Utah adds another high-demand, rail-based option for visitors to experience the West by train. The train is having its third full year of service in 2024, running trains weekly from April-October.
Denver offers a wide variety of pre- and post-convention vacation opportunities, as well as leisure day trips in the nearby Rocky Mountains, a concept that VISIT DENVER markets under the “Basecamp Denver” brand.
Denver has a growing inventory of innovative tours, such as culinary, brewery and walking tours, as well as new virtual options, which increases Denver’s appeal to leisure travelers, both domestically and internationally.
The City, the Downtown Denver Partnership and other stakeholders have implemented several safety and security plans in the downtown area in 2023 and 2024. Mayor Mike Johnston met his ambitious goal of housing 1,000 homeless people with a goal of 2,000 by the end of 2024.
Mayor Johnston has shown himself to be a major supporter of tourism in the first year of his administration, attending many VISIT DENVER events and press conferences.
WEAKNESSES
Denver is one of the most geographically isolated major cities in America, with a relatively small population within a 600-mile radius, thus generating less drive traffic for tourism and conventions.
Denver is overly dependent on air traffic, with 40% of visitors arriving by air (according to 2023 data from Longwoods), significantly higher than the national average of 24%. This makes the city particularly vulnerable during this period with high gas prices that may cause people to travel closer to home.
There is a misconception that Denver is cold, snowy and has unpredictable weather.
Denver is not as well-known as some major U.S. cities with more long-standing tourism brands.
Denver currently has less recognition for offering unique regional cuisine or specialty cooking than other cities, though the addition of the Michelin Guide has helped alleviate this to a large degree.
The average number of weekday office workers downtown is still only around 60% of prepandemic numbers (85,793 vs. 50,753), according to July 2024 data from the Downtown Denver Partnership, which impacts the viability of supporting local businesses and the overall vitality of downtown.
Year-to-date, the average number of total daily users in downtown is slightly more than 196,000, which is approximately 22.5% below the 2019 figure.
Though much progress has been made, visitors and meeting planners continue to share safety concerns on and around the 16th Street Mall and surrounding areas, noting multiple closed businesses and boarded-up storefronts, aggressive panhandling and people experiencing homelessness. That said, meeting planners have given Denver better marks on safety concerns in surveys this year.
Downtown Denver lacks major retail on or near the 16th Street Mall, a trend that was further exacerbated by COVID-era closures and the reconstruction project.
Denver has fewer nonstop international flights compared to many other large U.S. cities, though that number has increased substantially in recent years.
Traffic congestion issues exist on I-70 to and from the mountains, especially on weekends.
There is limited public transportation to many of the city’s top neighborhoods, attractions and shopping centers.
There are negative perceptions of Denver’s elevation, including that it can adversely impact a visitor’s stay.
Construction on I-70 and at DEN is greatly increasing traffic congestion from the airport to downtown and creating longer wait times to check in.
Construction downtown, including the 16th Street Mall renovation and RTD Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project, also impacts traffic flow in the city’s core.
OPPORTUNITIES
The expanded Colorado Convention Center, which opened in December 2023, allows Denver’s convention and exhibition facilities to stay competitive for years to come. The TID will also provide additional marketing funds, further ensuring the city's competitiveness in leisure and meetings markets.
The 16th Street Mall project will make significant progress in 2024, en route to full completion in 2025. The block between Larimer and Lawrence officially reopened in June, and the Mall is expected to be open up to Curtis St. by fall. The new Mall will be a focal point for visitors and residents alike, with wider sidewalks, more and larger outdoor patios, an expanded tree canopy and a more consistent bus configuration.
City-wide infrastructure developments like the addition of protected bike lanes, enhancements to downtown parks and the proposed creation of a 5280 Loop will create additional amenities that will benefit both locals and visitors.
Mayor Johnston’s proposed expansion of the Downtown Denver Authority could bring as much as $500 million in new investment to downtown.
The Downtown Denver Partnership’s funding plans to help businesses on the 16th Street
Mall could contribute to the revitalization of the street.
The renovation at DEN of the Great Hall, ticketing and security areas will improve safety, make the airport more efficient and elevate the passenger experience when complete.
VISIT DENVER will continue to work with DEN to maintain existing air service and pursue additional nonstop flights to tap un-served and under-served destinations in target markets including Europe, Asia, Oceania and South America. New international nonstops from Dublin, Ireland (Aer Lingus); Monterrey, Mexico (Viva Aerobus) and Istanbul, Turkey (Turkish Airlines) continue to expand DEN’s reach.
On-going marketing initiatives, particularly the expanded Winter Campaign that targets Colorado resort intenders, are poised to take advantage of the consistent interest in Denver’s urban appeal.
VISIT DENVER’s already strong track record in promoting the city’s inclusive communities to diverse audiences will be strengthened in 2025 with the continued operation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and greatly expanded content for multiple diverse markets on the VISITDENVER.com website.
Temporary exhibitions at Denver’s cultural attractions have continued throughout the pandemic and provide time-specific marketing opportunities while also enhancing Denver’s reputation as a city that embraces arts and culture. Exhibitions like “Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak” at Denver Art Museum; “Discovering Teen Rex” at Denver Museum of Nature & Science; and “Dialogue and Defiance” at Clyfford Still Museum will continue to highlight the arts and culture scene into 2025.
VISIT DENVER’s Denver365 events calendar is a key resource and promotional platform for visitors and locals alike, and emerging competitive advantage as events become more important in promotional strategies.
Brand USA’s website content and cooperative advertising and marketing programs offer ways to reach travel trade and consumers in international markets in a cost-effective way.
VISIT DENVER will continue to leverage the upcoming hosting of IPW 2029 to bring more international visitors to the city. This includes continued deployment of the $500,000 Colorado Tourism Office Recovery Grant to spur visitation from key international markets.
U.S. Travel Association’s continued advocacy around visas and improvements to the entry process for international travelers improves perceptions of the U.S. as a travel destination.
Strong leadership at the City’s Office of Special Events helps ensure that large events are handled smoothly with more streamlined processes.
The Michelin program has given VISIT DENVER an expanded platform to market its culinary scene to domestic and international visitors, as well as meeting planners and attendees.
The Downtown Denver Partnership’s retail strategy for the 16th Street Mall could provide a big boost to the area’s shopping amenities.
Denver’s overall mild climate could be an asset in coming years when compared to other parts of the West.
Denver and Colorado’s central role in vital water issues in the U.S., and particularly the West, could create opportunities for hosting new conferences and businesses related to this critical topic.
VISIT DENVER’s new workforce promotion efforts could help attract more workers to an industry that still struggles with reputation and still has hiring challenges.
VISIT DENVER was the recipient of a grant from the CTO, which the Bureau has used to strengthen its relationship with media and tour operators in its top five international markets. The funds from the grant will be exhausted in Q1 of 2025, leaving VISIT DENVER to determine to continue the momentum with further funding or allow the work to sunset.
THREATS
The short- and medium-term prospects of a recession/economic downturn could negatively impact tourism in all markets. The impact on the industry is not known, but the prospect alone is enough to be cautious.
The City of Denver is producing a revenue shortfall in its 2025 General Fund driven by slumping sales tax revenues, which provide more than 50% of General Fund revenue. This is leading to potential City budget cuts of up to 5%.
Fall ballot measures to increase taxes for affordable housing and funding for Denver Health could cause negative perceptions about Denver’s affordability.
The entire hospitality industry is struggling to fill open positions. New headwinds make it difficult to find qualified workers include competitiveness with other industries, reputational issues with the leisure and hospitality sector, health and safety concerns, childcare challenges and affordable housing.
University-level leisure and hospitality programs are experiencing lower enrollment across the country, which could lead to future challenges in filling key industry workforce roles.
Work-from-home policies have led to a slower-than-expected return of the downtown Denver workforce, which has contributed to the shutting of many downtown businesses that serve this market, including food service and retail. VISIT DENVER is part of several initiatives with the City, local businesses and related agencies like Downtown Denver Partnership to try and address these issues on multiple fronts.
Denver’s restaurant industry seems particularly at risk right now due to a combination of high wages, rents and food costs paired with more caution on the part of consumers and a diminished number of downtown workers.
The 1,500-room Gaylord Rockies in Aurora is a top source of lost business for Denver over the long term.
New hotel supply coming online in the metro area will slow the pace of recovery, especially in the meeting and convention sector.
Perceptions of the impacts of construction and traffic congestion, by both locals and visitors, could negatively impact the city’s appeal.
Despite some gains, there are continued safety issues on and near the 16th Street Mall that create an ongoing possibility for negative press, as well as the potential for lost business as more high-profile incidents become public.
Once frequently cited by U.S. News as a top place to live (#14 last year in 2021), Denver’s ranking improved to #40 this year, up from #99 last year, due to favorable household income and a lower-than-average unemployment rate. High housing costs and a higherthan-average crime rate are surely keeping the city from ranking even higher.
Increased competition exists from a variety of traditional web, mobile and social media sources within both the leisure and meetings outlets.
Online booking options enable meeting delegates to easily find lower rates and book outside the block, and new options like short-term rentals further erode hotel room blocks.
Ongoing competition from third-party travel and meeting planning websites challenges the relevance of DMOs.
There is always potential for new local, statewide or national legislation or ballot initiatives that could have a negative impact on tourism.
Denver residents’ frustration with growth and traffic could be transferred to anti-tourism feelings, leading to a reduction in local and state tourism marketing dollars.
VISIT DENVER’s success is tied to measurements that may not truly reflect business. Convention room blocks are decreasing due to delegates booking outside the block, so attendee counts and room nights booked are frequently lower than actual numbers. New measurements may be needed to accurately provide a picture of tourism business in the 21st century.
Climate changes in general, and worsening fire conditions across the west in particular, could make wildfires and wildfire-related poor air quality conditions a more frequent issue for Denver and the state.
VISIT DENVER: Positioning and Messaging
Denver’s appeal rests on a strong brand foundation that combines outdoor adventure and urban amenities. This section will explore how the current brand positioning was developed, and how it will be deployed in 2025 and beyond.
Denver Brand Positioning and Brand Pillars
VISIT DENVER regularly conducts brand awareness research to gauge the current perceptions of the Denver brand in key regional and target markets.
The 2023 research was conducted by Denver-based BrandJuice, the same firm that conducted earlier studies in 2005 and 2013 from which the previous brand positioning was derived, providing continuity for the development of Denver’s brand.
The research showed a significant expansion of positive brand attributes, as well as some unexpected findings, which has provided the basis for VISIT DENVER’s campaigns for 2024 and beyond.
Travel continues to be a very sought-after activity, and the reasons for taking trips shifted dramatically as people looked to meet up with loved ones much more frequently than preCOVID. Rather than escape or adventure as primary motivators, travel in 2024 was defined by the idea of reconnecting, and to do so in new places. Campaigns to be implemented in 2025 will take advantage of this trend and make Denver generally more welcoming and inclusive.
Brand Highlights
A strong correlation exists between Denver and the Rocky Mountains in the minds of many respondents, often referred to as “Denver’s Duality.” The single most important icon for Denver is the Rocky Mountains; the city and its mountain backdrop are inextricably linked.
Denver’s urban qualities were put into a new perspective, with particular emphasis on the previous use of the phrase, “urban adventures,” which was somewhat off-putting and not believable, particularly among long-haul audiences and residents of larger cities like New York and Los Angeles.
Denver’s welcoming and open-minded spirit was reinforced as a key brand differentiator.
Denver’s western history was highlighted, but also brought into current times with qualities of entrepreneurship and collaboration.
Brand Positioning
Uplifting
by Nature
Denver is a vibrant outdoor city at the base of the Rocky Mountains with natural energy that heightens every moment.
Known for crisp mountain air, sunshine and expansive blue skies, it’s a destination of discovery
that thrives in the beauty of every season offering an escape that uplifts and invigorates travelers with every visit.
BRAND PILLARS
1. Vibrant, contemporary atmosphere with an open-minded community that embraces visitors
2. 300+ days of sunshine to enjoy panoramic natural beauty and the allure of every season
3. Exciting array of attractions and activities for visitors of all ages (arts, culture, shopping)
4. Creative, contemporary dining scene (including fine dining, “foodie” hangouts, craft breweries, cocktail lounges and urban wineries)
5. Walkable, safe environment that encourages exploration and discovery of eclectic neighborhoods
6. Outdoor activities and adventures, both in the city and the nearby mountain playground
7. Welcoming city for family-friendly fun, providing a variety of opportunities for education and play
8. Dynamic destination for all types of events and entertainment in one-of-a-kind venues
Key Research Findings
DIFFERENTIATING DRAW
Travelers who have been to Denver agree that there is a combination of factors that make the city great, but they struggle to articulate one singular selling point.
Defining clear differentiation from this kaleidoscope of elements can ensure Denver’s appeal as a standout destination is more immediately recognized and understood.
DENVER’S DUALITY PERSISTS
Denver is “the best of both worlds,” offering the amenities of the city with the outdoor setting of a mountain town.
While the idea of an “Outdoor City” resonates, more can be done to define what it means to get outdoors within city limits.
365 DAYS OF DENVER
Denver’s 300 days of sun are a surprise to travelers who often associate the city with winter.
To sway winter-weary travelers, the brand should explore interesting ways to position the city as a year-round destination.
AFFORDABILITY ATTRACTS
The rising cost of living and proximity to expensive resorts has created a perception that Denver is an expensive destination, but visitors don’t find this to be true.
In terms of cost, the brand must show the value it offers to help attract new visitors.
AMBIGUITY OF URBAN ADVENTURE
Travelers, at best, believe the phrase “Urban Adventure” makes sense paired with “Outdoor
City” but, at worst, don’t believe it is a true (or desirable) description of Denver compared to other cities.
Removing “Urban Adventure” from the strategy is the first step to repositioning Denver as a destination.
CULTURAL AUTHENTICITY
To deliver on travelers’ desires to experience new places and different cultures in a unique way, the brand should consider leaning into the spirit of Denver’s wild west roots to create an authentic sense of local culture within the city.
ATTRACTIONS FOR ALL AGES
Former Denver visitors believe that the city has something for everyone while those unfamiliar think of it as an adult-only destination.
To deliver on Denver being a destination for groups of all ages, the brand pillars and messaging should reference more family-friendly attractions.
EVENTS KNOW NO BOUNDARIES
Red Rocks and six professional sports teams make Denver an event destination for both regional and national travelers to get away for a long weekend.
The brand should further leverage the appeal of Denver’s events to attract travelers from across markets and spur repeat visits.
Tourism Campaigns and Messaging
Attracting tourists to visit Denver for their vacation – whether as a stand-alone Denver trip or as part of a larger Colorado visit – requires a combination of tactics. Regardless of whether the visitor is from a long-haul target market (e.g., Chicago, New York or Los Angeles), a regional market (e.g., Kansas City, Cheyenne or Albuquerque) or international markets, the decision to come to Denver begins with the city’s brand appeal.
Visitors may make their final decision to come to Denver based on a variety of factors, including short-term exhibitions, special events or the use of Denver as a base for day trips, but the choice to spend time in the city depends first and foremost on the emotional appeal created by exposure to Denver’s brand.
As the brand research study confirmed, Denver’s appeal as an active, vibrant outdoor city drives interest to visit, and likely precedes investigation of specific things to do.
In 2024, the Bureau expanded its advertising focus well beyond historical spring/summer and winter holiday periods. The year-round popularity of the city, combined with an ever-growing list of festivals, events, exhibitions and performances throughout the year, allows marketing campaigns to promote the city 12 months a year. All campaigns have the same goal: to bring more visitors to Denver. Specific tactics and markets change with the individual campaign. Here is a summary of 2024 national and regional campaigns, which are discussed in more detail in the Tourism section of this report:
ALWAYS-ON REGIONAL
• Geographic focus: Colorado (excluding Denver metro) and regional markets
• Main goal: retail, based on availability of events, exhibitions and performances
• Timing: February - October
SPRING/SUMMER
• Geographic focus: large target markets (NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, Minneapolis) with smaller test markets (Austin, Houston, Seattle, Tampa, Phoenix and others), national overlay
• Main goal: create inspiration through branding; encourage further research
• Timing: April - August
MILE HIGH HOLIDAYS
• Geographic focus: Colorado (including Denver metro) and regional markets
• Main goal: retail, based on availability of events, exhibitions and performances related to winter holidays including the Mile High Tree
• Timing: November - December
WINTER
• Geographic focus: National; audience is behavioral as well as geographic, focusing on interest in outdoor activities
• Main goal: establish Denver as a home base that visitors can use to explore everything Colorado has to offer, but to continue to stay overnight in the city
• Timing: January-March, October-December
Convention Messaging
In 2017, VISIT DENVER staff and agency, along with feedback from the Customer Advisory Board, developed a new convention brand: “Different on Purpose.”
It speaks to the way the city delivers a unique experience, both for the planners working with VISIT DENVER and their attendees.
The brand is supported by three core pillars:
People: The friendliness, professionalism and uniqueness of Denver’s engaged population. This extends beyond the usual service experiences into unexpected places (e.g. neighborhoods) and with unexpected people, namely Denver’s colorful residents and the “makers” of the city who are creating hand-crafted, quality products and services.
Place: The way the city welcomes guests and makes them feel immediately at home. While this occurs in many core places downtown, it also shows in Denver’s diverse neighborhoods and unexpected places.
Partnership: The way planners have come to see VISIT DENVER as a trusted resource and a premier destination marketing organization, one that is committed to client success and willing to go to great lengths to ensure an unmatched meeting experience.
Campaigns targeted to the conventions market are described in more detail in the Conventions Situation Analysis section of this report.
Denver’s Meeting Appeal
Many meeting planners consider Denver to be a top-tier convention city because it has the functional attributes they need: excellent meeting facilities and hotels, good accessibility and affordability, service and safety.
With this in mind, the sales team can consistently communicate those details. The goal of convention marketing efforts towards meeting professionals, and the decision makers within their organizations, is to focus on Denver’s attribute as a city with high destination appeal.
In the convention market, studies show that “destination appeal” and the ability to attract attendees are some of the most important factors meeting professionals consider when choosing a destination. Furthermore, busy meeting professionals have limited time to receive destination updates, so the convention marketing strategy, brand and tactics have been retooled to deliver destination updates in ways that clients are asking for: short, informative, visually interesting and, often, delivered digitally or in unique offline ways.
Therefore, Denver’s advertising messages in the convention market strive to establish an emotional connection with the customer. The city’s “functional meeting attributes” are reinforced, especially in interactions with salespeople and in collateral; however, it is critical to create a balance between emotional appeal and functional attributes.
The following pillars are used to support the Denver Convention advertising campaign:
Accessibility
Affordability
Meeting Facilities
Hotel Packages
Service
Sustainability
Destination Appeal/Safety
The conventions message also has a campaign dedicated to the expansion of the Colorado Convention Center.
Denver: Awards and Accolades
Denver is a SOUGHT-AFTER DESTINATION: In April 2024, Google revealed its top 20 destinations that travelers have taken an interest in for warm weather getaways, with Denver ranking No. 17. Travelocity cited Denver as one of the top five most popular family vacation destinations for spring and summer travel, and TODAY echoed the sentiment, declaring Denver in the top five sought-after destinations from July through September in June 2023. Men’s Journal’s 2024 Travel Awards highlighted the “50 Best US Vacation Destinations,” where Denver took the No. 25 spot. Similarly, Kayak and Allianz Partners both named Denver one of their top summer travel destinations for 2024. This follows Time Magazine including Denver in their list of the World’s 100 Greatest Places in July 2021. TravelPulse named Denver one of the top “3 Best U.S. Destinations for 2022” thanks to its metropolitan offerings – from fine dining to cultural experiences – as well as 300 annual days of sunshine and proximity to the Rocky Mountains. Additionally, the Colorado Division of Aeronautics Awards Program recognized Denver International Airport (DEN) as the 2023 Colorado Airport of the Year, with one of the busiest airports in the world with over 69 million passengers traveling through the airport in 2022.
Denver is CULTURED AND CREATIVE: With a robust arts and culture scene, Denver is earning more acclaim as a destination for the arts. In December 2022, Clever ranked Denver among the top 20 best cities in America for its unique culture and identity. After undergoing a $175 million renovation/addition project, the Denver Art Museum was named to Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best New Museums in the World: 2022 Hot List.” Esteemed architecture also makes Denver stand out as a destination with locations like Union Station, which was ranked No. 9 by Time Out’s list of "The 21 Most Beautiful Train Stations in the U.S." in April 2023. Denver also ranked No. 10 in the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for “Best City for Street Art ” in June 2023. Denver continues to be a top location for musicians and music lovers with hundreds of venues across the city. The iconic Rolling Stone Magazine noted Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre as the No. 1 "Hottest Music Venue in the Country” in April 2023.
Denver is an AFFORDABLE DESTINATION: Travel + Leisure ranked Denver as the Most Affordable Solo Vacation Destination in June 2024. This is not new, as the year prior, Denver was ranked among “The 18 Cheapest Places to Travel in 2023.” In January, Travel + Leisure also declared Denver the No. 1 city on their list of “20 Cheapest Places to Travel Around the World in 2024.” Thrillist supported this view by ranking Denver among the most affordable destinations for summer 2024 vacations, and Kayak named Denver one of its top summer travel destinations, based in part on the affordable airfare.
Denver is a CONVENTION CITY: The Events Industry Council (EIC) recently announced that VISIT DENVER has achieved PLATINUM Level certification to the EIC Sustainable Event Standards. Denver is the first destination to achieve the highest level of certification. The EIC Sustainable Event Standards are specific standards for environmental and social responsibility within the events industry. Created by the EIC Sustainability Committee in partnership with industry
professionals and leading sustainability practitioners, the requirements provide event planners and suppliers with prescriptive actions for producing and delivering sustainable events.
With four hotels on Cvent’s Top 100 Meeting Hotels list and more than 14,000 hotel rooms downtown, Denver is a top tier convention city. Cvent also named Denver as a top 10 North American meeting destination for 2024. In 2023, they ranked Denver No. 10 in the “Top 50 Meeting Destinations in North America,” noting the destination as a top choice for event planners worldwide. MeetingSource.com continues to rank Denver among the “Top 25 Convention Cities in the USA” based on walkability, affordability, tourism appeal, ease of access, weather and safety. Denver is one of 13 of the country’s top 25 markets that has already recovered to pre--pandemic volume, according to the Knowland Q3 Performance Index in 2023.
Denver is a SPORTS CAPITAL: Denver is home to six professional sports teams and countless personal sporting and recreation opportunities. Following the success of The Colorado Avalanche in 2022 winning the NHL Stanley Cup, The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA Championship in 2023 led by now three-time MVP, Nikola Jokić. Denver was a proud host of rounds one and two of the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament, the 2023 National Cycling League Cup Series, the USGA U.S. Amateur Championship, the 2023 USGAA Finals, the 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, the 2024 MexTour at Empower Field and more. In a 2024 roundup of the 13 best NHL Stadium Series showdowns of all time, ESPN ranked the Colorado Avalanche versus the Detroit Red Wings game at Coors Field in 2016 at #2, based on environment, hype, the game itself and the teams’ style. The momentum will continue with the announcement of a professional women’s rugby team coming to Denver in 2025; additionally, Denver is the only North American finalist city for the 2030 Gay Games.
Denver is HEALTHY AND FIT: Denver is commonly known for its healthy mindset and exercise culture, and The Mile High City consistently earns high rankings as a top healthy city due, in part, to its temperate climate as well as the city’s location with easy access to all the recreational fun of the Rocky Mountains. In April 2024, WalletHub ranked Denver No. 7 among the top U.S. cities for active lifestyles. Similarly, the American College of Sports Medicine ranked Denver No. 9 on their 2023 American Fitness Index.
Rocket Mortgage named Denver the eighth least stressed city in the U.S. in August 2022, citing the city's abundance of outdoor spaces, wellness establishments and mental health providers. A study from the Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement also noted Denver as the third best city in America for a healthy retirement. With extensive miles of paved urban bike trails, metro Denver is a haven for cycling enthusiasts. AnytimeEstimate.com ranked Denver No. 6 on its “Most Bike-Friendly” list because of the number of bike trails and bike shops per capita in The Mile High City. LawnStarter put Denver at No. 7 on its “Best Biking Cities in the U.S.” list for similar reasons, but also factored in bike meetups, weather and more.
Denver is a FOODIE CITY: In 2023 Michelin recognized 26 Denver restaurants in their inaugural and highly anticipated Colorado-based Guide. The famously anonymous MICHELIN Guide inspectors selected a diverse range of restaurants across the city that exude culinary excellence.
Denver joined Boulder, Aspen and Snowmass Village, the Town of Vail and Beaver Creek Resort in the Colorado MICHELIN Guide, the eighth Guide destination in North America. 2024 winners will be unveiled in September. More information about the MICHELIN Guide program is available on the VISIT DENVER website
Further advancing Denver’s culinary chops, in 2024, Denver had a strong showing at the James Beard Foundation awards. Erika Whitaker and Kelly Whitaker, of Restaurant Group ID EST (The Wolf's Tailor, BRUTØ) won Outstanding Restaurateur. Even the airport was recognized in Food & Wine’s 2023 list of “The 10 Best U.S. Airports for Food,” Denver International Airport landed the Editor’s Pick.
Colorado as a state is among the top 10 in breweries per capita and one of the top five states with the most craft distilleries. In 2021, Esquire named Colorado, “one of the foremost states when it comes to craft whiskey,” citing two Denver distilleries, Stranahan’s and Leopold Bros., as top options (even naming the latter its No. 8 distillery in the country). This sentiment was echoed by Travel + Leisure, which ranked Leopold Bros. sixth in the country.
Denver loves the ENVIRONMENT: From prioritizing green spaces to encouraging the use of electric vehicles and alternate fuel sources, The Mile High City does its part for the planet. Denver ranked #1 on Architectural Digest's 2023 list of the “Top 50 Most Climate Resilient Cities” due to factors including fewer threats of extreme weather damage and city-level initiatives to support clean energy such as solar. Denver is the only U.S. city included on National Geographic’s list of “Eight Sustainable Destinations for 2021 and Beyond,” thanks in part to 125 miles of new bike lanes and solar gardens planned throughout the city. Online insurance marketplace Policygenius echoed this sentiment, naming Denver as the tenth-best city to live in by 2050 for climate change. Denver’s climate and mindset are conducive to enjoying the great outdoors, whether hiking, biking, running or walking. In August 2023, Denver International Airport ’s fleet operations was recognized for its sustainable management as the No. 3 fleet in North America by the National Association of Fleet Administrators. The annual ranking recognizes peak-performing operations and honors enhanced practices making a positive impact on the environment and improvements within the fleet industry.
Denver is WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE: As the largest city in a 600-mile radius, Denver attracts members of the LGBTQ+ community from all over the West and the world, resulting in a wellestablished gay nightlife, welcoming gay neighborhoods, gay-friendly hotels and numerous annual events that draw huge crowds. The 2023 State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index released by Out Leadership, the premier global LGBTQ+ organization harnessing the power of business to drive equality, recognized Colorado in the Top 5 States for LGBTQ+ Equality. LawnStarter ranked Denver No. 4 in their list of 2023’s Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities, noting Denver’s scores related to equality, community support, affordability, health care access and Pride-Readiness for the LGBTQ+ community.
Convention Sales: Situation Analysis
Group Demand – A Look Back
In the wake of the pandemic, it was difficult to predict the degree to which group demand would return and the industry at large was conservative amidst the recovery. That changed in 2023 as pent-up demand from organizations who had not met since the pandemic flooded hotels and convention centers. Suppliers were faced with a choice between newly returned convention business and the leisure transient customer who was still travelling in droves. The result was a 2023 in which group occupancy actualized at levels well under 2019 levels despite demand and lead volume that was much higher than pre-pandemic levels. Indeed, nationwide most destinations have not recovered fully in terms of occupancy but have made significant RevPAR gains over 2019 levels fueled by rate increases.
Throughout 2023, group leads continued to outpace 2019 levels. However, midway through the year these levels began to normalize. By the end of 2023, group inquiries were stabilizing, which continued through the first half of 2024. As the year progressed, amidst uncertainty typically associated with an election year, group demand began to soften. As of July 2024, lead volume is down to 2019 levels. However, with the return of large meetings being planned farther out into the future, total lead room nights have increased significantly over 2019 levels.
Whereas VISIT DENVER and other major convention cities saw convention center customers booking more short-term than ever before coming out of the pandemic, that trend started to shift in late 2023 and has begun to normalize into 2024. Before then, not knowing how fast their attendance would recover made them pause on what would have been more traditional bookings four to eight years out. While VISIT DENVER is pleased to see the largest and most impactful groups returning to normal booking patterns, they have not fully returned to historical pick-up levels. Furthermore, the decrease of citywide bookings between 2020 and 2022 is still clear in the long-term convention pace. As illustrated in the chart below, COVID and post-COVID convention center future bookings for four years and beyond fell off, affecting the long-term consumption pace.
Average bookings 4+ years out
As demonstrated in the chart below, VISIT DENVER is on track with citywide convention booking pace in the short term through 2026. However, beginning in 2027 the city is behind where it would normally be this far out. This is directly attributable to citywide convention lost production during the pandemic years. While the VISIT DENVER team has made great progress on making up for this pace deficit, it continues to strategize and remain laser focused on correcting the pace in future years.
2024 A Year of Stabilization
Over the last 25 years, Denver has made major investments in its infrastructure, resulting in a city that offers everything meeting planners are looking for in a convention destination: accessibility, outstanding facilities and affordability, all in an urban environment that is sustainable, walkable and hospitable. Those efforts continue to this day, as projects like the Colorado Convention Center (CCC) Expansion, the 16th Street Mall revitalization and major renovation and expansion at Denver Internation Airport continue to add to Denver’s appeal for future meetings.
As Denver prepares to set goals for the future, several metrics point to 2019 as the year to benchmark our performance expectations against. Denver has seen volatility over the last five years ranging from a complete shutdown of the meetings industry in 2020 to a torrent flood of pent-up demand from small short-term groups in 2023. As bookings for Denver continue to trend positively and booking production stabilizes, there is optimism about Denver’s future as a premier meetings destination. However, inflationary pressures, fiscal policy uncertainty and labor market dynamics continue to strain the meetings industry, creating a competitive conventions market.
2024 Convention Business
While Denver continually gained momentum in rate, occupancy and RevPAR coming out of the pandemic, 2024 was the first year VISIT DENVER began to see demand for several segments shift and normalize. In some cases, Denver saw year-over-year declines as pent-up leisure demand waned, and group trepidation took hold amidst talks of a recession and the uncertainty
Source: VISIT DENVER
that develops in an election year. As of June 2024, overall occupancy in Denver was down 1.2% year-over-year and down 7.9% versus 2019. Instead, hotels have been achieving their RevPAR gains in rate as Denver’s ADR (Average Daily Rates) growth year-to-date through June was up 2.5% year-over-year and up 14.8% to 2019. That rate growth was enough to offset the occupancy declines and Denver experienced 1.2% RevPAR gains year-over-year and 5.7% growth over 2019.
Convention and group business, as mentioned, have been trailing leisure transient growth since the pandemic; however, in 2024 that story changed. Year-to-date through June 2024, CoSTAR shows that group occupancy grew by 0.8% year-over-year while transient occupancy fell by 2.0%. Similarly, the group rate was strong and increased 6.6% year-over-year while the transient rate remained flat. Compared to 2019, the Denver Metro group occupancy is behind 18.8% and downtown Denver is down 19.9% while rate is up by 20.3% and 16.4%, respectively. CoSTAR research shows in the table below that Denver’s group market continues to grow but is still lagging pre-pandemic occupancy.
Source: VISIT DENVER CoSTAR, STR (Smith Travel Research) Data
Consumed room nights from the large conventions held at the Colorado Convention Center were down 8% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2024, making for a challenging start to the year in a soft shoulder season for Denver. The second quarter, however, bounced back with
several large groups actualizing at the CCC and surrounding hotels. Q2 CCC bookings were up 46% year-over-year supporting the continued return of large citywide events with growing attendance numbers. The third quarter of 2024 also showed growth year-over-year, besting 2023 convention room nights by 23%.
As the year concludes, VISIT DENVER expects room nights associated with convention center groups to be up 15% compared to 2023 and overall VISIT DENVER future bookings to be up 10%. Even more encouraging is the relative strength of the convention pace for the year ahead. Currently, 2025 is pacing 31% to same-time-last-year, indicating the potential for an extraordinarily strong conventions year.
Tourism Economics reports that the U.S. is in a similar environment with group demand increasing each year since the pandemic but continuing to fall short to 2019 levels. The chart below shows group demand indexed to 2019 since the recovery started and into next year. The numbers show a continued growth to pre-pandemic group demand. While Denver’s hotel-only, small short-term group demand remains to be seen for 2025, the city is at an advantage considering the strong convention base that is already on the books.
The value of in-person events is undeniable according to the NorthStar/Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Survey of 400+ event professionals. The value of in-person events has undeniably risen, with 65% of planners believing their events are perceived as more valuable to stakeholders compared to 2019. Clearly, the global pandemic has taught everyone not to take in-person experiences for granted.
This increase in perceived event value has also led to a surge in optimism in 2024. According to their March report, 47% of event professionals are looking toward a bright future for meetings and events, feeling more optimistic than they were in January. This trend reinforces the enduring significance of events, emphasizing their ability to create lasting connections and make a profound impact on attendees.
In addition, many planners are adding a virtual possibility for those who do not attend the meeting but are shying away from the more expensive hybrid meeting running simultaneously.
Meeting Indicators
Much like the year prior, 2024 will see groups at or above 2019 levels. However, as with 2023, the groups are still smaller than 2019 levels, so the group base is down to 2019 as seen in the STR data listed in the STR graph below
Source: STR
VISIT DENVER closely watches key indicators, such as site tours as they reflect group demand and overall interest in Denver. As noted on the chart below, while Q1 2024 was down, VISIT DENVER is pacing to be back to 2019 levels.
Source: STR
Meeting & Event Incentive Program
In June of 2024, the State of Colorado wrapped up a three-year program to incentivize meetings and events in Colorado and kick-start the industry post-pandemic. During that time, the Meeting & Events Incentive (MEI) Cash Rebate received 710 submitted applications and 431 of them were approved and fulfilled. The smallest rebate was $3,500 and the largest rebate was $100,000. The program’s goal was to increase tourism recovery by incentivizing meeting and event planners to book new meetings and events in Colorado, rather than in a competing state.
This has been a great tool for the sales team to use to encourage more business for Denver and Colorado. In fact, Denver received the highest number of cash rebates with 176 clients awarded funds.
Sales Team Production (Definite, Leads and Lead Room Nights)
Sales production for definite groups booked into the future was back on track to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. While larger groups are trending towards returning to traditional booking windows of 4-10 years out, short-term smaller groups return to normal levels too, despite a year-over-year decrease compared to 2023. As mentioned earlier, the pent-up demand that was felt in abnormal lead volume levels for small groups in early 2023 finally normalized in 2024 returning to levels nearly on par with 2019.
Source: VISIT DENVER
Destination Product
Each year, VISIT DENVER’s sales team books meetings worth more than $600 million in future economic impact for the city and its partners. Meeting planners typically base their decisions on the following criteria: accessibility, facilities, affordability, safety, sustainability, service and destination appeal. The destination product and overall experience are vital in keeping Denver competitive and maintaining its status as one of the most desirable top tier convention destinations in the country.
For over 20 years VISIT DENVER has been recognized among the top 40 convention cities and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO) nationwide, taking part in a biannual meeting planner study. This survey, involving 500 key meetings and events professionals, provides comprehensive data and insights on Denver's overall performance. The most recent 2024 study clearly shows how Denver ranks compared to other top-tier cities in the eyes of meeting and event planners.
About the 2024 Evidenz Meeting Planner Study:
492 Meeting Planners (MPs) in North America answered the 2024 Study
82% of MPs have been a meeting planner for 10 or more years
53% of MPs need 1,000 or fewer peak night rooms for their largest meeting
47% need more than 1,000 peak night rooms for their largest meeting
44% of MPs commit to space and sign a contract for space for their largest meeting three or more years in advance
Denver Results
City that is the best fit for their largest meetings: Denver ranks #1 for top 40 U.S. cities!
Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) that have made a proposal (formally or informally in the past 12 months): Denver ranks #1 for top 40 U.S. cities!
City they are already contracted with: Denver ranks #1 for top 40 U.S. cities!
Denver ranks #1 to its Top 15 key competitors on “Easy to Get To” and “Pitch Frequency,” two of the most powerful drivers of “Best Fit” inclusion.
City that provides the most positive overall convention experience: Denver ranks #7 for top 40 U.S. cities!
Convention Center Large Market Comparison
For planners of large events trying to help their organizations make smarter choices in this environment, the Northstar Convention Cities Index (CCi) is a valuable tool for understanding how these major markets are performing. The CCi uses an in-depth method and weighted ranking system to determine the top 25 U.S. cities and top 25 global destinations for hosting large events. Each city is evaluated across six categories: available exhibit space, total hotel, rooms, average hotel cost, travel time from the nearest international airport to the convention center, the number of direct monthly flights and the city’s overall safety level. CCi data is updated twice a year, with a fully refreshed index published each June and an interim report released in January.
Denver ranks 7th in the report out of 22 major meeting destinations.
Source: Northstar Convention Cities Index
U.S. Hotel Supply
According to the May 2024 edition of Hotel Horizons, the supply of hotel rooms entering the major markets in 2024 is now forecast to increase by 1.1%, down from CBRE’s 1.2% supply growth forecast in May 2024. Subdued supply growth shows that hoteliers in these markets are still faced with hotel development challenges including the excessive costs of debt, construction and labor.
Contrary to the overall decrease in the pace of new rooms entering the market, some U.S. cities will experience significant gains in competition during the year. Hoteliers in Nashville, Austin,
Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Dallas will see the greatest growth in supply, each with a growth rate above 2.3% in 2024.
Furthermore, according to STR they do not expect breathtaking increases in the major U.S. hotel performance metrics; however, the U.S. traveler still is healthy. New hotel supply also remains low to the benefit of existing hotels. As of August 2024, demand trends are very stable, and the U.S. is not changing its demand levers over time. And, most importantly, STR noted, the U.S. is not oversupplied. In 1987, there were 80 people in the U.S. per hotel room. In June 2024, that number is 60. It is a sustainable supply, increasing by 1.6% annually, not too much and in line with population growth.
Denver Hotel Supply
Denver has always had a good roster of facilities conducive for meetings and conventions and continues to add new hotels and venues to accommodate demand. Hotel development slowed compared to recent years in 2023 with just a few properties opening including the 40-room Artesian in the Highlands and the 24-room Kasa RiNo Denver. 2024 had more projects in the works including the 240-room Populus Hotel in Downtown Denver, the 153-room Cambria in RiNo, the 190-room Kimpton Claret in the Denver Tech Center and the 118-room Courtyard by Marriott Denver Stadium Area. This new inventory adds to downtown Denver’s more than 12,500 total rooms. However, these new limited service/boutique properties have limited meeting space to create new meetings demand. The last true conventions hotel built in downtown Denver was the Embassy Suites in 2010. The lack of group meeting hotels puts added pressure on meeting planners and the convention center to accommodate existing demand for conventions, meetings and events.
Source: CoStar
With all the new hotels being built in the last 10 years and existing hotels meeting strong demand, workforce development is a key concern for the industry. Many hotels are not at prepandemic staffing levels, while occupancy continues to get close to 2019 levels. New supply continues to amplify the workforce challenges facing Denver. Currently, hotels are struggling to fill positions, with many prospective employees demanding more flexibility as it relates to working from home. This presents a unique challenge for hotels as they are still struggling operationally, and having staff working from home is simply not realistic in most cases. The industry continues to face a branding issue, which also makes hiring difficult.
Accessibility
Accessibility is a key part to convention success. Denver International Airport (DEN) continues to be a bright spot for the city when attracting leisure visitors and meetings and conventions attendees. Airports Council International (ACI) has released year to date April 2024 worldwide passenger traffic.
In 2023, DEN served more than 77.8 million passengers (about twice the population of California), which is a record, and ranked as the third-busiest airport in the U.S. and the sixthbusiest airport in the world. For the first half of 2024, DEN passenger traffic increased 9.2% as compared to the first half of 2023, continuing to set records, and four new airlines inaugurated service to Denver over the period. International passenger traffic in the first half of 2024 outpaced overall growth, surging by 17.2% as compared to the first half of 2023.
DEN boasts the second-largest domestic air service network in the U.S., with 190 destinations served nonstop. DEN offers competitive service in all large domestic markets which results in an average domestic airfare 15% below the U.S. overall average domestic airfare. Internationally, DEN carriers provide nonstop service to 31 destinations across 17 countries worldwide, the most in DEN history.
This impressive performance from DEN puts Denver at a competitive advantage for accessibility as planners and attendees alike continue to struggle with travel costs, flight cancelations and the overall travel experience. According to Longwood/Miles Travel Sentiment Study Wave 87, nearly 50% say airfare cost will impact or greatly affect the decision to travel in the next six months which could also affect a convention attendee decision to attend a meeting.
Meeting Venues
Having unique venues for conventions and meetings is more important than ever. According to MMGY’s most recent U.S. Portrait of Meeting and Convention Travel research, attendees are looking for unique venues to replace the more standard meeting experience.
Planners are looking for “venues that are truly unique to a destination” and “hotels and resort ballrooms and conference facilities” much more now versus prior to the pandemic. Denver has a competitive advantage on two fronts: the new Bluebird Ballroom expansion with its 150-mile views of the Rocky Mountains is uniquely branded and appealing, and Denver has an abundance of unique offsite venues like Meow Wolf, Sculpture Park, the National Western Center and Red Rocks Amphitheater to name a few.
Colorado Convention Center Expansion
The expansion of the Colorado Convention Center (CCC) was completed in late 2023 and addresses meeting planner and attendees desire for new and unique venues. On December 14th, 2023, Mayor Mike Johnston, VISIT DENVER and other city officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony and the Colorado Convention Center Expansion project was open for business. This was made possible by Denver voters approving $104 million in 2015 and $129 million in Certificates of Participation issued in 2019 with repayment of the COPs derived from Tourism Improvement District revenues. Those revenues are a part of the seat tax and excess revenues from the convention center hotel.
Since the project was underway, the expansion has enabled VISIT DENVER to book 18 new conventions that could not have taken place in Denver without the added meeting space. This new incremental business will bring over 110,000 attendees and an estimated $260 million in economic impact into The Mile High City.
The key features of the expansion are as follows:
Multi-function Bluebird Ballroom Space
• The signature feature of the expansion is an 80,000-square-foot, column-free multifunction space that includes 19 subdivisions of varying sizes. In its full configuration, the room can host more than 7,500 attendees for a general session or 4,600 guests for a catered event. The space includes 30-foot-high ceilings and rigging point accommodation at 30-foot centers across the room.
Pre-function Concourse
• The new wrap-around, pre-function concourse, which features dramatic views of the Rocky Mountains, is conveniently accessible via the center’s existing street-level lobbies. Generously sized at 35,000 square feet, this beautiful space offers a variety of seating options for networking between sessions, as well as registration or refreshments.
Rooftop Terrace
• The 20,000-square-foot rooftop terrace features spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains to the north and west and stunning views of Denver’s skyline to the east. Huge accordion-style doors connect the terrace to the pre-function space and will allow for seamless indoor/outdoor events.
Cleanliness and Public Safety
Downtown Denver is the economic and cultural center of the city. It is where leisure visitors, meetings and convention attendees come together to collaborate, ideate and enjoy all that Denver has to offer. While Denver’s downtown environment has improved significantly there are still improvements needed that the community must remain focused on solving. According to the most recent Meeting Planner post-convention survey, aggressive panhandling, homelessness and safety remain top of mind and heavily influence a planner’s decision during the selection process.
To support meeting planners, downtown partners and community, VISIT DENVER hired one pair of off-duty police officers for every convention at the convention center in 2024. In addition, VISIT DENVER contracted with Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP) to add a full-time security officer dedicated to the convention corridor. VISIT DENVER has also taken part in DDP’s public radio program which connects security departments in downtown hotels and major venues. Furthermore, VISIT DENVER sponsored 24 hotel properties to take part in this program. These overarching plans have helped address some of the many concerns that meeting planners, visitors and residents share.
Denver’s community leaders have also been, and continue to be, keenly aware of the growing competition for convention dollars and the continued threats to the city's reputation as a desirable destination. In response to these concerns Mayor Mike Johnston rallied Denver’s community leaders. With their support, his office launched an aggressive effort to guarantee a positive Downtown experience. His Clean and Safe Downtown plan is built on the belief that a safe and clean Denver is a community responsibility. This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration among many partners with a joint vision for a safe, clean and joyful downtown.
The plan starts downtown with clear streets and safe sidewalks, with the understanding that homeless encampments are unsafe for the people living in them, and unwelcoming to all visitors alike. The extraordinary efforts of Mayor Mike Johnston to get unhoused people off the streets and into housing are visible today as there are no longer large, visible encampments in downtown Denver and particularly in the Convention Corridor
One vital piece to Mayor Johnston’s plan required engaging all of Denver in taking shared ownership of keeping the city safe and clean. With the help of the Downtown Denver Partnership a Clean and Safe app was launched. The app allows any business leader, resident or visitor to notify the mayor’s office when something doesn't make Denver feel safe and clean.
In addition to easy reporting, Denver needed fast response, and response with the right intervention. This reporting system allows the operator to send the right request to the right person for the right support. If a person experiencing homelessness needs services, the operator can dispatch an outreach team and community partners. If an individual is experiencing a mental health crisis, the outreach teams will contact the right response services. If someone is committing a crime, that information will get to Denver Police.
Many partners work to keep Denver safe and clean, but they often worked without coordination and collaboration. The Clean and Safe plan for Downtown Denver has not only begun to resolve key issues but connects business leaders, partners and most importantly the community
Health and Safety
Post-COVID, health and safety remain a priority for VISIT DENVER. While strict protocols are no longer in place, the impact of other infectious diseases could be a concern to the meeting professionals and their attendees. VISIT DENVER acknowledges that it is still important that some safety and cleanliness protocols should remain in place and, therefore, keeps the “clean and safe resource guide” found on VISITDENVER.com to aid concerned clients in planning future meetings.
Destination Appeal
There are a myriad of factors affecting attendees’ decisions to attend meetings; some are within the control of the DMO (Destination Marketing Organizations), but many are not. Destination appeal ranks number one. While the last few years have been rife with challenges on homelessness, safety, security, transportation and infrastructure, there is a lot of forward momentum and progress that was made in 2023 and 2024. Continued investment in infrastructure has been a huge bright spot for Denver’s future. In the last few years, projects included the opening of Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station and the expansion of the Denver Art Museum and most recently the completion of the DEN gate expansion and progress on the Great Hall project. In 2023, there was continued progress on the National Western Center and the 16th Street Mall refurbishment project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025. With the Colorado Convention Center expansion now complete, these improvements address the top areas affecting destination appeal. Denver’s dining scene has recently received a major upgrade with the addition of the Michelin Guide and a national James Beard Foundation award. Lastly, Denver has always and will continue to benefit from its proximity to the mountains and all the activities that attendees can look forward to when they come to their meeting.
CONSIDERATIONS/TRENDS FOR 2025
Workforce
Industry workforce continues to be a major challenge for Denver, as it is across the country, and is affecting the entire hospitality community. Many restaurants are unable to open to full capacity, and many hotels are running at close to pre-pandemic levels while staffing far below what they had in 2019.
VISIT DENVER is using its resources and launching a campaign to help attract young professionals to work in the hospitality industry. Through outreach to student groups, industry organizations and partner stakeholders VISIT DENVER aims to educate and inspire the next class of hospitality professionals. In 2024, Global Meetings Industry Day took place on April 11th and VISIT DENVER partnered with MIC (Meetings Industry Council) of Colorado and Denver University’s Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management to connect local meeting professionals with aspiring students and celebrate the meetings industry. It is hoped that through ongoing efforts around workforce development like these, VISIT DENVER can help with some of the staffing issues facing the Denver community.
The International Attendee
Increasing international attendance is an opportunity for conventions. For many associations and global corporations, international attendance is vital to meeting success and long-term delegate growth.
According to the U.S. Travel Assocation, looking ahead, international inbound visits to the U.S. are expected to continue to rebound. In 2024, a 17% increase is forecast to 77.7 million, just 2% shy of the 79.4 million in 2019 prior to COVID’s impact.
2024 marked the addition of 3 nonstop flights:
Viva Aerobus from Monterrey, Mexico – January 24, 2024
Aer Lingus from Dublin, Ireland – May 17, 2024
Turkish Airlines from Istanbul, Türkiye – June 11, 2024
With 31 nonstop international flights, which is the most in Denver International Airport’s history, Denver is well connected with the rest of the world, with more international flights being explored for the future.
According to Tourism Economics, Denver will grow 22.3% to 0.6 million arrivals in 2024. This growth equates to an added 108,000 arrivals compared to 2023.
Booking Outside the Block – Increased Supply and Lower Occupancy
One of the issues that continue to plague the conventions industry is housing. The last several years have seen an increasing trend towards last-minute registration by attendees. In this case, group blocks have usually expired, and meeting attendees are left to book rooms on their own. Online hotel aggregator sites have negatively impacted room blocks, often making it easy for attendees to find lower rates outside of contracted group blocks. Travel costs and financial concerns worsen this behavior, and increasing supply coupled with lagging business travel demand will continue to affect blocks in 2024. In response to these realities, most citywide planners have been more conservative with their contracted hotel blocks; thus, the number of rooms contracted is no longer the single best way to evaluate the size and scope of a meeting opportunity for future years. VISIT DENVER is constantly evolving the approach and using alternate methods of tracking a convention’s room block pickup and economic impact including registration zip code analysis, STR report analysis and innovative technologies like foot traffic data software to measure convention impact on the city.
Hybrid/Virtual Meetings
In 2023, Denver saw a continued focus on personalization and the importance of in-person events but was more industry-specific. Many planners believe face-to-face interaction is the platform where attendees strike deals, forge relationships and generate ideas. The demand for face-to-face meetings and events continues to grow, with most respondents (85%) to MPI’s latest Meetings Outlook survey showing favorable business conditions for the year ahead.
In 2024, fewer and fewer groups were exercising virtual meetings in place of in-person. In future years it is expected that a few groups will offer a virtual experience to audiences to enhance accessibility, but most meeting planners have started viewing this as incremental attendance and do not expect to conduct simultaneously. Instead of targeting a few people with gated events, companies will open virtual events to more attendees. This will target people at multiple points in the sales funnel. It is expected that in-person events will incorporate more digital touchpoints, supported by technology. This will allow event marketers and planners to capture more valuable insights on attendee behavior and interests to build more personalized attendee experiences.
Home Share
In addition, the competition between hotels and home share has been strong within the meeting attendee audience. COVID created an opportunity for hotels to gain back some of that market share, as Destination Analysts research suggests that people feel more comfortable in a hotel versus a home-share accommodation. Much of this is due to cleaning protocols that every hotel chain put into place to ensure guest safety. The competition between hotels and home share will continue, with a lot of available supply and decision-making behaviors for meeting attendees driven by rate and location.
According to the City and County of Denver, through June 2024, Lodger’s Tax from short-term rentals was $7.4 million, which is approximately 12.2% of total Lodger’s Tax collected. By comparison, in 2023 short-term rentals accounted for 9.9% of total lodgers' tax in Denver at $13.8 million. While the percentage of Lodger's Tax going to short-term rental has decreased in the years since the pandemic, it would appear to be rebounding in 2024.
Source: City and County of Denver
Competition
In the short term, the major meeting markets have little availability due to rebooking COVID cancellations and both 2025 and 2026 look like strong conventions years in Denver and across the country. However, as customers re-evaluate future meetings and destinations, it has become extremely competitive, and the competition has become ever fiercer as conventions return to their longer booking windows and begin to focus on downtown revitalization and convention center and hotel expansions.
Convention centers, both domestically and internationally, continue to expand and enhance their facilities, making the meetings industry increasingly competitive. As of July 2024, there are 19 convention center projects around the country and many of them are in the Denver competitive set. Those who have recently expanded or are undergoing expansions include Seattle, Dallas, Austin, New Orleans, Indianapolis and Las Vegas.
Some of the challenges today include:
Assurances about attendee safety rank #1 of importance to a meeting planner when selecting a destination and will continue to play a significant role in destination choice. Meeting planners may look more favorably to hosting meetings at single hotels in which attendees do not have to traverse between a convention center and multiple hotels.
With many cities trying to close pace deficits in future years, competition is still fierce from both tier one and tier two convention destinations. Also, across the United States, several cities, such as Houston, are expanding or enhancing their convention centers.
Inflation has increased meeting costs and many organizations’ budgets have not kept up. Some meetings that used to be lucrative are now looking at evolving new revenue streams to offset the increased costs of housing, food and beverage, labor and ancillary services.
National Lodging Trends/Forecast – PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Economic uncertainty, an upcoming election and geopolitical tensions to likely impact hotel performance through 2025.
Growth in leisure demand has moderated for U.S. hotels. Domestic travelers have continued to seek out experiences internationally and inbound international traffic has yet to recover to prepandemic levels partly due to currency exchange rates and the strong U.S. dollar. An increased appeal of short-term rentals by leisure travelers has contributed to moderating leisure demand for hotels. Individual business travel and group demand have continued to improve but have still not been able to offset the softening of leisure demand. As a result, occupancy levels have declined year-over-year in each of the past four quarters but are expected to gradually improve through the balance of this year and at least the first half of 2025. Room rate growth played a significant role in the initial recovery for U.S. hotels but began to dampen during the last three quarters of 2023 and continued through Q1 2024.
A slight increase in the unemployment rate over the past 12 months (3.4% in April 2023 vs. 3.9% in April 2024), now speculative reductions in policy rates and a perceived lack of visibility in the public markets have resulted in downward pressure on room rates. Consistent with the November 2023 outlook, PwC continues to expect annual occupancy for U.S. hotels this year to increase marginally to 63.6%. With moderating growth in occupancies for the balance of this year, PwC expects average daily room rates to increase 1.2% for the year, with resultant RevPAR up 2.2% approximately 116% of pre-pandemic levels, on a nominal dollar basis.
Speculation surrounding the Fed’s monetary policy is still top of mind. As recently as April, economic forecasts predicted that a series of rate cuts would begin in June 2024. However, with inflation through Q1 staying elevated compared to the Fed's expectations, S&P Global now predicts that a meaningful reduction in rates will not occur until December 2024. With this adjusted outlook, it is unclear whether investors will continue to keep their capital on the sidelines or accept the heightened rate environment as the new norm.
For the rest of 2024 and into 2025, the outlook for markets reliant on individual business travel is still uneven with substantial deviation in office attendance across different metropolitan areas. Outbound international leisure travel is expected to continue to outpace inbound, given the relative strength of the dollar. Both occupancies and room rates are expected to experience only marginal growth in 2025, with an expected year-over-year, below -inflationary increase in RevPAR of 0.7% - reaching approximately 117% of pre-pandemic levels.
Significant risks to this outlook include the pace of changes in the macroeconomic environment and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
National Lodging Trends/Forecast (CoStar)
In the second quarter of 2024, RevPAR grew by 2.5%, bringing the first half of the year up to a 1.4% increase, due to a 1.8% rise in ADR. The outlook for the rest of the year is optimistic, with a forecasted RevPAR growth of 2%, driven by a 2.1% rate increase. However, through June, room demand only matched last year's levels, which is unusual given the strong GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth. Potential risks to this forecast include a slower economy, which could affect corporate and leisure spending, and the impacts of climate change, which might disrupt hotel operations on the coasts and increase insurance costs. On the upside, stronger GDP growth, more international travel and rate increases above inflation could boost results.
Performance varied by class, with luxury hotels seeing a 2.1% RevPAR increase through June, while economy hotels experienced a 4.4% drop. The 1.8% ADR increase for the first half of the year is below inflation, which might hurt profitability. A positive factor is the low level of new competition, with supply only growing by 0.5%.
Luxury hotel room demand rose by 4.8%, and upper upscale hotels saw a 2.4% increase, showing the spending power of high-income leisure travelers and the return of corporate travelers. Delta Airlines reported impressive performance in its premium products, aligning with these trends. Conversely, economy hotel room demand fell by 3.9%, suggesting that lowerincome households are cutting back on travel due to higher expenses.
With office occupancy and return-to-office numbers still below pre-pandemic levels, companies are using group meetings to engage clients and build team cohesion. Group occupancy in highend hotels increased by 2.8% through June, while transient occupancy remained flat with a 0.9% increase.
High-interest rates have negatively impacted construction and deal volume. The number of rooms under construction has stayed between 150,000 and 160,000 for about two years and is expected to still be there this year. Any increase in construction activity later this year will only affect supply growth after 2026.
Discussions at hotel investment conferences show that industry participants expect deal flow to improve in the second half of the year, with significant capital likely to be distributed to hotel assets, especially in the luxury segment. Additionally, loan maturities might force owners to sell their properties due to high refinancing or brand-imposed PIP costs.
As of August 2024, STR and Tourism Economics made slight adjustments to the 2024-25 U.S. hotel forecast. For 2024, projected gains in average daily rate (ADR) were downgraded 0.1% points, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) was held steady at +2.0% year over year. Occupancy for the year was upgraded 0.2 ppts, after the previous forecast projected a yearover-year decline in the metric. For 2025, the occupancy growth projection was also lifted (+0.2 ppts), while the forecast for ADR and RevPAR increases were kept at +2.0% and +2.6%, respectively.
DENVER Lodging Trends/Forecast
CBRE Hotel Horizons Q1 2024
By the end of 2024, Denver hotels are expected to see a slight increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) of 0.4%. This comes from a small 0.3% drop in occupancy but a 0.8% rise in average daily room rates (ADR). This 0.4% increase is lower than the national average of a 2.0% rise. By the end of 2024, Denver's RevPAR will be 5.6% higher than the year-end 2019 level of $101.22.
For 2024, the upper-priced segment in Denver is leading the way with a 0.7% gain in ADR and a 0.3% increase in occupancy, resulting in a 1.0% RevPAR increase. On the other hand, lowerpriced hotels are expected to see a 0.4% rise in ADR but a 0.4% drop in occupancy, leading to a slight 0.1% decline in RevPAR.
Looking ahead to 2025, Denver's RevPAR is forecasted to grow by 4.0%, which is a better growth rate compared to 2024. The middle-priced segment is expected to see a 4.2% increase, while the lower-priced segment is projected to grow by 3.0%. Over the next five years, Denver's market occupancy levels are predicted to range between 70.5% and 72.9%.
SERVICES
Meeting Planning Trends and Impacts
Two national, independent studies of meeting professionals rank service from a convention bureau, service at the convention center and hospitality from the city in general as some of the most important considerations in selecting a meeting destination.
The expectations for meeting professionals have never been higher; therefore, outstanding convention services are a critical part of a destination’s success.
Planning lead time and staffing levels continue to be a challenge, requiring Destination Services to field many last-minute requests, site visits and planning assistance. VISIT DENVER must continue to provide turn-key systems and service levels to compete in a fast-paced, everchanging environment.
Due to budget constraints meeting professionals continue to be more reliant on their vendors and Destination Services Manager (DSM) for support. The DSM needs to be the proactive agent between planners and vendors, serving as both mediator and troubleshooter.
Meeting professionals are working with limited budgets, and Destination Services needs to provide creative, low-cost options to enhance the meeting experience.
Meeting professionals are continually reinventing their programming and looking for unique attendee experiences, both during the meetings and at off-site venues. They often rely on their DSM to provide ideas and examples of what has been done in the convention center or they may look to their DSM for local vendors to provide these experiences.
Meeting professionals are extremely concerned about maintaining and increasing attendance. Planners are contacting Destination Services for help in attendee acquisition to include data mining by industry, attracting local and regional attendees, securing local speakers, etc.
Meeting professionals are incorporating live-streaming options or virtual components for their attendees who are not willing or able to meet face-to-face.
The overall downtown experience and issues related to crime and safety remain key concerns for meeting planners and their attendees. Meeting professionals rely upon the DMO, hotels and venues to provide their current emergency preparedness plan.
Meeting professionals are looking to incorporate more Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) options and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives into their programming and rely upon their DSM to provide local contacts and resources.
Meeting professionals continue to consider sustainability a key consideration when planning their meetings. VISIT DENVER must serve as a primary resource for local green vendors, venues, CSR opportunities and tools to help plan a green meeting.
Ancillary events (ICWs) are increasing but often booking last-minute which means venue availability can be limited.
Networking opportunities are a top priority for convention attendees. Planners are having to incorporate more networking events and soft seating/pods for attendee interaction.
Attendees expect experiential wellness opportunities to be built into the meeting's programming. Meeting professionals are incorporating options such as fun runs/walks, yoga, relaxation stations, wellness areas, etc.
Convention groups are incorporating smartphone applications and social media to market their meetings, enhance the meeting experience and reduce paper waste. DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations) contribute to these applications’ content, primarily in business listings such as restaurants, shopping and attractions.
Meeting professionals look to DMOs as a resource for accessibility information and assisted language services.
DMO Destination Service Trends and Impacts
DMOs are reevaluating whether staff must attend pre-promotion trips for future meetings. Destination Services will be tasked with curating unique activities or sponsorships to promote Denver in lieu of sending staff.
DMOs are dropping registration staffing and housing services in favor of referring these services to third-party companies.
Non-citywide, single-hotel meetings and non-bureau bookings continue to use DMOs for services, promotional materials and off-site venue help. These planners continue to request and rely on VISIT DENVER for site visits, venue referrals and marketing materials.
Trade Media Trends
The media sector of the industry reports on meetings and conventions, travel trends and research and overall industry updates for a diverse audience of travel and meeting professionals. The VISIT DENVER PR team works with travel trade media to highlight the city as a top meeting and convention destination. With the completion of the Colorado Convention Center expansion, the team has seized the opportunity to profile the new and improved space for large events with the goal of encouraging meeting planners to book their next event in Denver. VISIT DENVER is grateful to this media sector for sharing the positive news about Denver with industry professionals who further drive the message to businesses and leisure travelers.
As noted in the past few years, the trade media sector continues to change, and many outlets have very slowly recovered from the pandemic or did not survive at all. A few notable trends:
Convention trade magazines continue to see shrinking staff and diminishing resources and many are relying primarily on freelance writers. Most trade publishers have reduced their publication schedule while migrating content from print to online presence. Publications associated with industry organizations like Convene (PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association)), Associations Now (ASAE) and The Meeting Professional (MPI) continue to decrease print circulation to focus more on digital platforms while regionally focused outlets like Colorado Meetings & Events have continued to run on a smaller scale. be a trusted resource for the industry through digital platforms.
Industry outlets such as USAE, Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions and Smart Meetings convey most of the industry news via publication websites and digital newsletters.
Trade publications often feature developments (such as renovations, expansions and new projects) These features are a terrific opportunity for Denver to reach meeting planners and share news about new updated venues as the city is growing and evolving.
Specialized meeting trade magazines such as Black Meetings & Tourism, Insurance & Financial Meetings Management and Colorado Meetings & Events offer another method of keeping information in front of meeting planners.
Opportunities continue for advertorials, featured content and “native advertising” for any destination buying convention trade advertising.
Denver news stories in the coming year will feature DEN’s improvements/additions, updates on 16th Street Mall construction in downtown Denver, new hotel inventory and enhancements, new restaurants and cultural experiences.
National news topics through 2025 will likely include the continued recovery of the meetings industry, airline industry challenges, potential impacts of anew president and the global economy.
In 2025, the team will continue to maximize trade media opportunities to position Denver among the country's top meeting and convention cities. This will include further promoting the Colorado Convention Center and surrounding venues as the best place to meet. The team will continue generating and distributing new, original content about Denver, including destination news and updates, photos, videos and press releases, to convention trade websites and publications. The team will also foster existing and new working relationships with trade journalists through press trips, deskside appointments and industry meetings.
Convention Sales: Market Segments
A. Market Segments
The meetings industry typically considers three primary market segments when evaluating group business: Association, Corporate and Specialty or SMERF (Sports and Social, Military, Education, Religious and Fraternal). Denver’s largest meetings market segment continues to be the association market. This segment supports a diverse range of industries, with medical and high-tech associations being particularly lucrative and showing an upward trend. Denver’s central location in the U.S., along with ample flight options from Denver International Airport, competitive pricing for conventions and accommodations and comprehensive convention and hotel packages, make it a favorite choice for national and international association meetings. However, destinations across the country are continuously enhancing their convention and destination offerings to capture more market share. Denver’s strategy is to protect existing market share while aggressively pursuing new, first-time conventions to maintain its competitive edge. Since national associations book meetings years in advance, Denver focuses on long-term planning to secure conventions and build customer loyalty. This strategy includes targeted marketing to medical and high-tech associations, improving the planner and attendee experience, using data analytics to spot trends and strengthening partnerships with local businesses and service providers.
The last four years have been unusual, with large association planners hesitant to book far into the future due to pandemic uncertainties. Most convention business was canceled in 2020 and 2021 and rebooked into future years, pushing many conventions further out. This reluctance, coupled with hesitance to book new meetings, caused a two-year gap in productivity, affecting long-term convention outlooks. In 2023, demand from organizations that had not met since the pandemic surged, overwhelming hotels and convention centers. Suppliers had to choose between accommodating this renewed convention business and catering to still-active leisure travelers. As a result, group occupancy in 2023 did not reach 2019 levels despite an increase in demand and lead volume. In early 2023, group leads exceeded 2019 but began to level off by mid-year, with inquiries remaining stable into 2024. Due to uncertainties typically associated with an election year, group demand weakened, with July 2024 lead volume dropping to 2019 levels. However, total lead room nights increased as larger meetings were planned further into the future.
Denver’s market mix from 2017 to 2026 illustrates the growth in key lucrative business segments. (See chart below.)
Source: VISIT DENVER
Economic Sector Dominance
Business in the hospitality industry fluctuates in direct relationship to the successes and failures of other economic sectors. VISIT DENVER not only monitors broad markets, such as association and corporate but also closely follows economic sector dominance, as business is generally booked years in advance. Future growth industries include renewable energy, biotech and life sciences, genetics, fusion and lasers, nanotechnology, exploration travel and artificial intelligence (AI), all projected to maintain their relevance and growth.
Economic dominance is marked by the time at which the economic undertaking becomes the nation’s largest provider of employment. Soon thereafter, that sector begins to account for the biggest share of gross domestic product but these changes in dominance do not mean that previous economic activities in other sectors will disappear. The chart below illustrates nine eras of economic sector dominance. VISIT DENVER’s strategy involves monitoring these shifts to adapt its marketing and service offerings to meet changing industry needs.
Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and the hotel industry must be keenly aware that as economics shift from one sector to another so does the relative demand and value of association business that is mirroring the ascending and declining sector changes. An example is agribusiness, which represented 90% of all U.S. jobs in the 1700s and represents less than 2% today. VISIT DENVER looks at these indicators as commitments for rooms and meeting space are made in a long-term environment.
The challenge for the meetings industry is to ensure that products and services are prepared to effectively meet the economic drivers of the future. This includes enhancing facilities to offer the technology, AI integration and service amenities needed for the next generation of meetings as well as creating hotels and city environments that provide an exciting and multifaceted experience for the attendee.
Denver and Colorado's focus industries, such as energy, healthcare and wellness, aerospace, creative arts, IT software, green/environmental and AI are still valid targets. These sectors are poised for growth and can attract significant business, positioning VISIT DENVER as a forwardthinking destination. Identifying and catering to these industries helps ensure continued success.
B. Association Market
Large national association conventions have gradually recovered following the pandemic, primarily due to the challenges of accommodating their significant number of attendees. However, in the past 24 months, booking patterns have consistently rebounded, nearing prepandemic levels.
Associations are highly motivated to hold meetings, as many have bylaws requiring an annual gathering. Besides membership dues, continuing education fees and publications, a significant portion of their yearly revenue often comes from hosting conventions and meetings. Association meetings are not just about gathering; they are about learning and growth. These events provide valuable opportunities to educate their membership, often used for continuing education and certifications. These conventions and meetings often lead to new developments, technology and investments for their members.
According to the Evidenz study, Denver and its hospitality community have built the infrastructure needed to meet market demands and enhanced the destination's appeal to attract the maximum number of attendees. Denver will continue to market these strengths effectively to associations. There is also a strong desire for a new large headquarters hotel near the convention center to further boost its attractiveness.
Because the association market has always been the main producer for Denver meetings, it will continue to be the largest focus of VISIT DENVER’s marketing efforts in 2025. There are numerous associations headquartered in Washington, D.C. and Chicago. As a result, VISIT DENVER maintains in-market sales offices in both cities.
Deployment of sales resources to this market is a vital part of VISIT DENVER’s strategy. VISIT DENVER has found it most effective to deploy based on size of meeting and geographic location of the association headquarters. This enables the sales team to stay connected to customers through local client events, regional industry organizations and trade shows.
VISIT DENVER currently works with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC) to solicit conventions that align with the industry clusters that are predominant in metro Denver. Conventions bring thought leaders together from around the world, and these experts and creatives collide and cross-pollinate with locals. Seeds are often planted during convention visits that can grow into great, long-term business opportunities for the city. VISIT DENVER promotes the local expertise/leaders in priority sectors as a primary sales strategy to help convention planners find local speakers for their conference or convention.
C. Corporate Market
The corporate market segment is characterized by shorter booking windows and higher budgets. Companies often need to organize meetings on short notice and allocate significant resources to ensure their success. Corporate meetings also typically have more consistent attendance, as they are mandated by the hosting company. This consistency has remained true, even as companies adapted to virtual and hybrid meeting formats during the pandemic. Many companies, particularly in high-tech industries, leveraged virtual platforms and meeting solutions during the pandemic to continue their operations.
The medical and pharmaceutical industries were among the first to return to in-person meetings as soon as local health regulations allowed. The need for hands-on collaboration and networking, often critical in these fields, drove this quick return. As the corporate segment resumed in-person meetings, a surge of pent-up demand emerged. This led to 2023 becoming a record year for lead volumes, with many meetings being short-term and held in single hotels rather than large convention centers. As of July 2024, although the number of corporate market leads is below 2019 levels, the total lead room nights have significantly increased due to the return of large meetings planned further in advance.
Denver's corporate market remains a vital segment, with the Convention Department continuing to focus on attracting corporate events. Denver's robust infrastructure and appeal as a destination contribute to its success in this market.
Corporate meetings still have shorter booking windows, a trend that has intensified postpandemic. The surge in demand has made it difficult to secure hotel space, prompting planners to seek more destination options than before.
Corporate meetings continue to increase in key industry segments where Denver has a growing business environment, particularly in the biotech, pharmaceutical and health science industries. The region's emerging status as a life sciences hub is likely to further boost corporate gatherings in these sectors. While high-tech remains important, the biotechnology boom is becoming a significant driver of corporate activity in the area.
Corporate meeting planners often prefer full-service, lifestyle and luxury hotels. Denver has been among the leading cities in the nation for adding additional hotel inventory over the last several years. Many of these hotel rooms have been in the upper-upscale and luxury category thus positioning Denver well when competing for corporate business.
Corporate meeting planners lean heavily on third party intermediaries to source venues, contract hotels and sometimes execute the meetings themselves. VISIT DENVER continues to place priority with these top intermediary meeting planners engaging in partnership agreements, conducting education webinars and sales missions and even hosting annual meetings and trade shows.
D. Sports and Social, Military, Education, Religious and Fraternal (SMERF) and Government Markets
SMERF groups can be very rate-conscious and may have additional unique meeting needs and requirements. Prior to the pandemic, and due to the robust economic market, this segment was more flexible with dates and demonstrated a willingness to meet over holidays and slower timeframes of the year for the hotel industry, which is good for Denver. However, many of these groups continue to focus on second- and third-tier cities, as those destinations are sometimes better able to accommodate the rates and dates. Historically, Denver’s growing hotel occupancy and higher average room rates made it difficult for the city to compete for many of these large, rate-sensitive meetings, particularly in the summer months, when Denver occupancies are stronger.
SMERF meetings have tight budgets that force them to pursue destinations during “shoulder seasons” with less demand or holidays. When sourced properly, this business can be attractive for hotels and convention centers and enable them to drive occupancy during periods that are least attractive to business and leisure demand alike. Denver’s winter months, specifically November through March, are considered a shoulder season, and this is where VISIT DENVER tries to drive SMERF business most effectively.
As SMERF meetings sometimes have unique requirements and budgets, the relationship between the meeting planner and DMO is paramount so that VISIT DENVER can learn the intricacies of each group. For this reason, VIST DENVER deploys specifically to the Specialty Market and has one sales manager that handles all meetings in this segment, regardless of size. Additionally, the recruitment and promotion of all amateur/participatory sporting events solicited to Denver fall under the purview of the SMERF sales manager.
The current Government per diem rates have remained stable in the last three years. For the third year, there is a tiered structure, with November and December at $153, January through March at $169 and April through September at $201. These tiered rates reflect the seasonality of Denver’s business demand. The FY 2025 rates will be announced in October.
E. Multicultural Market
The multicultural market throughout the United States has grown over the past five years, with increasing buying power and influence. Building solid relationships and securing strong support from local chapters of national and international groups, as well as from elected and appointed government officials, remain essential to successful bookings. VISIT DENVER maintains an advertising effort for this market that is appropriately scaled to its size and potential.
The focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives remains at the forefront, following the civil unrest of 2020. Many cities, including Denver, have pledged to increase their support using various metrics to measure progress. VISIT DENVER has a dedicated DEI Board committee that continues to provide input on DEI efforts, including internal processes and policies, community affiliations, educational opportunities, social impact/workforce development and marketing programs. This enhanced focus strengthens Denver’s ability to attract more multicultural meetings
For over a decade, VISIT DENVER has consistently committed to attracting multicultural meetings, primarily in the Hispanic/Latino and Black markets. Efforts have also been made in the Asian and Indigenous markets, though these are newer segments in the meetings industry.
In 2025, VISIT DENVER will continue targeting multicultural markets with involvement in organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Network of Latino Meeting Professionals in Washington, D.C. The strategy includes traditional advertising and direct sales efforts and ongoing marketing to attract Hispanic/Latino leisure travelers, enhancing the experience for meeting attendees in Denver.
Recently, VISIT DENVER redeployed a sales manager to work specifically with African American groups, aiming to increase business opportunities in that market. This complements the existing efforts of a dedicated sales manager who targets these market segments. Emphasizing the significant buying power of multicultural consumers, the Marketing Department continues to implement strategies for reaching these audiences through digital channels and authentic partnerships
F. International Market
The international market was hit especially hard by the pandemic. Signs of an international decline due to the pandemic were evident in late 2019 and became even more pronounced in early 2020 and into 2021, as international borders, including the U.S., closed. The U.S. border remained closed to international travelers until the November 8, 2021 re-opening. Since that
time, there has been a steady return of international groups that are sourcing the U.S. and Denver specially for their upcoming meetings. Denver has a sales effort focused on meeting organizers that are headquartered outside the U.S., but that segment of Denver ’s meetings market is small. VISIT DENVER recognizes the growth in international visitors mostly as attendance-building opportunities for the domestic association market.
Many of the U.S.-based association meetings have seen flattening growth from their U.S. membership. Therefore, international attendance promotion and growth continues to be a focus for meeting planners. The good news is that, for most associations, the international market did not represent a sizable percentage of overall attendance, even though it is one of their few growth areas.
As the largest city within a 600-mile radius, Denver relies heavily on Denver International Airport (DEN) for attendee access. Over the past decade, DEN has successfully added several international nonstop flights, becoming a significant selling point for convention organizers. VISIT DENVER has collaborated effectively with DEN, the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO), Denver’s and Colorado’s Economic Development offices and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce to secure these new international nonstop flights.
G. Sports Market
The Denver Sports Commission (Denver Sports), under the direction of its executive director, is the clearinghouse and go-to resource for all sporting event organizers interested in Denver as a future location. Denver Sports proactively identifies, pursues and attracts new sporting opportunities and helps Denver compete regionally, nationally and internationally to host amateur and professional athletic competitions and events. An advisory board comprised of local business and community leaders assists Denver Sports in fulfilling its mission. For more information, see the Denver Sports section of the Marketing Plan in Convention Sales.
H. Convention Industry Media
Busy meeting professionals continue to widen the list of media they consume for their industry news with a focus on digital channels, leisure channels and existing trade channels. As with most areas of media and advertising, there is less reliance on traditional printed media which, for this industry, means trade magazines to educate themselves about potential meeting destinations. This trend was exacerbated during COVID when professionals were working from home with their trade publications still being delivered to the office. In addition, the world just shifted more into a paperless digital world while safety concerns forced more people to work remotely. While many are now working back in the office, the habits formed during the pandemic persist and consequently several industry trade publications have ceased operations or reduced frequency, circulation or both.
This also means that planners are relying increasingly on their in-market, DMO sales and service contacts to keep them up to speed on market updates, which creates a significant opportunity for organizations like VISIT DENVER.
VISIT DENVER’s trade advertising efforts have thus shifted to meet these new realities. Whereas before the pandemic, extensive use was made of print advertising, that medium has been dramatically scaled back, though not completely eliminated. VISIT DENVER expects to continue to use new and emerging digital channels, while still maintaining a small, targeted use of print, particularly for the Colorado Convention Center expansion campaign. And given planners’ interest in news directly from destinations, expanded sales and marketing communications about new developments in the city are almost certain to be welcome from VISIT DENVER clients.
Paid Media Channels
Top-performing e-newsletters from key outlets such as PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association) and ASAE
Digital display advertising
Video advertising
Social media advertising, particularly on LinkedIn
Print and digital advertising in trade publications and their companion websites
Guerrilla tactics at tradeshows
Earned Media Channels
Press releases to trade outlets
Deskside meetings with trade outlet reporters
Reactive efforts for journalists on assignment
Owned Media Channels
Social media tactics, particularly on LinkedIn
Videos exclusive to the convention market
Quarterly destination updates via VISIT DENVER’s email platform to sales database
Innovative CRM program
VISIT DENVER currently runs two campaigns to the meeting planner audience:
“Business As Unusual” highlights broad sections of the city’s overall meeting appeal – innovative venues, new and renovated hotels, Denver International Airport, Denver’s culinary scene and more. This campaign is targeted to meetings of all sizes and planners in all markets.
A stand-alone campaign focusing on the Colorado Convention Center expansion, highlighting key features of the project like the new Bluebird Ballroom, pre-function space and outdoor terrace. This campaign is targeted to citywide planners primarily in the association and corporate markets.
Convention Sales: Competitive and Product Overview
In the first half of 2024, Denver's meetings industry showed promising trends with stabilized booking production and growth. However, challenges from inflation, fiscal policy uncertainty and labor market dynamics have created a competitive conventions market.
Throughout 2023, group leads surpassed 2019 levels but normalized by mid-year, with inquiries stabilizing into 2024. Election year uncertainty softened group demand by July 2024, reducing lead volume to 2019 levels. Despite this, total lead room nights increased due to the return of large meetings planned further into the future. VISIT DENVER and other major cities experienced a normalization in large convention bookings, a trend continuing into 2024.
The strong convention pace for 2025 suggests a robust year ahead. Tourism Economics reports that US group demand is rising but still below 2019 levels, with Denver's solid convention base providing an advantage. Sales production for future groups has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with 2024 group numbers expected to closely align with 2019 levels.
In the short term, major meeting markets face limited availability due to rebooked COVID cancellations, leading to intensified competition and a focus on securing deals. Convention centers are expanding and upgrading facilities, boosting competitiveness. Competition remains fierce from tier one and tier two destinations, with cities offering discounts and financial incentives for large events. Rotation cycles for conventions have lengthened and "mega-hotels" are affecting major convention cities by providing complimentary meeting space and an allinclusive approach.
Lost Business
Lost business is based on how much convention business, measured in room nights, is lost to other cities. While Denver’s conversion of new opportunities has increased since the pandemic, a high importance is still placed on evaluating the destinations most sourced and selected over Denver.
In 2023, Denver lost more business to Dallas, Orlando and Chicago than to any other destinations. Dallas and Orlando were both in the top 5 lost-to cities in 2022, while Chicago ranked 12th. Dallas provides significant advantages, including a central location, a world-class airport and expansive meeting hotels near the convention center. Chicago and Orlando boast exceptional convention offerings with numerous large hotels and destination appeal. Both Orlando and Dallas are cost-effective options, particularly during the summer months, which coincide with Denver’s peak demand season. Additionally, in 2023, the Gaylord made a significant comeback, moving up to the #6 spot on the list of Top 10 Competitors, after being ranked #13 last year. This massive hotel and convention center remains a strong competitor for Denver, continually expanding and enhancing its property. A new sister property is set to open in Chula Vista in 2025, further bolstering the brand's capacity to attract large conventions with multi-year packages across six Gaylord properties nationwide. This new hotel may also draw business from the Gaylord Rockies and other Gaylord locations, prompting a more aggressive approach to securing business.
Lost Convention Room Nights Analysis
As in the year prior, Denver lost the greatest amount of business in 2023 due to lack of availability at the Colorado Convention Center (CCC). With the opening of the Bluebird Ballroom expansion in December 2023, doubling the ballroom space for 2024 and beyond, VISIT DENVER will now have a greater opportunity to convert more bookings that were previously lost due to availability. Following CCC availability, Denver lost business due to lack of desired hotel availability. This can either be a result of not being able to align hotel availability with CCC availability or due to hotels not being available for in-house opportunities. The third top reason was the overall package, with planners citing unfavorable space, pattern, hotel blocks, rates and climate. This includes groups that prefer different geographic regions for several reasons, such as not having rotated through a particular region recently or choosing destinations where they have a strong membership or employee presence. Year-to-date in 2024, CCC availability again leads the reasons for lost business. Corporate convention planners often source destinations for near-future dates in which we already have confirmed business. While large associations typically source further into the future, often they lack date flexibility which results in many groups wanting the same dates over peak demand months.
B. Tier One Cities with Strong Destination Appeal
Denver is well established as a first-tier city in both product and perception. The world-class Denver International Airport continues to expand and evolve as one of the busiest airports in the world and is now the number one hub for United, Southwest and Frontier Airlines. Historically, Denver has been one of the top cities for hotel room growth. However, current trends indicate a slowdown or even a reversal in this growth, with inventory declining due to conversions and limited new openings. Some hotels in Denver are being converted to supportive housing, contributing to the reduction in hotel room inventory. The Colorado Convention Center has long been a world-class facility and now adds 135,000 square feet of function space with unrivaled views of the Rocky Mountains. The 16th Street Mall project continues to progress and will revitalize the central artery downtown as a key attraction for the city. All these features for meeting planners are complemented by a destination appeal in which travelers perceive Denver to be an outdoor friendly, walkable downtown that values wellness, dining, sports and entertainment.
Tier one cities usually have a large population base and offer an abundance of destination activities and infrastructure. Some of these cities include Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, D.C. among others. Many of these cities have been in the convention business for a century or more.
The tier one label may also be given to cities that do not have a population base but are committed to the meetings industry and have made major financial investments in the tourism industry. Cities that exemplify this are Orlando, Las Vegas and New Orleans.
The conventions and meetings marketplace are fiercely competitive once again. Instead of increased opportunities to book traditional first-tier cities, the trend seems to be towards second-tier cities becoming more attractive. Many destinations are providing financial incentives to sell their new space inventory. Others, supported by state funds or budgets are offering financial incentives to attract potential conventions.
Current trends for 2024 include rising costs and negotiation challenges with hotels; growing importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in meetings; increased use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) for efficiency and improved attendee experience; stronger partnerships between planners and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs); a shift towards more personalized and engaging event experiences, and an increased focus on sustainability and authentic, immersive experiences. These trends highlight the evolving dynamics of the marketplace, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and adaptability in the face of new challenges and opportunities.
Competition among Tier 1 cities and hotel negotiations with customers have remained highly contentious. Due to a lack of history post-COVID, meeting planners now grapple with a new concern in securing enough rooms for their attendees to satisfy the group’s housing needs. With high transient leisure demand, hotels have become reticent to offer the large room blocks necessary for convention business to take place.
Positive awareness of Denver has increased over time as the city hosts high-profile conventions and events. Aggressive marketing efforts to promote the city as a top-rated and capable destination have proven successful according to industry rankings. There is an ongoing need to educate planners about the city and its international appeal.
Denver's geographic location can pose challenges for driving traffic to conventions, particularly due to its relative remoteness compared to coastal cities. The return of direct international flights is crucial for attracting higher international attendance and maintaining Denver's status as a global destination. While Denver has experienced significant growth and development, it does not have the same concentration of academic institutions, technology companies or population density that some other cities leverage to boost large attendance, especially for high-profile medical events.
Safety, social and cleanliness issues on the 16th Street Mall and throughout downtown are an ongoing challenge around attracting and retaining meeting business. This issue is not unique to Denver and has been exacerbated by recent urban challenges. Addressing these concerns was a focus of the former Mayor’s office and remains a key focus of Mayor Mike Johnston, who was inaugurated on July 17, 2023. According to feedback from the Downtown Denver Partnership and VISIT DENVER’s customers, significant improvements are imperative. As Denver works hard to handle these difficult issues, other top convention destinations face similar challenges. For instance, San Francisco, once a top competitor, has seen a decline in its attractiveness for conventions due to struggles with crime, drugs and homelessness.
C. Tier Two Cities and Regional Competition
While Denver has solidified itself as a “Top 10” meeting destination, it still competes with both tier one and tier two destinations that have extensive tourism infrastructure and growing appeal. These cities continue to invest in their convention facilities and tourism offerings, making them attractive alternatives for meeting planners. For instance, Dallas and Chicago boast large convention centers with extensive hotel networks, while cities like Nashville and Phoenix have seen significant growth in their hospitality sectors. As these destinations expand and enhance their appeal, Denver must remain proactive in addressing its challenges and leveraging its unique strengths to stay competitive in the meetings and conventions marketplace.
The convention marketplace is highly competitive across all tiers, with both first tier and second tier cities vying for business. Many second-tier cities have invested significantly in their convention facilities and overall appeal, narrowing the gap with traditional first-tier destinations. Second-tier cities often compete by offering unique experiences, improved facilities and sometimes more favorable pricing or incentives. However, first tier cities continue to attract conventions due to their extensive infrastructure, larger hotel inventories and established reputations.
Denver’s location, 340 miles from the exact center of the continental United States, gives it the opportunity to be considered “West” or “Central” in a bidding process. For groups that rotate their convention into different regions of the country, this can be advantageous. However, a Western rotation places Denver in competition with cities boasting strong destination appeal, such as Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle and Phoenix. A central rotation invariably includes Chicago, Dallas and New Orleans as contenders. Denver must leverage its unique strengths and continue to enhance its appeal to remain competitive in these rotations.
D. Competitor Updates
As planners evaluate future host destinations, the primary factors that guide their decisions are overall costs, accessibility, venues, hotel inventory and destination appeal. As destinations add hotel inventory, build or improve upon their existing convention centers and experience changes in airlift, the competitive landscape for Denver is constantly changing.
According to CoStar, the number of hotel rooms under construction in the United States has remained within a range of 150,000 to 160,000 over the past two years and is expected to remain steady this year. However, even if construction activity increases later this year, the impact on supply growth will not be noticeable until after 2026.
In Denver, only 762 rooms across six hotels have opened in the past 12 months, while around 500 hotel rooms were either demolished or repurposed. In 2024, approximately 1,500 of the 2,100 rooms currently under construction, spread across 12 of the 16 hotels, are anticipated to open. Despite an increase in final planning and proposed construction phases, Denver should expect limited new hotel additions in the years following 2024.
Most hotels under construction in Denver are branded and fall within the middle tier classes, consistent with national trends. Construction is ongoing across all Denver submarkets, with the Denver CBD (Central Business District) and Denver Airport/East submarkets seeing the most activity. The largest project is the 265-room Populus by Urban Villages, located near Civic Center Park and the State Capitol in the Denver CBD. Set to open in September 2024, this 14story hotel will be the first carbon-positive hotel in the United States, featuring an eco-friendly design and a tree-planting initiative to offset its carbon footprint. Upon completion, it will increase the independent hotel room inventory by about 5%.
Another significant project is the 190-room Kimpton Denver Tech Center, which opened in July 2024. This is the first new hotel in the Denver Tech Center submarket since 2019, which has the lowest room inventory among Denver submarkets. This Upper Upscale property is the first boutique hotel in the area and the second Kimpton brand hotel in Denver.
In the past 12 months, six hotels with 760 rooms opened, marking the first year since 2014 that fewer than 1,000 rooms have opened. From 2017 to 2019, the market had a high annual inventory growth, with over 2,000 rooms opening each year.
The top 25 largest lodging markets have 55,000 rooms under construction, representing 36% of the total. This is slightly higher than expected, as these markets only account for 35% of the overall supply. If all the rooms under construction open as planned, New York City, Phoenix and Nashville will see the largest percentage increases in supply. Notably, both Phoenix and Nashville are among VISIT DENVER’s top ten competitors.
The convention center industry has seen a mixed trajectory since the pandemic, with some projects progressing and others facing setbacks. The Las Vegas Convention Center has maintained its momentum, following the 2021 opening of its West Hall expansion and underground people mover. It is currently undergoing a $600 million renovation of its legacy campus, expected to continue through 2025. Similarly, cities like Dallas and Austin have launched ambitious projects to completely rebuild their existing convention centers, highlighting a strong commitment to these facilities. Conversely, the expansion project in St. Louis has encountered budget overruns and may be scaled back from its original plans.
Overall, while the pace of convention center expansions and renovations has slowed during the pandemic, some cities are now moving forward with delayed or modified plans. The industry is adapting to post-pandemic realities, emphasizing flexibility, technology integration and health safety features in modern designs and renovations. This evolving landscape reflects the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the convention center industry and the varied responses of different cities and regions to these challenges.
Updates to Top 10 Competitors
While Denver competes with many cities, there are some competitors that appear on the top 10 list year after year. Cities like Orlando, Las Vegas and San Diego are consistently among VISIT DENVER’s top lost-to cities simply due to the infrastructure and facilities surrounding convention business in those destinations. Other cities like Dallas and Nashville seem to be considered along with Denver for similar rotational patterns or regional appeal. Notably, Chicago and Phoenix have emerged as significant competitors this year. The presence of Gaylord Rockies in Aurora, CO, reflects the growing prominence of local competition. The following represents a snapshot of the cities that Denver competed with most often in 2023.
Destination Updates
The Convention Center expansion, completed in December 2023, includes a new 80,000square-foot ballroom, a 35,000-square-foot pre-function area and a 20,000-square-foot outdoor terrace.
Denver International Airport (DEN) is undergoing an expansion that includes 39 new gates.
Dallas 1
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Destination Updates
Omni Dallas: 1,001 rooms
Sheraton Dallas Hotel: 1,841 rooms
Hyatt Regency Dallas: 1,120 rooms
In February 2022, the Dallas city council approved plans to build a new 2.5-million-square-foot convention center adjacent to the current Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, which will be demolished. The project is expected to start in 2024 and open in 2029. According to Visit Dallas, the new facility will feature 800,000 square feet of exhibit space, 430,000 square feet of breakout rooms, a 105,000-square-foot ballroom and a new entertainment district with retail establishments, hotels and restaurants. Full details on any additional new spaces have yet to be announced.
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Destination Updates
Hilton Orlando: 1,424 rooms
Hyatt Regency Orlando: 1,641 rooms
Rosen Centre Hotel: 1,254 rooms
Rosen Plaza Hotel: 800 rooms
Orlando International Airport (OIA) is continuing to improve upon the $2.8 billion (about $8.60 per person in the US) Terminal C that opened in September 2022. The next phase, now in planning, includes 16 to 24 additional aircraft gates, a pedestrian bridge connecting Terminal C to the Intermodal Terminal, moving walkways and seating areas. The $560 million Phase 5A expansion of the Orange County Convention Center, including the Convention Way Grand Concourse, is progressing. This phase will add 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000square-foot ballroom and a new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Hyatt Regency McCormick: 1,258 rooms
Marriott Marquis Chicago: 1,205 rooms
Destination Updates O'Hare is undergoing major renovations, including the $300 million ElevateT3 Project to upgrade Terminal 3, enhancing customer amenities, security screening and accessibility for passengers with disabilities. Las Vegas 4
A rolling three-year renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center began in May 2023, following the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s approval of architectural plans and $600 million in funding. Succeeding the West Hall's 1.4 million-square-foot expansion opened in June 2021, this project includes interior upgrades, a new entrance on the east side of the South Hall near the Convention Center Loop passenger station and a climate-controlled connector for indoor access to all exhibition halls. The entire project is set for completion by December 2025, in time for the 2026 CES technology trade show.
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Destination Updates
Hyatt Regency Phoenix: 693 rooms
Sheraton Phoenix Downtown: 1,003 rooms
Renaissance Phoenix Downtown: 521 rooms
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is undergoing significant upgrades as part of its 20year Comprehensive Asset Management Plan. This includes constructing a new terminal on the west side, with construction expected to begin after 2030, to address increasing passenger numbers and enhance efficiency.
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Destination Updates
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Although there was a plan to expand the property by 317 rooms, this was paused during the pandemic, and it is unclear if this expansion or any sleeping room renovations have resumed.
The Gaylord Rockies is focusing on new dining and bar concepts in the Grand Lodge, remodeling the Grand Lodge, adding the Mountain View Pavilion for more event space and completing a $22 million exterior enhancement project. Finished in January 2023, the exterior project improved the arrival experience, games lawn and outdoor dining terraces.
Omni Nashville Hotel: 800 rooms
JW Marriott Nashville: 533 rooms
Renaissance Nashville Hotel: 674 rooms
Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown: 506 rooms
Destination Updates
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is expanding under two plans: BNA Vision and New Horizon. BNA Vision includes a new terminal garage complex, an on-site Hilton hotel, an expanded terminal lobby, enhanced ticketing and baggage areas and a future transit connector. New Horizon focuses on a second terminal on a 309-acre site and expanding the current terminal to accommodate up to 30 million passengers (about the population of Texas) by 2028, with projections of 35 million by 2034. The Music City Center is also planning an expansion to meet high demand for convention space, with a feasibility study underway.
Destination Updates
Atlanta Marriott Marquis: 1,663 rooms
Hilton Atlanta: 1,249 rooms
Hyatt Regency Atlanta: 1,260 rooms
The Westin Peachtree Plaza: 1,073 rooms
Signia by Hilton Atlanta: 976
The Signia by Hilton Atlanta, the largest new hotel development in Atlanta in 40 years, is now open with 976 guest rooms. Officially open since March 15, 2024, the hotel features over 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including Georgia's largest hotel ballroom, and is directly connected to the Georgia World Congress Center via a pedestrian walkway. San
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Destination Updates
Washingto
Key/Headquart er Hotels
Hilton San Diego Bayfront: 1,190 rooms
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego: 1,628 rooms
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina: 1,366 rooms
San Diego International Airport is undergoing a $3.4 billion (about $10 per person in the US) renovation of Terminal 1. The project will add 30 new gates and cover over 1.2 million square feet. Construction is currently 60% complete. The first phase, featuring 19 gates and a new parking plaza, is expected to open in late summer 2025. The second phase, with the remaining 11 gates, is set for completion by 2028.
Destination Updates
Marriot Marquis Washington, DC: 1,175 rooms
The Westin Washington, DC Downtown: 807 rooms
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is undergoing a multi-year redevelopment of Terminal 2 with enhanced shopping, dining, relaxation spaces and upgraded restrooms, along with a $2.4 billion (about $7.4 per person in the US) contract for the redevelopment of Terminal 1 and nearby road improvements. Meanwhile, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) has plans for a 14-gate, 400,000-square-foot concourse, a new runway, Aerotrain system completion, and potential air taxi incorporation, all aimed at modernizing the airport by 2024 with sustainability in mind.
Updates to other Competitors
(Listed alphabetically)
The following are notable updates on convention destinations with which Denver has recently competed, albeit less frequently than those in the table above. As convention business is cyclical, some of these cities could very well become top competitors for 2025.
ANAHEIM
The Hilton Anaheim, the largest hotel in Orange County, is currently undergoing a significant multi-million-dollar renovation, scheduled for completion by summer 2025. This extensive project includes a comprehensive redesign of guest rooms, upgrades to meeting and event spaces and a rebranding of its restaurant and bar. The hotel is also enhancing its outdoor areas to create a more inviting atmosphere for guests. Throughout the renovation process, the Hilton Anaheim will remain operational, ensuring uninterrupted service to visitors.
AUSTIN
A redevelopment plan costing up to $1.6 billion includes a complete reconstruction of the convention center, expanding its rentable space from 376,000 to 709,000 square feet. The project is set to begin in 2025, with completion expected by 2029. This expansion will complement Austin's largest hotels, including the Fairmont Austin with 1,048 guestrooms, the JW Marriott Austin with 1,012 guestrooms and the Hilton Austin with 801 guestrooms, enhancing the city’s capacity to host large events.
BOSTON
In 2019, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) proposed a $400 million expansion for the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), aiming to add 100,000 square feet of exhibit space and over 100,000 square feet of meeting space. This project was initially put on hold due to the pandemic. However, recent developments have revived and expanded the plan. The updated plan now involves a $1 billion (about $3.10 per person in the US) expansion that will add approximately 1.3 million gross square feet to the BCEC, including exhibit, meeting and ballroom space. This expansion, set to be funded through existing tourism taxes and fees, began construction in 2023 and is expected to be completed by 2026.
HOUSTON
Houston's East Downtown area is undergoing a significant transformation, centered around the $2 billion (about $6.20 per person in the US) expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center. This major redevelopment effort aims to enhance the convention center with new exhibition halls, ballrooms and meeting spaces, making it more competitive and appealing for major events such as the College Football Playoffs and the World Cup. The project is part of a broader vision to create a vibrant, economically sustainable district that includes residential, hotel, office, retail, dining and entertainment spaces. By leveraging sales tax revenue from the surrounding area and integrating future transit lines with existing public spaces, this initiative
will revitalize the urban landscape and position Houston as a leading destination for business and tourism.
INDIANAPOLIS
In fall 2020, Indianapolis city council approved the expansion of the Indiana Convention Center. The project, which broke ground on August 1, 2023, will add 143,500 square feet to the center, including a 50,000-square-foot ballroom. It will connect to a new 800-room Signia by Hilton hotel via a skywalk over Capitol Avenue. Completion of the expansion is estimated for fall 2026, allowing Indianapolis to host two citywide conventions simultaneously.
Hilton is building an 800-room Signia by Hilton hotel connected to the South Campus expansion of the Indiana Convention Center via a skywalk. This 40-story hotel, which will be the tallest in Indianapolis, is anticipated to be completed in late 2026.
LOS ANGELES
The Los Angeles Convention Center is undergoing a major $1.4 billion (about $4.30 per person in the US) expansion and modernization project, approved by the Los Angeles City Council on July 2, 2024. The project will add approximately 340,000 square feet of new space, including 190,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, 55,000 square feet of meeting room space and 95,000 square feet of multipurpose space. It will also connect the existing South and West Exhibit Halls by bridging over Pico Boulevard and include renovations to existing facilities and a redesign of Gilbert Lindsay Plaza. Construction is set to begin in spring 2025, with completion aimed before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
NEW ORLEANS
The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is undergoing significant renovations as part of a $557 million capital improvement plan. Key updates include a nearly completed $48 million roof replacement featuring a 40-acre "cool roof" for energy efficiency, upgrades to 60 meeting rooms with plans for an additional 80 rooms starting in late summer 2024 and various sustainability projects like improved stormwater drainage and LED lighting. Infrastructure enhancements include new chillers and a systems monitoring station, while public spaces will see the addition of a pedestrian park and immersive art installations. Furthermore, plans for a new 1,000-room headquarters hotel adjacent to the convention center are expected to be realized between 2028 and 2029.
PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia is currently undergoing several renovations and developments in its convention center and major hotels, enhancing its appeal as a destination for conventions and tourists. The Pennsylvania Convention Center has upgraded to Wi-Fi 6E, added six new concession stands in Halls A-F and invested in sustainability with energy-saving roofs, efficient lighting and expanded recycling. Several major hotels, including the historic Independence Park Hotel, the Philadelphia Marriott in Center City and The Windsor Suites, completed substantial upgrades by early 2023. These improvements underscore the city's commitment to strengthening its hospitality infrastructure.
SAN ANTONIO
San Antonio is making significant strides in enhancing its convention and hospitality offerings, posing a competitive challenge to other destinations. The city has approved a major tax deal to fund the expansion of the Henry B. González Convention Center and renovations to the Alamodome, with plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars. The creation of a Project Finance Zone will enable San Antonio to finance these upgrades through a rebate of hotel taxes collected within a three-mile radius of the convention center, potentially transforming downtown into a more attractive destination for conventions and events. Alongside these upgrades, San Antonio is also expanding its hotel inventory with a new 10-story Marriott hotel set to break ground downtown.
SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco does not currently have any major renovations planned for the Moscone Center, as it recently completed a significant expansion and renovation in 2019. This project nearly doubled the contiguous exhibition space, allowing for larger conventions and increased flexibility. The renovations included new meeting and ballroom spaces, infrastructure upgrades and enhanced community integration with new public spaces and pedestrian bridges.
SEATTLE
In January 2023, Seattle completed a $2-billion addition to its Convention Center. The 14-story expansion, named Summit, features half a million square feet of event space, 250,000 square feet of exhibit space and an outdoor garden terrace. This renovation complements the city’s largest hotels, including the Hyatt Regency Seattle with 1,260 guestrooms, the Sheraton Grand Seattle with 1,236 guestrooms and The Westin Seattle with 891 guestrooms, further supporting Seattle's ability to host large-scale events.
Denver Sports Commission: Marketing Plan
In December 2012, the Board of Directors of the Metro Denver Sports Commission voted to become an affiliate of VISIT DENVER’s sports marketing efforts, effective January 2013. Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, an avid sports fan, helped lead the alignment. A Denver Sports Advisory Committee was formed immediately afterward and has been working diligently to fulfill the mission ever since.
As an official affiliate of VISIT DENVER, the Denver Sports Commission, frequently referred to as Denver Sports, operates as a clearinghouse and resource for all sporting event owners and organizers interested in Denver as a future location. The mission of the Denver Sports Commission is to proactively identify, pursue and attract new regional, national and international sporting events and sports-related business opportunities that generate economic impact, engage the community and support Denver’s brand as an active, healthy city.
SITUATION ANALYSIS
Sports tourism is an integral part of local and national economies across the U.S. Travelers attending sports tournaments, races and other events – either as a participant or spectator –generate significant economic benefits to households, businesses and governments alike and represent a critical driver of the overall economy. According to Sports ETA and Tourism Economics, the number of sports travelers in the U.S. established a new high-water mark of 204.9 million in 2023.
For Denver, sports in 2024 did not miss a beat and activity is keeping pace with the national uptick in events. Denver was honored to host several events in 2024 that are keeping The Mile High City in the forefront. To name a few:
2024 MexTour International Soccer
The Mexican National Team has found a welcomed home in Denver, once again playing a highprofile match at Empower Field at Mile High. In front of over 57,000 fans, Mexico battled the global power and national team from Uruguay in a friendly match as part of the MexTour national summer tour.
2024 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
In preparation for the Paris Olympics, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team took on Korea Republic in front of a sellout crowd at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Colorado natives Sophia Smith, Lindsay Horan and Mallory Swanson played an important role in the decisive 4-0 win for the U.S. team.
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in The Mile High City
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has roots in Denver, as the very first Ultimate Fighting Championship event took place at McNichols Arena back in 1993. MMA had a strong presence again in Denver in 2024 with the two biggest global fighting organizations in UFC and ONE Championship taking place at Ball Arena.
BMW Championships (PGA)
Listed as the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, the 2024 BMW Championship made its home again in the Denver area. Taking place at Castle Pines Golf Club, the top 50 players in the world competed for the win in front of record crowds. Golf fans were treated to a fantastic performance from the winner Keegan Bradley.
MARKET SEGMENTS
Denver Sports regularly assesses opportunities to recruit or develop sporting events across five different segments and will continue to do so in 2025. The primary targets of relationshipbuilding and recruitment are as follows:
A. NCAA/Collegiate Conferences
Based on extensive research conducted during former bid cycles, it has become clear that securing some large-scale NCAA events could have challenges and be cost-prohibitive. Budget requirements for most events come with a hefty fee weighed against the value of hosting these lucrative events. In addition, an important qualifying element is the impact of taking Denver’s high-capacity venues offline. Several NCAA events require a high volume of event-days on the calendar which will be a continuous issue for venues to consider moving forward.
With that said, the men’s basketball tournament each March has previously found an excellent home in Denver. Even though the 2021 regionals were canceled due to the pandemic, the NCAA did award Denver the 2023 tournament first and second rounds and future first and second round matches in 2025. These games will again be staged at Ball Arena and officially hosted by the Mountain West Conference.
Denver is currently in a bidding cycle and has submitted several championship level events, including future men’s basketball and women’s gymnastics. This current bidding process will be adjusted from the typical four-year process to a two-year process, with hosts and sites being awarded for approximately 88 of the 90 NCAA championships for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 academic years. Denver, along with other U.S. cities, are expected to hear from NCAA this fall or early winter.
B. Amateur/Participatory
The recruitment and promotion of all amateur/participatory events solicited to Denver will fall
under the purview of the VISIT DENVER sales and marketing teams. Denver Sports will lend support, such as committee representation and promotion, when necessary. With Denver offering several multipurpose facilities, like Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Ball Arena and DU’s Ritchie Center, there is substantial opportunity to solicit mass amateur participation in several different sports like soccer, lacrosse and rugby. The diverse scheduling of regional parks and sporting complexes can also play a role in more amateur sports bookings. For example, venues like Stenger Soccer Complex and the Apex Center have a bigger appetite now to schedule more business across their entire footprint. One of the mainstays for Denver is the annual soccer events produced by US Club Soccer. The National Premier League Finals have made a successful home at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park with a total of 200 teams representing 124 clubs across 23 states participating in this prestigious tournament.
C. United States Olympic Committee (USOC), National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and International Organizations
Denver Sports remains in close contact with USOC members. With most NGBs headquartered in Colorado Springs, the proximity of these groups running events in Denver can, and has become, an operational advantage for many of the different organizations in the USOC family.
In 2025, the sports commission will continue to work on projects involving some of the nation’s best events with members such as USA Fencing, USA Rugby and USA Curling. USA Curling will be hosting their Team Trials at Denver area’s Rock Creek Curling facility in February USA Volleyball has also committed to hosting their signature event, the Open Championships, in May.
D. Professional Sports/National Team Tournaments and Exhibitions
In addition to amateur/participatory events, Denver Sports can recruit events associated with Denver’s professional sports franchises. Since Denver has six high-profile professional teams in addition to first-class sports venues and top-tier convention infrastructure, the city is well positioned to host these high-profile events. With the number of franchises in top-tier cities, these events can have limited availability and be cyclical in nature. Examples of these events include the NHL Stadium Series outdoor hockey game and the NFL Draft.
Because of Denver’s inventory of large-capacity venues, like Empower Field at Mile High and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, another area of recruitment will be to secure attendance-heavy events involving the national teams in rugby and soccer. A notable example of this is the semiregular hosting of Concacaf’s Gold Cup tournament and Nations League Finals. Denver’s great showing of attendance at this past summer’s MexTour has also placed Denver in favorable position for future calendars.
The sports commission has also re-invigorated the exploratory committee charged with securing a future NFL Draft. With a typical busy April calendar, previous drafts have eluded Denver. With
the new Broncos leadership alongside Denver’s enthusiastic mayor, a new evaluation is underway for a future bid.
E. Owned and Operated Properties
With the success of booking convention and transient business over the years, finding available dates in Denver’s calendar to recruit sporting events can be challenging. This, along with the sometimes-high price tag being placed on high-profile events, leads to a need to strategically review opportunities to create owned and operated events that are beneficial for the community and certain niche markets. Members of the Commission’s Advisory Committee have been meeting to discuss the implementation of this concept under the supervision of Denver Sports, and alongside VISIT DENVER. Creating a unique and Denver-only annual event is the focus and collaboration with city partners will be crucial.
OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS
Denver Sports has made it a priority to assess Denver’s position and opportunities in the marketplace when developing strategies and tactics for 2025 and beyond. As the sports event business has returned to normal, the strategies for Denver will not drastically change.
Strengths
Denver has built a diverse resume of high-impact events. In the last 20 years, Denver has hosted all-star games for six professional sports leagues and staged several types of NCAA events. This brand recognition in the competitive world of event recruiting can boost future conversations with event operators.
Denver has six professional sports teams, serving as one of the highest numbers of any city in the nation. Three of Denver’s professional franchises claimed championships recently, with Ball Arena staging parts of their journey to the trophy.
Denver and Colorado have colleges and universities that are well known and respected in the collegiate sports arena. Denver Sports has an established partnership with the Mountain West Conference, which has been an outstanding partner for pursuing NCAA college basketball tournament rounds. The University of Denver’s venues have proven to be excellent host sites. In addition, Metro State University is a seasoned host, evidenced by their successful hosting of several NCAA Division II Softball Championships and the NCAA Division II Spring Festival.
Denver has a passionate sports fan base that has set many attendance records for professional games and events as well as NCAA and international sporting events.
Denver has built five state-of-the-art facilities in the last 30 years, all of which have hosted major sporting events. Three of the major downtown facilities are currently evaluating major development projects to improve the fan and team experience.
Denver has 300 days of sunshine and a mild, dry climate that is extremely favorable for
year-round outdoor sports.
Denver is a top-tier convention destination, with a proven record of accomplishment hosting fan events associated with all-star games and international sporting events. Key assets are a world-class airport with direct rail transportation, a state-of-the-art convention center and nearly 55,000 metro-area hotel rooms, including more than 13,500 downtown.
Denver has one of the healthiest, most active populations in the U.S. and sets an example for NCAA and other youth-oriented sporting events.
Elite endurance athletes are attracted to train in Denver, given the cardiovascular benefits of training at altitude. England’s national rugby team is an excellent example of this, training in the altitude as a precursor to the U.K.’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup.
Being centrally located in the U.S. and the largest city within a 600-mile radius, Denver is an ideal location to host nationwide sporting events that require geographic representation in this region of the country.
Denver serves as the gateway to resorts in the Rocky Mountains for people coming to Colorado from abroad.
Weaknesses
The plethora of sports options and sporting events in Denver can present a saturation challenge, wherein there may be difficulties in gaining media exposure, sponsorships and ROI (Return on Investment) for the event owner and the city.
Securing venues for sporting events recruited to Denver can be difficult, given the number of professional teams with extensive annual schedules and the need to preserve postseason dates. In addition, the need periods for conventions and tourism are often at the times of the year when sports venues are in maximum use.
Major corporate sponsors in the region are limited, especially for one-time unique events, and most of them are already aligned with existing sports teams and properties.
Generating audiences for new events or one-time events can be challenging, given the saturation of spectator-driven sports in Denver and the small population base in the states surrounding Colorado. Therefore, it is important that Denver Sports strategically targets both local and regional audiences for future events.
Different agendas for business models and financial risk among the parties necessary to achieve a successful sports event bid submission make effective collaboration challenging, but imperative.
The City and County of Denver has a limited number of playing fields/sports complexes available for the amateur sports market, and most of the activities are hosted in the metro area, including but not limited to Aurora, Westminster, Lakewood’s Gold Crown facilities and Commerce City’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. While these surrounding areas and their complexes are typically partners, all entities are engaged in aggressive efforts to host events to their immediate area.
Opportunities
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has a great history in Denver, since the very first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC 1) was staged at the former McNichols Arena in 1993. One of the most watched and attended sports in the world now, Denver has become a welcomed home to this discipline, evidenced by Ball Arena hosting two high-profile events this past summer. Denver Sports will be evaluating zip code data and visitor tracking to get a handle on the impact of visitation of fans. This information can assist with pursuing further MMA events in the coming years.
eSports is an emerging player in the sports landscape. Video gaming has been around in various forms for decades, but new levels of professionalism, viewership and commercialism are emerging. Today there are organized eSports at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. Some locations, such as Las Vegas and Arlington, Texas have responded with permanent eSports arenas. The Denver Sports Commission has reviewed data that suggests the Denver area has higher than national average numbers in users and devices. In addition, Denver is seeing a growing community in training and participation with venues like the Localhost Arena in Lakewood. The Denver Sports Commission is part of a state-wide eSports council and is exploring signature industry events. The current climate suggests that eSports are here to stay. However, there is some evidence that there has been a recent cooling of benefit to attracting visitors to an on-site gaming experience. Because of this, this committee is still reviewing the best strategy to enter the market in a significant way.
International Inventory of Events – With the exceptional amenities of DEN, hotel accommodations and mass transit, Denver can be an attractive destination to global events rights holders. These attributes can be beneficial to international competitors too. Denver Sports will continue to explore this territory with international shows featuring federations of different sports, most of which can now be done virtually.
Denver has made a compelling case as a rugby hotbed, due in large part to Glendale’s Infinity Park and a long history of hosting international events like the Churchill Cup, Serevi Sevens tournament and the Rugby Town 7s tournament that takes place every year at Infinity Park in Glendale. With the announcement of the Rugby World Cup, the world’s third largest attended event, coming to the United States in 2031 and 2033, the sport will be receiving a great deal of attention in the coming years. Denver Sports will continue to work with USA Rugby, whose headquarters are advantageously located in Glendale, to bring large international events to Denver. Denver Sports feels strongly that hosting high-profile rugby matches in the lead-up to a future World Cup will be desirable by the international rugby community; and Denver Sports hopes that preference will be given to scheduling these bigger events in Denver in 2025 and beyond.
Hockey – Following Denver’s recent claim as Hockey Capital USA, the attention on the sport of hockey has not slowed down. Two of Denver’s primary ice floor venues, Ball Arena and Magness Arena, are actively part of discussions to bring high-profile hockey events to the
city. Denver Sports will continue to work closely with the NHL (All-Star Game), NCAA (Frozen Four) and USA Hockey (National Team friendlies) on finding landing spots in their calendar. Denver and Ball Arena have already secured the US Hockey Hall of Fame Game, scheduled for November 2025 and featuring two premier hockey programs in the University of Denver and the University of Minnesota.
USOC and Associated NGBs – Over the years, Denver Sports Commission has taken significant strides in furthering its relationship with the leadership of the USOC and its related NGBs. Given the city’s proximity to Colorado Springs, where the USOC is headquartered, it makes sense for Denver Sports to continue to foster these relationships and bid to host USOC events. Organizations of the USOC see it as an advantage to stage events within 75 miles of their headquarters. The USOC is always looking to diversify their host destination schedule for their athletes and premier events, and this proximity gives access to more than 20 organizations. Denver’s strong resume of hosting events associated with the Olympic family will continue to be an asset, for example the USA Volleyball Mountain Classic and the USA Curling Mixed Doubles Team Trials.
The plans to redevelop the National Western Complex facilities to house a new arena and exposition hall/field could enhance Denver’s ability to solicit and attract events that currently have not chosen the city because of limited venue availability. Denver Sports has participated in discussions for the appropriate use of the competition venue currently planned for the National Western Center. Denver Sports has uncovered many events that could benefit from a fixed-seat facility with an adaptable competition floor; these on-going conversations will be crucial to the success of future sporting events in Denver.
Threats
Competition from other cities – Whether funded by government money, privately owned firms or professional teams, the recent proliferation of multi-use venues and sport-specific training sites in other cities brings increased competition for sporting events. These venues offer event owners many options to consolidate their event footprint, especially when many fields, courts, etc. are required. Venues and training sites that provide additional onsite or adjacent amenities can be incredibly attractive to event owners as they decide where to bring their future events. Denver’s foray into the international market, opening the city up to potential new events, will certainly bring new competing destinations into the mix as well.
Event marketing funds in other destinations – Certain cities, counties and states have created tax revenue streams or allocated significant funds to attract sporting events by buying the event, especially when large rights fees to host the event are in place. Although the occurrence of rights fees can be cyclical, Denver Sports will find itself in direct competition with markets that can deliver funding and offset operation costs. Denver Sports has certainly seen a propensity for international events to have a large financial commitment and/or risk attached but are now seeing more domestic events taking a similar
approach. The incentive concept will continue to be an element that must be considered for securing events. The emergence of Denver’s TID (Tourism Improvement District) funding source has already played a successful role in landing several events. The ability to show strong returns on this funding will be important in maintaining this resource. Denver Sports has also engaged members of their advisory committee to uncover new funding concepts and anticipate having options to activate soon.
Higher bid fees – Many second- and third-tier cities view sporting events as an opportunity to gain exposure and brand their destinations. Thus, they are willing to bid up the price by increasing their investment in hosting these events. The result is that event owners are now using this demand to ask for higher bid fees and more concessions.
Perception of inclement weather – Organizers can be swayed by the misperception that The Mile High City experiences severe cold weather and snow during the entire winter. Denver Sports will continue to work with VISIT DENVER to carry on marketing efforts to combat this perception, which could pave the way for more events in the non-peak times of the calendar.
Denver Sports has several key strategies and tactics that it will continue to focus on in 2025:
Engage key sports and venue stakeholders in Denver with the mission of Denver Sports and involve them in the process of assessing opportunities that exist to recruit sports events as potential business partners. The recent multiple-year process of bidding on FIFA World Cup was a productive exercise in collaboration and team building and will pay dividends when bidding on future mega-events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Rugby World Cup, scheduled for 2031 and 2033.
Work with the Denver Sports Advisory Committee to be the voice of sports in Denver and establish this office as the go-to for any sports destination opportunities. Continue to build on the current work of the eSports committee and bring along key local partnerships to put plans into action. Denver Sports is consistently adding members every year, while also retaining veteran members and establishing a foundation of community stakeholders.
Ensure messaging, strategies and tactics of Denver Sports are aligned with the mission, overall goals, infrastructure and resources of VISIT DENVER.
Continue Denver Sports’ overall event recruitment strategy and develop the criteria and tactics necessary to analyze and recruit sporting events.
Refine a set of core capabilities for Denver Sports that can be applied and used in support of events recruited to Denver by venues, promoters or grassroots sports organizations.
Continue to aggressively recruit high-profile soccer matches to Denver, since Denver has proven success with frequent matches at Empower Field at Mile High and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Concacaf, NCAA and U.S. Soccer have become excellent partners in staging high-profile events in Denver.
With Denver’s desirability and busy calendar, recruiting meaningful events can be a challenge. The Denver Sports Commission has done well with securing quality over quantity
and will continue to uncover significant opportunities for the city. The sports commission office looks forward to concluding 2024 and plans for a busy 2025 schedule featuring NCAA Men’s Basketball and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game.
Convention Sales: 2025 Goals and Objectives
Goals Analysis
To determine the appropriate performance measurements for the upcoming year, the Convention Department reviews current economic growth and potential contraction conditions impacting the convention and meetings industry along with all relevant supply and demand data as well as other industry research.
VISIT DENVER uses different data points derived from the production and pace reports, and several market analyses from leading companies such as CoStar, formerly Smith Travel Research (STR), CBRE and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to determine goals for the upcoming year.
2024 was the first-year meetings began to materialize more closely to pre-COVID historical norms. Meetings demand also began to stabilize, and attendance improved to about 88% of 2019. As Denver prepares to set goals for the future, several metrics point to 2019 as the year to benchmark performance expectations against.
Simpleview, the CRM provider used by VISIT DENVER and more than 230 other DMOs, provides detailed booking information to help understand the marketplace. FuturePace, one of their platforms, offers pace insight with aggregate data from 59 subscriber destinations. Currently, Denver is +33% ahead of pace target and 2025 is shaping up to be a strong year. In short, the meetings industry continues to rebuild and 2024 has proven to be a year of stabilization and growth.
Current Hotel Market
A look at hotel indicators for Downtown and Denver City and County and submarkets through July follows. As can be seen, occupancy is still down from a high in 2019, while the rate and overall RevPAR have surpassed 2019 levels.
Pre-COVID, more than 60% of all the Lodger’s Tax for the City and County of Denver was derived from the downtown hotel inventory. There are more than 13,000 hotel rooms in the downtown central business district (CBD), 25,294 in the City and County of Denver and 57,736 hotel rooms metro wide.
Source: CoSTR
Current Group Market
As of July, Denver’s group market is still lagging the percentages seen in 2019. However, group business has been trending positively and has begun to stabilize, with small to mid-size corporate travel business slowly returning. Convention center users are also seeing attendance at 85% to 90% of 2019 numbers.
Current Pace
Factoring in Oxford Economics projections for the U.S., Denver is ahead of pace for most years with some softness in 2027 to 2030. Current tentative groups with a high probability of booking in the next six months should close the gap for some of the underperforming years.
Source: VISIT DENVER
Supply Impact
According to CoStar, about 2,100 rooms in 16 properties are under construction in the Denver Metro area. This is the first time in many years that Denver is not ranked in the top 10 of the Top 25 Markets for year-over-year percentage of supply growth.
In the last year, there have not been any new meeting hotels being built that will drive new meeting business demand and allow for more bookings. Most of the hotels that have been or are being built, except for the Gaylord, are in the 150-200 total room range, limited, select service or lifestyle hotels, with little meeting space to attract new meeting business. The last meeting hotel built with industry average meeting space in Denver City and County was the 403-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver Downtown Convention Center in 2010.
In the past 12 months, six hotels with 760 rooms have opened, marking it the first time since 2014 that fewer than 1,000 rooms have been added. From 2017 to 2019, the market saw significant annual growth, with over 2,000 rooms opening each year.
Some hotels are being converted into affordable housing or shelters for the homeless. In 2023, 500 hotel rooms were demolished, resulting in the first negative net deliveries since 1992. Mayor Johnston's House 1000 plan has accelerated these conversions, as he aimed and achieved housing 1,000 people by the end of 2023.
Competition Impact
Competition remains fierce from both tier one and tier two convention cities. Across the United States, several cities are expanding or enhancing their convention centers. NorthStar's recent convention center report overviewed 17 convention center projects around the country. 11 out of 17 are in Denver’s competitive set including Boston, Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, to name a few.
Competition from “mega-hotels” and destinations such as Las Vegas with facilities so large that the entire meeting can be held in one hotel, eliminating the need for a convention center, is increasingly impacting all major convention cities. In many cases, the mega-hotels offer complimentary meeting space, as well as an “all-inclusive” approach to doing business. This meeting option can be appealing to both corporate and midsize association groups. In Denver’s case, the 1,501-room Gaylord Rockies hotel, opened in 2018, is located 23 miles from downtown Denver and partially financed by the City of Aurora and State of Colorado. Gaylord will continue to be a formidable competitor; they have large spaces and a waterpark, and their ability to host meetings under one roof will be attractive for groups, versus using multiple properties. It has been reported they will be expanding soon as well. They have an upcoming sister property opening in Chula Vista in 2025. This will increase the brand’s ability to attract large conventions with multi-year packages across soon-to-be six Gaylord properties throughout the U.S. This hotel may also take business from the Gaylord Rockies and other Gaylord hotels making them more aggressive for business.
Market Demand Impact
The value of in-person events is undeniable according to the NorthStar/Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Survey of 400+ event professionals. 65% of planners believe their events are perceived as more valuable to stakeholders compared to 2019.
Although in-person events have made a comeback post-COVID, citywide meeting planners continue to struggle to understand their room block needs, due to the lack of history. This poses a challenge for meeting planners as they can no longer minimize their risk by contracting fewer hotel rooms due to the demand for other segments such as leisure and business travel. Thus, meeting planners are faced with aggressive hotel negotiations that include a lack of room block participation from the hotels, strict attrition penalties and the trend of attendees booking rooms via the internet, both through rogue OTA’s such as Snap Travel, established online travel agencies like Expedia, as well as the shared accommodations providers like Airbnb and VRBO.
Rising hotel and convention center costs across the U.S. remain the #1 and most difficult challenge meeting planners state they will face in planning and executing large events over the next few years.
With the addition of Bluebird Ballroom and the expansion of the CCC (Colorado Convention Center), the 2013 JLL forecasted incremental growth of attendance and an additional approximately 60,000 room nights a year by the end of a five-year booking cycle. Even with the increased competition from Denver’s primary competitors, based on current citywide convention booking trends and barring any unforeseen macroeconomic or geopolitical issues this goal is achievable.
FuturePace Forecast
FuturePace delivers enhanced pace reporting for DMOs, helping destinations make more informed decisions based on accurate forecasting data. Created in partnership with George
Fenich, father of the TAP report, FuturePace was designed with improved data processing for greater accuracy in the calculation of pace targets, giving VISIT DENVER the opportunity to identify and solve problems before they arise.
With FuturePace, VISIT DENVER can use Simpleview’s business intelligence team and a full, dynamic integration with CRM data. The report provides credible information about convention bookings, trends and future projections for 60 cities and tracks all future and tentative bookings by month and year. The future bookings are labeled by market segments and size. The report gives each city the ability to compare production to other cities and monitor their booking and consumption pace, as well as demand, conversion and market share.
Most importantly, FuturePace delivers deep visibility into industry demand pace from one to seven years out and enables DMOs to create more accurate forecasts and set appropriate booking targets for their market. Created from future-looking data, these reports serve as a tool for DMOs to share a realistic picture of market pressure and to help support hotels’ pricing and inventory initiatives to attract certain groups. The bookings, provided by participating DMOs in markets across the U.S. and Canada, are aggregated, analyzed and configured into the FuturePace Report, which has become an industry standard.
In 2021, the system was used to recalculate new demand and consumption benchmarks for the industry. Group bookings and leads data consolidated by Simpleview were used to validate and differentiate DMO categories. This was combined with a U.S. lodging sector forecast prepared by Tourism Economics in partnership with STR. Economics forecasts are prepared by Oxford Economics, the parent company of Tourism Economics. Specifically, the forecast drivers used in the analysis included GDP, employment and private sector capital spending.
Baseline: The Baseline scenario is slightly stronger for 2025 and future years than the prior forecast. This improvement reflects a stronger than expected performance in 2024 Q1 and Q2.
Downside: Assumes a combination of factors that could result in a slower recovery in group demand. These factors include the possibility of fewer in-person events and lower attendance, lasting reduction in business travel, weaker economic conditions and space constraints for short-term bookings.
Denver Market Forecast
According to CBRE, by the end of 2024, Denver hotels are expected to see a slight increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) of 0.4%. This comes from a small 0.3% drop in occupancy but a 0.8% rise in average daily room rates (ADR). This 0.4% increase is lower than the national average of a 2.0% rise. By the end of 2024, Denver's RevPAR will be 5.6% higher than the yearend 2019 level of $101.22.
For 2024, the upper-priced segment in Denver is leading the way with a 0.7% gain in ADR and a 0.3% increase in occupancy, resulting in a 1.0% RevPAR increase. On the other hand, lowerpriced hotels are expected to see a 0.4% rise in ADR but a 0.4% drop in occupancy, leading to a slight 0.1% decline in RevPAR.
Goal Summary and Recommendation
VISIT DENVER carefully analyzed supply and demand data points and market trends gathered from industry leading sources such as CoStar, hotel partners and members of the Convention & Tourism Advisory Committee. To that end, the following influences are being observed and, to the extent possible, factored into the 2024 goal forecast:
Threats
KPMG cited election uncertainty increasing to the second greatest threat in the Fed’s Spring 2024 Financial Stability Report; 60% of respondents cited it, up from 24% in Fall 2023. 62% of CEOs cited they have delayed corporate spending and investment until after the election. The KPMG analysis suggests that the consequences of policy uncertainty can linger, especially if an election is contested This could affect convention bookings and attendance.
Consumer attitudes about the economy remain low, given the strength of the recovery. The largest single issue is inflation; the level of prices remains elevated, despite some slowing in the pace of increase. Meeting planners also cite rising costs and overall inflation as their greatest challenge.
Improved competition packages such as Atlanta, Indianapolis, Seattle, Nashville and Las Vegas all have large new meeting hotels. Also, Gaylord continues to compete aggressively with a new property to be completed in 2025 just outside San Diego.
The lack of hotel availability for citywide conventions remains one of the top concerns and challenges for meeting planners.
Opportunities
According to the recent Evidenz national meeting planner study of the top 40 convention cities, Denver is well positioned, ranking number two for overall perception (based on key selection factors like hotels, safety, accessibility, convention facilities, city appeal, etc.).
Denver remains in high demand as a meeting destination. Meeting planners have cited Denver as the BEST FIT destination for their convention.
Planners are working on better understanding their groups' needs, especially as it relates to future attendance and room nights, given their lack of history post-COVID.
Tourism Economics recently updated their projections for 2024 and 2025. The group demand benchmark average, relative to 2019, is estimated to reach 91.4% in 2024 and 93.2% in 2025. Denver ranks sixth in NorthStar's recent Convention Center Index (CCI) report out of 22 major meeting destinations. Each city is evaluated across six categories: available exhibit space, total hotel rooms, average hotel cost, travel time from the nearest international airport to the convention center, the number of direct monthly flights and the city’s overall safety level.
The 2024 goals outlined below have been developed with the best available data as of August 2024. Goals may be different in the final report as production continues to actualize over the next few months and as current national and local industry environment changes.
Definite Goals 2025
Considering the threats and opportunities outlined above and taking into consideration historical production pre-pandemic. The goal recommendations are as follows. As of August 2024, the convention sales team is on pace to meet and exceed the 2024 definite goal therefore, the definite goal forecasted for 2025 is 742,000 total definite room nights, a 6% increase over the 2024 goal.
Lead Goals 2025
The proposed lead goal is 3,600, which reflects the current industry environment and a move to a new normalization. While this is a 6% decrease from the 2024 goal, it remains one of the highest goals in VISIT DENVER’s history. After the pent-up lead demand seen post-COVID in 2022 and 2023, lead volume has been moving back to 2018 and 2019 volumes.
Lead Room Night Goals 2025
The proposed goal for lead room nights is 5,133,136 which is a 3% increase to the 2024 goal.
DESTINATION SERVICES
The demand to provide unique and top-rated service to convention planners and their delegates continues to be a top priority. It is vital that close attention is paid to the destination appeal, attendance-building and an upscale visitor experience expected of a first-tier convention city.
Below are the forecasted services goals for 2025:
Generate 12,000 partner referrals for Denver facilities and services information and keep Denver on the “short list” of meeting planners and executives.
Achieve a rating of 90% or higher satisfaction rating of all customer service evaluations. This equates to a four and a half or higher on a one to five scale.
Public Relations
VISIT DENVER follows the public relations industry's best practice of measuring advertising value equivalency (AVE). All stories that market Denver as a convention destination and have been placed, pitched or assisted by the Communications Department are measured for AVE, which determines how much the space occupied by the story would have cost if it had been purchased as an advertisement. Whether the story appears in USA Today, The New York Times, the Business Journal network, Meetings & Conventions magazine or Successful Meetings, if it promotes Denver as a convention and meeting destination, it is included toward this goal.
Prior to COVID, VISIT DENVER recognized that the number of trade magazines is shrinking, the number of convention trade websites is increasing, and stories are getting shorter. Since AVE measures by length of story, shorter stories translate into small numbers, meaning that AVE goals of the past are no longer practical. Historically, convention trade magazines would devote multiple pages to a Denver destination report; today, such reports are nonexistent. All of this has made it difficult to generate significant AVE. Add to this the fact that many planners now get their destination information from mainstream news and travel sources, as well as from peers and site visits, and the situation becomes even more challenging.
Despite these challenges in the trade media landscape, before, during and after COVID, the communications team will continue to send press releases to trade media, conduct deskside tours (when allowed), assist journalists from those publications and monitor news trends in the industry to insert Denver into appropriate stories in this market.
Goals
Increase the number of meetings and conventions held in Denver and Colorado and attract business that will have the greatest economic impact, with priority given to bookings at the CCC, driving City and County Lodger’s Tax.
Generate awareness among meeting planners of Denver and Colorado as a preferred meeting destination.
Generate community awareness among city and hospitality constituents, encouraging them to support VISIT DENVER’s sales and marketing programs.
Objectives
Confirm 742,000 future definite room nights for Denver to be consumed from 2025 and beyond.
2027 85,534
2028 61,814
2029 and beyond 213,004 Total 742,000
Generate 3,825 leads resulting in 4,983,627 lead/tentative room nights, which represent business that has the potential to be consumed from 2024 through 2030 and beyond.
Generate 12,000 partner referrals for Denver facilities and services information and keep Denver on the “short list” of meeting planners and executives.
Achieve a rating of 90% or higher satisfaction rating of all customer service evaluations. This equates to a four-and-a-half or higher on a one-to-five scale.
Tourism: Situation Analysis and Markets
Three major leisure tourism markets are reviewed in detail: Domestic Consumer Leisure, Domestic Group Leisure and International.
Unlike the conventions market, which is largely driven by direct sales efforts, success in the leisure market is directly impacted by paid promotions, e.g., advertising campaigns, as well as earned media in the form of public relations and owned channels such as the VISITDENVER.com website and social media. By reviewing trends and understanding consumer preferences, VISIT DENVER is better able to direct its domestic and international marketing efforts to maximize results and generate the highest possible return on investment.
DOMESTIC CONSUMER LEISURE MARKET
A. National Trends
The post-pandemic period has been dominated by domestic leisure travel, a segment that recovered to pre-COVID levels by the end of 2022 and continues to grow, even as other segments (group business, transient business and international) are still working towards their respective 2019 levels.
Source: U.S. Travel Association Winter 2024 Forecast
The domestic travel industry grew in 2023 even as it returned to pre-pandemic, single-digit growth rates. The “revenge travel” over-correction that occurred in 2022 has burned itself out as patterns return to historical norms.
Nationally in 2023, according to Longwoods International, domestic overnight visitation exceeded 2022, a record year for most destinations, but only by single digits.
Source: Longwoods International
Even as travel volume and spending return to historical norms, there have been fundamental changes in the way people plan and book travel, in the way they experience destinations and how destinations approach the visitor experience. This section will attempt to encapsulate those in order to position how VISIT DENVER prepares to address them moving forward to ensure continued success.
The leveled-off growth experienced in 2023 was expected, considering the astronomical growth experienced in 2021 (with a lot of stimulus checks in a lot of pockets) and in 2022 (with the country fully open and lots of pent-up demand and high savings rates). Heading into 2023, that extreme demand had leveled off, savings rates had dipped, and as more international markets fully opened with a strong dollar, affluent Americans took more overseas trips. All of these factors contributed to a slower rate of growth.
Through the middle of 2024, overall domestic leisure travel growth is following a similar pattern of single-digit growth according to data from Sojern, a national media and data company.
Source: Sojern Summer Travel 2024 Report
CONSUMER SENTIMENT AND BEHAVIOR
The following section relies on the research produced by key partners including Destination Analysts, Longwoods International, MMGY and others. These on-going studies track the travel industry, as well as the travel sentiment of consumers, and provide constant monitoring of trends in a very unpredictable and rapidly changing travel environment. These insights have become indispensable resources in adjusting and effectively implementing VISIT DENVER convention and leisure sales and marketing programs.
The Current Travel Landscape
In the most meaningful ways, travel has returned to normal with few or no considerations for the impacts of the pandemic, at least for now. That is a comforting fact since it makes the job of analyzing behavior and planning strategies and tactics more predictable and repeatable. If anything, tracking consumer sentiment has returned to a more mundane exercise of exploring sentiments related to more traditional drivers e.g. personal financial concerns and the cost of travel.
The trend of normalization is borne out by data from national research providers.
According to Longwoods International and Miles Partnership from Wave 87 of their American Travel Sentiment Study, the vast majority of Americans have travel plans in the next six months, a figure that has remained remarkably stable in 2024.
Source: Longwoods International/Miles Partnership American Travel Sentiment Study, Wave 87
The Impact of Economic Factors on Travel
As stated above, several economic concerns (travel/gas prices, inflation fears and issues related to household incomes) have substantially replaced COVID as a modest barrier to travel, since travelers have always been mindful of the affordability of their trips. These concerns have been mitigated since the periods of extreme inflation in 2022 and 2023.
It is significant to note that these economic concerns are happening at a time of record travel demand. So, while it is important to take these concerns seriously and to respond to them appropriately, it should also be noted that they have not significantly dented travel demand, particularly among upper-income groups.
Here is a roundup of traveler economic concerns as of August 2024.
The number of people who indicate that inflation concerns (a good proxy for a host of financial concerns such as gas prices and airfare) will greatly impact their decision to travel in the next six months is also very stable, according to Longwoods.
Source: Longwoods International/Miles Partnership American Travel Sentiment Study, Wave 87
When incorporating the number of people who say inflation may somewhat impact travel decisions in the next six months, the figure above increases to 49%, which is certainly worrisome and something that will be closely monitored.
Source: Longwoods International/Miles Partnership American Travel Sentiment Study, Wave 87
Despite these near-term concerns, travelers are optimistic about their future economic prospects. These longer-term considerations continue to buoy future travel demand as seen in the chart below. A majority of travelers, nearly 52%, expect to be better off financially a year from now, which is the highest number recorded post-pandemic. This is also a number that has been rising steadily since June of 2022 during the height of travel-related inflation.
Source: Future Partners State of the American Traveler, August 2024
Similarly, fears of a recession have declined dramatically from a high of 65.5% to an all-time low of just 38.6%.
Source: Future Partners State of the American Traveler, August 2024
Excitement to Travel
People are VERY excited to travel, with nearly 86% stating so, which corresponds to an 8.1 mean score, according to Future Partners’ latest research.
Source: Future Partners State of the American Traveler, August 2024
Information from MMGY’s Portrait of the American Traveler, a quarterly leisure travel study, is a bit softer, showing a modest decline in travel intent over the next 12 months from most generational cohorts with the exception of Gen Z, which is experiencing a steeper decline.
Source: MMGY Portrait of American Travelers, Summer 2024
2024 TRAVEL INSIGHTS
For years, MMGY’s quarterly Portrait of the American Traveler has documented key travel insights related to intent to travel, planned spending and other considerations. They also report on a variety of new and emerging traveler habits and behaviors, many of which were compiled in their Summer 2024 edition, and all of which are helpful to VISIT DENVER in planning for future visitor needs. Here is a roundup of some of the trends they are tracking.
Overall Traveler Outlook
Through summer, travel intentions remain high, though the impact of inflation and costs are
beginning to rise again. Three-quarters of U.S. adults (77%) are planning to take a vacation in the next 12 months. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of these travelers are planning to take a vacation during the next six months. These intentions are also up from the previous wave (spring 2024), when 64% reported travel intentions in the next six months.
Compared to Q1 2024, travelers report that inflationary pressures (up from 27% to 29%) and the price of gas (up from 22% to 26%) are having more of an impact on their travel plans in the next six months. With costs rising in many areas, particularly in lodging and transportation, larger impacts and pressures may be seen over the course of the year.
MMGY is also seeing the Traveler Sentiment Index (TSI) display a decrease from last quarter, though it remains similar to Q2 2023 at 108. Compared to Q2 2023, safety in travel decreased (down 2 points) while interest in travel (up 1 point), perceived affordability of travel (up 2 points), time available for travel (up 3 points), personal finances available for travel (up 3 points) and quality of service (up 4 points) all increased slightly.
While other generations are either seeing an increase in travel intentions or are starting to level off, Gen Z continues a steady decline. This may be due to the increased pressure of inflation and costs on younger travelers, who may not have as much discretionary income overall.
Despite the number of trips travelers are planning to take remaining similar to last year, travel spending intentions for the year ahead have reached the highest level recorded since the COVID pandemic. This increase can be mostly attributed to Boomers and those with household incomes of $100,000 or more.
Where People Want to Visit
Hawaii (67%), Florida (64%), Colorado (59%) and California (59%) garner the most state interest among active leisure travelers, with interest in Florida and Colorado increasing from this same time last year (Florida: up from 59% to 64%; Colorado: up from 53% to 59%).
Denver is tied for the 16th most-interested destination (44%), which is up two positions from the spring edition of the study.
Road Trips
Intent to take a road trip is up slightly compared to this time last year (73%), but more travelers than ever have taken a road trip in the past 12 months (64%).
Younger generations and those with kids are most likely to choose to take a road trip in the next 12 months, motivated by spontaneity and the ability to explore multiple places. Gen Zers are motivated by the thrill of road trips more so than any other generation.
July is the most popular month to take a road trip, followed by June and August.
Diversity in Travel
Travelers of diverse backgrounds seek different experiences within destinations. Black travelers are more likely than other groups to be influenced by a destination’s ethnic diversity and nightlife, while LGBTQ+ travelers are influenced by social and environmental issues more so than other groups.
More than half of Black and LGBTQ+ travelers believe inequities exist in the travel industry.
More than half of Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ travelers are influenced by a destination’s diverse cultural experiences and commitment to diversity and inclusion when choosing a destination. Younger generations are most likely to be influenced by diversity efforts in a
destination, with more than half influenced by diverse cultural experiences that reflect their own culture, the diversity of a destination and a destination’s promotion of hospitality businesses of diverse ownership.
Family Travel
Millennials make up nearly half of family travelers, while Gen Xers make up one-third.
Family travelers are motivated to spend time with their significant other and children and to get away and unplug when traveling. Eight in 10 agree that going on vacation brings their family closer together.
Compared to Q2 2023, fewer travelers are influenced by their children when choosing a vacation destination (70% to 64%) and selecting a place to stay (59% to 53%).
Multigenerational travel is similar to Q2 2023, while traveling for children’s sports rose compared to this time last year.
Travel Agents
Younger generations and travelers with kids are most likely to use a travel agent within the next two years.
Compared to Q2 2023, travelers are less likely to work with a travel agent in order to get the best price or receive help if things go wrong but are more likely to choose them for unique experiences or recommendations for the hottest places to visit.
Gen Zers are most motivated to get recommendations for the trendiest destinations, while Millennials are motivated to utilize a travel agent to gain experiences they cannot get on their own. Gen Xers and Boomers are looking for peace of mind and the ability to take the time and hassle out of researching and booking.
Traveler Perspectives
Optimism for the future of the U.S. and the world continues to remain low.
Three-quarters of travelers believe the memories they create on vacation are more valuable than material purchases, and two-thirds agree that taking a vacation is the event they most look forward to all year.
Luxury Travel
Younger travelers are more likely to identify as luxury travelers.
Travelers who identify as luxury travelers are most willing to splurge on hotel accommodations and upscale restaurants. Compared to Q2 2023, more travelers than ever are willing to pay more for hotel accommodations and personal guides while on vacation.
Cannabis Tourism
More than a third of travelers are interested in participating in a cannabis-related activity while on vacation, with half of those travelers interested in visiting a cannabis shop.
This is not limited to regular cannabis consumers – a quarter of travelers are not regular consumers of cannabis but are open to cannabis-related experiences while traveling.
Among those interested in at least one cannabis-related activity, 4 in 10 travelers are interested in experiencing mild intoxicating effects, while a third are interested in experiencing cannabis effects that enhance food or art experiences.
Vacation Motivators and Activities
Beautiful scenery remains the most influential feature when selecting a destination, particularly for older generations, rising significantly from Q2 2023 to more than three quarters of travelers.
Younger generations are more influenced by the food and drink scene, music scene, diversity of a destination and nightlife than older generations.
International Travel Intentions
Interest in international travel remains strong with 8 in 10 active leisure travelers interested in traveling internationally within the next two years. Interest in nearly all international destinations is up from Q2 2023, with the most significant increase in interest seen for European destinations.
While interest in Europe is high across all destinations, younger generations are more interested in Asia, Oceania, South America and Central America than older generations.
Other Factors Influencing Travel
Tourism and hospitality sectors are critical drivers to the economic growth and employment in Denver, and VISIT DENVER is committed to developing a plan for 2025 and beyond to ensure these sectors come out stronger and more resilient.
Below are some key and national statistics that help illustrate the current situation and mindset:
The Travel Price Index (TPI) and overall consumer prices (CPI) were both roughly the same in May as in April (seasonally adjusted). Notably:
• Motor fuel decreased by 2.5% while Airline Fares decreased by 5.1%
• Lodging prices decreased by 2.8%
On a year-over-year basis (YOY), inflation continued to cool down. CPI cooled to +4%, the lowest in two years. TPI cooled even further, and prices were at the same level as last year (+0% YOY)
Motor Fuel was down 20% YOY, while lodging was up 3.7%
For the second month in a row, Airline Fares were down (-5.1% YOY)
This reflects a modest decline consistent since January with fares declining since. The CPI edged lower in June, aided by large declines in gasoline and airfare. In addition to the effect from falling transportation prices, falling lodging prices caused TPI year-over-year growth to decelerate to 0.4% in June from 1.2% in May.
The University of Michigan’s final consumer sentiment for July was revised higher as consumers became more optimistic about inflation and the prospect of interest rate cuts this year. However, the sentiment index remains depressed compared to its long-run average as high prices and elevated interest rates are still weighing on the collective psyche.
Representing destination diversity has quickly become a top priority for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). Not only is it the right thing to do, it’s also good business. More than half of Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ travelers are influenced by a destination’s diverse cultural experiences and commitment to diversity and inclusion when choosing a destination. (MMGY Portrait of the American Traveler, Summer 2023 Edition)
Boomers, GenX and Millennials, especially affluent households, are the traveler segments VISIT DENVER expects to drive continued growth in domestic leisure travel in 2023.
Boomers lead all generations in travel spending intentions with 3.8 annual trips planned and annual spending of more than $6,500.
GenX members are planning slightly fewer trips (3.6) with annual spending around $4,000.
Millennials have the same number of trips planned as Boomers, but with lower planned annual spending of only around $3,000.
(Source: MMGY Portrait of the American Traveler, Summer 2023 Edition)
B. Denver Trends
In 2023, according to the Longwoods International Travel USA Visitor Profile study, Denver welcomed a record 37.4 million visitors, 3% higher than 2022.
Total overnight visitation was particularly strong in 2023, hitting 20.5 million, a 3% increase over 2022. Overnight leisure visitation saw an increase of 5% to 17.5 million. (Longwoods)
Travel spending by all visitors to Denver in 2023 reached a record $10.3 billion, an increase of nearly 10% over 2022. (Longwoods)
Spending by overnight visitors increased in 2023 to a record $8.8 billion, a healthy 10% increase over 2022. Among all traveler types, marketable travelers spent the most at $243 per day, followed by business travelers at $149 per day. (Longwoods)
Hotel occupancy in Denver reached 80.0% in July of 2024, which was slightly below July of 2023 (80.6%), and behind July 2019 by 8.1 points, however room supply was up 4% in 2024 vs. 2019. ADR reached $200 in July of 2024, growing 14.5% compared to 2019. Leisure and hospitality jobs decreased 2.5% in July, over July of 2023 and was 1.2% lower than 2019 levels. (Source: STR, Google Analytics, Arrivalist and BLS)
Based on May 2024 worldwide passenger traffic, DEN ranks as the third busiest airport in the U.S. and the sixth busiest airport in the world.
Nearly 7.6 million passengers transited DEN in June of 2024, the busiest month on record.
Tier I cultural organizations provided a strong lineup of exhibits and events in 2024. The Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Denver Zoo continue to be top attractions for Denver. The Denver Center for Performing Arts continued its robust calendar with “Wicked,” “Hamilton” and “& Juliet.”
Denver’s blockbuster exhibitions also had a full schedule in 2023. Denver Art Museum hosted shows such as “Biophilia: Nature Reimagined” and “Whistler to Cassatt: American Painters in France. ” Denver Museum of Nature & Science exhibitions included “Orcas: Our Shared Future” and “Wild Color.”
While Denver’s dining scene has received tremendous accolades over the last several years, including the Michelin program and a national James Beard Foundation award, the pandemic had an outsized impact on this sector due to the convergence of multiple factors that continue to plague it today, including staffing shortages, increases in labor costs, food and material costs, etc.
According to the Colorado Restaurant Association 2023 statistics:
Eight out of 10 restaurants are struggling to hire new staff, even if wages in Colorado have risen by an average of 20%.
About three cents is all that remains from each dollar spent at a restaurant after operators pay for labor, overhead and food.
Food prices increased more than 11% in 2022, the highest increase in more than four decades.
The Colorado Restaurant Association and the industry are enthusiastic about the Michelin Guide coming to Colorado, following its announcement that the Centennial State is now the eighth Michelin Guide destination in North America and the sixth in the United States. Michelin recognized 26 Denver restaurants in the inaugural in 2023, included in the Colorado guide, with three One Michelin Star restaurants: Beckon, Brutø and The Wolf’s Tailor.
Restaurants have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, with challenges related to inflation and food costs, affecting profitability for operating a restaurant. However, Denver restaurateurs continue to reinvent themselves with new restaurants open in 2024, including a third location of ChoLon in LoHi as well as a new Italian concept named Gusto; La Forêt on South Broadway and more.
VISIT DENVER 2024 Promotions
In 2024, VISIT DENVER executed a campaign and promotional schedule that has expanded even beyond pre-pandemic efforts. Several key factors contributed to this:
Advertising budgets have exceeded 2019 levels. This includes the impact of TID funds for key leisure marketing programs.
Demand for travel overall and for Denver continues to increase, albeit at more historical, single-digit levels. After two years of depressed demand for all travel, especially to urban destinations, visitors are once again excited to explore America’s cities. Denver continues to enjoy an outsized advantage here due to the proximity of Rocky Mountain adventure throughout Colorado.
The Denver travel product has returned in full force. This importantly includes a robust events calendar that is the key to enabling regional advertising.
VISIT DENVER’s 2024 campaign schedule:
January saw the full implementation of a national Winter campaign that built off the success of previous test efforts in this space. Driving the success of the 2024 effort is the innovative use of advertising technology to target people searching for Colorado winter trips and serving them Denver ads before they book. The campaign ran January through March and again from October to December.
The regional, “always on” campaign re-launched in February. This campaign replaced the yearround “Reclaim the Weekend” campaign, funded through the proceeds of the Tourism Improvement District (TID) tax, which was suspended early in the pandemic. The campaign, which is exclusively funded by the TID, promotes up to nine different large events (concerts, cultural exhibitions and festivals) each month, using the urgency they create to encourage visitors to come “right now.” The campaign used the tagline, “Do More Denver.”
The spring/summer campaign, which is always the largest of the year, hit new levels in 2024 with a continuation of aggressive geographic targeting effort. Using a three-tier system, the campaign focused dollars into large target markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Minneapolis, and diverted funds to several “test” markets, including Atlanta, Seattle, Houston,
Austin and others. The campaign also ran nationally using specific audience targeting. The campaign began in mid-April and concluded in late August. This campaign also used the “All Ways Welcome” tagline.
The spring/summer campaign this year also included an expanded campaign effort targeting affluent Hispanic/Latino families for travel to Denver. The campaign, developed in conjunction with a noted national consultant, runs under the new tagline, “Listos? Let’s Go!”
Mile High Holidays, Denver’s holiday marketing campaign, also returned in 2024. The campaign promotes holiday events and festivities, including the return of VISIT DENVER’s Mile High Tree, to local and regional customers in November and December. Mile High Holidays is partially funded by the TID.
In 2024, VISIT DENVER also ran several smaller campaigns to support local programs like Denver Restaurant Week and Denver Arts Week that are discussed in more detail in those respective sections.
VISIT DENVER also partnered with Denver Art Museum on a joint campaign to promote its blockbuster fall/winter exhibition, “Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak.” VISIT DENVER will promote these exhibitions regionally while the museum promotes them locally.
Across all consumer campaigns through July, VISIT DENVER generated nearly 762 million advertising impressions and nearly 6.3 million visits to the VISITDENVER.com website, the best indicator of demand.
C. Primary Markets
Denver is the biggest city in a 600-mile radius. This huge, central/western part of the U.S. represents the largest source for potential leisure visitors who come to The Mile High City for its unique combination of urban adventure and access to outdoor recreation.
Target markets for the annual spring/summer campaign are Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Minneapolis. Test markets include Austin, Houston, Seattle, Tampa*, Orlando*, Phoenix*, Detroit*, San Francisco*, Milwaukee* and St. Louis* (* = new to campaigns in 2024).
Regional markets include Colorado (outside of metro Denver), as well as neighboring states and cities such as Albuquerque, Cheyenne, Kansas City, Lincoln, Omaha, Salt Lake City, Wichita and others. Markets are evaluated based on a number of factors, including historic performance, website traffic, proximity, prevalence of air lift and multiple other determinants.
D. Niche Markets and Attraction Passes
The Bureau continues to market to several key niche markets, as well as offering two multiticket cultural attraction programs.
Cultural and Heritage Tourism
National research done by U.S. Travel Association shows that cultural/heritage travelers spend more money, stay longer and are more likely than the average traveler to rent a car and stay in a hotel.
This vital and critical sector of Denver’s tourism product has roared back to life. The latest Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Economic Activity Study reported $2.6 billion in total economic activity in 2022, a 14% increase over 2019.
Denver CityPASS
Denver CityPASS, which launched in May 2018, offers discounted tickets to visit three, four or five of the eight participating Denver attractions with pricing available for both children and adults. The CityPASS is sold on VISITDENVER.com, as well as other CityPASS platforms and retail locations. Although CityPASS has not included the Denver Zoo since 2022 (they opted out due to capacity restrictions), the CityPASS continued to perform quite well in 2024. Through June of 2024, 1,504 total tickets have been sold flat to 2023 and an increase of 97% relative to 2019.
CityPASS Sales
• 2023 sales through September: 2,428
• 2022 sales through September: 2,303
• 2021 sales through September: 1,221
• 2020 sales through September: 605
• 2019 sales through September: 1,386
Mile High Culture Pass
The Mile High Culture Pass, which launched in 2013, was paused in 2020 due to COVID. The Mile High Culture Pass offers admission to some of the city’s most fascinating attractions, all for the bargain price of $37 for a three-day pass for both children and adults. The Mile High Culture Pass resumed operations in April 2022, and performed well with 1,210 passes sold through September 2023, flat to 2019. YTD June 2024, 501 passes were sold.
Mile High Culture Pass Sales
• 2023 sales through September: 1,210
• 2022 sales through September: 472 (relaunched in April)
• 2021: inactive
• 2020 sales through March (inactive after March): 143
• 2019 sales through September: 1,506
The Bureau employs a full-time Cultural Tourism Programs Manager to manage all cultural tourism initiatives, including the Denver365 events calendar, programs such as Denver Arts Week, outreach to the cultural community and management of VISIT DENVER’s neighborhood content program.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+) Markets
Destinations around the globe have recognized the value of LGBTQ+ markets because of their propensity to travel. VISIT DENVER works with the LGBTQ+ community to promote the city to these markets, especially around the annual PrideFest, which returned as an in-person event in 2024 with more than 550,000 people attending over the two days. VISIT DENVER was again a sponsor of the event.
Denver’s ongoing potential in this market is based on a combination of the city’s strong LGBTQ+ community; its growing reputation for cuisine, shopping, arts, culture and entertainment; and its proximity to the Rocky Mountains. VISIT DENVER is dedicated to showcasing inclusivity in consumer marketing programs using photos and video featuring members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as a committed component of the spring/summer campaign dedicated to this market.
In 2023, VISIT DENVER contracted a writer from the community, who continues to release new content for this community.
In addition, in 2024, VISIT DENVER became a member of IGLTA, an LGBTQ+ association that provides information and resources for LGBTQ+ travelers and expand LGBTQ+ tourism globally. Through IGLTA, VISIT DENVER is amongst Marriott, Disney and American Express-- to name a few to support LGBTQ+ travel while continuing to be the welcoming city that it is.
Multicultural Markets
VISIT DENVER continues to expand its promotional reach to a variety of multicultural markets. As has been the case historically, both the Hispanic/Latin and Black segments of these multicultural markets are a priority for the Bureau. The Hispanic/Latin market offers potential for growth in leisure travelers to Denver, partially because of the large regional Latin population. For the Black market, the focus is on meetings, conventions and fraternal events, as well as driving leisure travelers to the city. Recently, the multicultural list has expanded to include those with disabilities (physical, cognitive, blind/visually impaired and deaf/hearing impaired), as well as the Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) market. In 2024, VISIT DENVER will release an Accessible Guide to provide resources for the different types of disabilities and needs of travelers.
Denver attracts these segments by showcasing the city’s diverse population, as well as its diversity in dining, shopping, outdoor recreation, cultural events, attractions and unique neighborhoods. As noted above, VISIT DENVER ran a new dedicated campaign to the Hispanic/Latin audience in 2023 and will continue to target this audience at other times of the year. Additionally, photography and video that represent members of these communities are incorporated into brand messaging and marketing to highlight the city’s rich cultural heritage. In 2024, VISIT DENVER was a sponsor and advertised Juneteenth, Black Pride Colorado, Cinco de Mayo and The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival and the Chicano Music Festival in an effort to support these communities.
This effort is critically important to VISIT DENVER’s operations because of the business opportunities these markets represent. VISIT DENVER will continue to serve as a welcoming city to these historically marginalized populations.
According to the recently released 2020 Census data, the U.S. is becoming increasingly diverse and multiracial:
The Multiracial population has changed considerably since the last census in 2010. It was measured at nine million people in 2010 and is now 33.8 million people in 2020, a 276% increase. (2020 U.S. Census)
The Hispanic or Latino population, estimated at 18.7% of the population, grew 23% since 2010. (2020 U.S. Census)
More than 12% of the population identifies as Black/African American. (2020 U.S. Census)
There are estimates that there are 80 million U.S. consumers who qualify as disabled due to one or more conditions, including those with ambulatory, cognitive, hearing or vision impairments. (Exploryst)
Hispanics have $1.5 trillion in buying power with $73 billion spent on travel. (Nielsen)
The Hispanic population is projected to grow by 82%, compared to only 9% for the nonHispanic population. Latin consumers are also the youngest minority group, with a median age of 28 years old. (Nielsen, Diverse Intelligence Series)
Colorado is one of the top 10 states where Latin consumers are spending their money, totaling $31 billion. (Nielsen, Diverse Intelligence Series)
The buying power of the Black population continues to grow, reaching $1.3 trillion in 2018, up significantly from 1990 when it reached $320 billion. (Nielsen, Diverse Intelligence Series)
The disabled market is estimated to represent $1.2 trillion in buying power. (Exploryst)
VISIT DENVER maintains a collection of resources devoted to these markets, with much more planned for 2023 and beyond. This includes:
• An ongoing contract with Essencialize, a local Hispanic/Latin marketing firm, to assist in reaching Hispanic media outlets and Spanish-speaking consumers in target markets.
• National and regional Spanish-language consumer advertising designed to reach Hispanic/Latin audiences as part of spring/summer, fall and Mile High Holidays campaigns.
• Expanding diverse content on the VISITDENVER.com website as well as across the Bureau’s social media channels in what is referred to as an “always on” fashion.
E. Competitive Overview
Many destinations worldwide are investing in marketing efforts and technology, which make it easier for destinations of all sizes to compete for a piece of the travel and tourism pie. Denver has remained competitive in these efforts by positioning the city as an urban destination combined with outdoor activities, but still has a myriad of competitors, from national and international cities to cruises, theme parks, outdoor adventure tour operators and beach vacations.
Denver must showcase its safe, exciting, unique and compelling offerings to reserve a spot on the “short list” with potential visitors. While high-profile events and conventions have broadened awareness of The Mile High City, consistent marketing and delivering on the promise of a “must-experience” combination of urban destination with outdoor activities is crucial to continued success. Photography, videos and other creative messaging help tell the story of how the spirit of the Rocky Mountains inspires both visitors and locals to explore the city.
In 2024 and beyond, the competitive edge will go to the destination that not only maintains its brand, but can also deliver on the promise of safety, cleanliness and confidence. Furthermore, the impact of climate change, including extreme heat events and wildfires, became much more important as many U.S. destinations experienced one or both events in 2023. Denver’s generally mild climate, and the lack of significant fire events in 2023, continues to help the city’s reputation.
Factors contributing to a positive visitor perception in Denver and Colorado, especially compared to several traditionally competitive cities, include:
Strong brand as an outdoor recreation destination, paired with “best of both worlds” messaging.
Reputation for exciting dining, nightlife and cultural scenes in a city with diverse, vibrant neighborhoods.
Reputation for being easy to get to, paired with reinforcement of the strength of Denver International Airport and with the appeal of western road trips.
City destinations viewed as competitors for Denver within the Rocky Mountain region and the Western U.S. include:
Seattle and Portland: Seattle's location on the West Coast is attractive; it boasts a vibrant downtown complete with renowned attractions, as well as a reputation for technology and innovation; and the city also offers easy access to many scenic outdoor attractions. Portland (in many ways similar to Denver) has a hip, young atmosphere; a walkable downtown; a bike-friendly reputation; and a strong culinary and craft beer scene. Denver's proximity to the Rocky Mountains is a plus, but Portland also promotes easy access to Oregon's wine country and the scenic Oregon Coast. Both cities' reputation suffered as they became early hotspots for COVID cases. Portland remains in the news as its downtown area continues to be plagued with crime and safety issues and a very visible homeless population.
Phoenix/Scottsdale: The Phoenix/Scottsdale area has many five-star resorts and the cities are significantly closer to the major attraction of the Grand Canyon. The two cities have established themselves as sunny destinations for golf and luxury resorts/spas. This is definitely a seasonal competitor during colder months, but extreme heat essentially takes this city off the table for summer travel.
Salt Lake City: Salt Lake City has a positive image as a ski destination and is somewhat closer to the mountain resorts than Denver. While it may not have as strong a reputation for urban experiences, it is well known for outdoor activities in the summer as well as winter; and it has made infrastructure investments, from shopping complexes to highways and a
new airport that opened in September 2020 to support tourism.
San Diego: San Diego is a well-branded West Coast city with must-see urban and outdoor attractions that appeal to all ages. The city has maintained a very positive destination image that includes an “always sunny” weather perception among business and leisure travelers. In addition, San Diego also has a walkable, vibrant downtown; plenty of great restaurants; art and culture; and access to outdoor recreation and beautiful scenery.
Nashville: This Midwest destination has a strong urban brand and is similar in size to Denver. Its crossroads, mercantile roots mirror Denver’s, and it also left behind a historic downtown that has been revitalized in recent years. Nashville’s superior entertainment and music brand makes this city a draw for younger visitors, especially those on special occasion trips like bachelorette parties and guys getaways.
Austin: The Texas capital continues to provide a world-class visitor experience, attracting people to the state who are drawn by its combination of live music, outdoor experiences (especially on its central river features) and food, particularly barbecue.
F. Local and Regional Tourism Marketing Initiatives
Denver Restaurant Week
In its 20th year of promoting The Mile High City’s dining scene, Denver Restaurant Week 2024 continued the established 10-day long format, spanning two full weekends from March 1-10. 263 local restaurants participated, up 16% from the prior year. According to post-event research:
Meals served: 114,650
Revenue generated: $10.5 million in spending at participating restaurants, delivering a much-needed economic boost to struggling restaurants
In 2024, VISIT DENVER moved from a three-tiered pricing structure to a four-tiered pricing structure offering diners a full, multi-course dinner for either $25, $35, $45 or $55. This structure provided an opportunity for more restaurants to participate, considering food cost increases.
Denver Restaurant Week is supported by a multimedia advertising campaign that includes television, digital ads and billboards, as well as a full complement of public relations, social media and search engine marketing support. The website received more than 2.6 million pageviews, up 13% from the prior year; while the PR team garnered more than $12.9 million in AVE (Advertising Value Equivalency).
Lastly, VISIT DENVER’s title sponsor was Superior Farms, who added a Grill Pack Giveaway. Denver Restaurant Week 2025 will take place from March 7-16 next year. Program timing is based on data from other key events and large conventions happening in the city.
Denver Arts Week
Initiated by the Bureau in 2007, Denver Arts Week is a celebration of all arts and culture genres in Denver. The primary goals of this local and regional marketing initiative are to generate
awareness of Denver’s thriving and diverse arts and cultural activities with residents and visitors, and to help build new audiences for Denver’s arts and cultural organizations.
As in 2023, Denver Arts Week will have a full program in 2024, taking place Nov. 1-10, including signature programs like expanded First Friday Art Walks and Free Night at the Museums. Deals and events, in-person, are being solicited from the cultural community in metro Denver and promoted on DenverArtsWeek.com through a dedicated local marketing campaign, as well as through VISIT DENVER’s social channels.
Denver Beer Week
Denver Beer Week was created to position Denver as America’s craft beer capital. It is usually staged around the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the largest beer competition in the world, and includes a metro-wide campaign promoting all the beer-related events that happen around GABF. In 2023, Denver Beer Week took place from Sept. 15th - 23rd. As part of Denver Beer Week, the popular Denver Beer Trail digital edition will be updated, featuring VISIT DENVER’s nearly 40 craft brewery partners. In 2024, VISIT DENVER is discontinuing the Denver Beer Week program as it no longer supports the Great American Beer Festival and will reimagine a program that aligns with current consumer preferences. The Denver Beer Trail will continue to exist and will be updated annually.
Neighborhoods Initiative
Because travelers are seeking authentic experiences, marketing the “hidden gems” found in Denver’s neighborhoods is a great way to showcase the city’s uniqueness. Many of Denver’s cultural treasures including galleries, theaters, museums, independent shops and chef-owned restaurants are located throughout the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
Neighborhood content remains an important component on VISITDENVER.com. Updates to existing videos and dedicated landing pages that overview Denver neighborhoods continue annually to help enhance content.
In 2023, VISIT DENVER worked on making the Neighborhood Guide on the website more user friendly as well as mobile friendly. The written content has been updated to make it easier for visitors to understand the makeup of the neighborhoods and an interactive map was completed in Q4, where visitors are able to click on each neighborhood and see the key aspects of each neighborhood. Videos continue to be updated as needed.
In 2024, VISIT DENVER is creating social content to highlight each neighborhood.
DOMESTIC GROUP AND TRAVEL TRADE LEISURE MARKET
A. National Trends
The American Bus Association (ABA) includes approximately 1,000 motorcoach and tour companies in the United States and Canada. According to the ABA Foundation Research, the motorcoach industry lost 82.6% of its business in 2020, and another 62% in 2021. So far, 46
motorcoach companies have closed since the beginning of the pandemic, with more expected to close. It is estimated that approximately 5,486 equivalent motorcoaches visited Denver County in 2022 (latest report).
National Tour Association (NTA) consists of nearly 400 tour companies from the United States, Canada and Mexico, and over 1,900 supplier companies such as hotels, restaurants, attractions, bus companies, sight-seeing services, publications and other travel-related businesses. As of the beginning of 2022, industry passenger volumes were down 62% from pre-COVID levels, making it one of the hardest hit parts of the economy. There are still concerns about more variant waves combined with driver shortage, and a recovery continues to be challenging, with group demand down YTD May of 2024 at –0.6% compared to 2019.
In addition, 71% of tour companies reported making either small or significant changes to their business model, with 32% standing pat. Some said they will offer more programs, while others are cutting back. Other changes mentioned include the following:
Reduced capacity of bus tours, from 50 people to 36 people
Changed payment and cancellation policies
Reimagined office with an option to work remotely
Less components/meals included in tour packages
Announcing and marketing tours much closer to departure
B. Denver and Colorado Trends
Expanding on the success of the Hotelbeds Travel Trade Domestic marketing campaign in 2023, which generated 16,779 room nights, in 2024 the Hotelbeds marketing campaign generated 11,523 room nights YTD through June. The campaign runs through November and additional room nights are expected.
The Tourism Department tracks all domestic group leads and service referrals generated from specific travel trade clients, small groups, weddings and reunions. The department tracked 64 leads and referrals for the domestic wedding market as of June of 2024 compared to 141 for the same period in 2023. The downward trend is expected to continue through 2024 and beyond.
The state of Colorado is seen as a favorable destination for the group tour market with open spaces, national parks and high vaccination rates. Denver is also the gateway to national parks in the Western U.S., which are a desired destination for tour groups post-COVID.
C. Target Markets and Results
This market is comprised of tour operators, travel companies, motorcoach companies and nonprofessional group leaders. These markets have not really recovered since COVID and are much smaller in size compared to 2019.
Although largely impacted, the Tourism Department continues to service group travel planners in the following segments:
Motorcoach tours – Primarily mature adults and special-interest groups such as entertainment and social clubs.
Student tours – Primarily music and band performing groups and educational tours seeking performance venues and clinics, educational activities, hotels and restaurants.
Family and class reunions – Individual planners seeking information on hotels, restaurants and attractions suitable for groups.
Weddings – Individual planners seeking assistance with services, venues and hotels. VISITDENVER.com has automated wedding planning services.
Tracking of travel companies indicates that 14 companies offered new Denver travel packages in 2024, as of June, compared to 12 in 2023.
Rocky Mountaineer continues to be important in bringing travel groups into Denver, with the First Passage to the West service from Denver to Moab.
Leads and referrals generated within the domestic group market was 127 as of June of 2024, compared to 75 in 2023.
D. Competitive Overview
Colorado and the Western U.S. are favorable travel destinations with open spaces and national parks, putting Denver in position to be a great destination as well as a gateway city for motorcoach trips through the West. Because of Denver’s remote location in the U.S., a tour from any distance often combines air travel with a motor coach, making air access and air travel sentiment important factors in running a tour that starts or ends in Denver.
Phoenix and Salt Lake City – Both cities offer proximity and easy access to famous national parks, despite Colorado being home to four national parks of its own.
Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Fort Collins and Loveland – These destinations offer a “small town” feel, convenient (often free) motor coach parking, easy access to attractions and the perception of being safer with lower populations. The perception (or reality) of lower hotel prices than Denver also makes them attractive options for an overnight in Colorado instead of in Denver. The Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak area attractions have always been popular for motorcoach groups, and Grand Junction Wine Country has gained recognition in recent years. Fort Collins and Loveland have invested more in tourism marketing in recent years as well.
INTERNATIONAL MARKET
A. Travel Trends to the U.S.
According to the U.S. Travel Association, international visitations to the U.S. are projected to slightly surpass 2019 levels at 2% in 2024.
The strong growth of global travel is expected to provide a boost to inbound travel to the U.S. over the medium term. Strength from markets such as Canada and India will be complemented by a pick-up in recovery from many European and Latin American markets.
Overall International visits to the US are projected to fully recover by 2025 and 2026.
Key risks and challenges remain, and they have influenced the longer time frame for a full recovery (2025 or later). These include:
Excessive visa wait times
Unfavorable (i.e., strong dollar) exchange rate
Slowdown in the global economy and recession in many key inbound markets
Increasing global competitiveness
Lack of federal prioritization for inbound travel
Reduced airline capacity for direct travel to China
U.S. destination marketers look to the Brand USA marketing organization to help bolster the image of America as a premier travel destination globally. Currently, Brand USA has active representation in 15 international markets covering over 40 countries. Denver has exposure on their global consumer website VisitTheUSA.com and other digital platforms. Brand USA increased their paid media activities in 2024.
Brand USA’s marketing initiatives have helped welcome 8.7 million incremental visitors to the U.S. from FY13 to FY23, benefiting the U.S. economy with $63 billion in total economic impact.
The U.S. Travel Association advocates for policies and initiatives that will foster international travel to the U.S., including the maintenance of Brand USA funding.
Canada and Mexico are critical international markets and in 2024 are expected to represent 52% market share from international markets, which is slightly higher than in 2023. A full recovery to 2019 levels for all international inbound travel is likely in 2025 (U.S. Travel Association).
International travelers are an important travel demographic to bolster the economies of state and local communities as international guests spend more money (an average of $4,200 per visit) and stay longer (an average of 18 nights) in the United States, according to Brand USA.
International Travel Spending Forecast (Tourism Economics)
Source: Tourism Economics
Communications, Sales and Marketing Efforts
With the additional funding from the Restoring the Brand USA Act, Brand USA’s recovery campaign objectives include:
Inspiration: To saturate core markets with United Stories (Brand USA’s video storytelling campaign) destination content and demonstrate the U.S. is ready and excited to have travelers back. (KPIs: impressions, views, engagements)
Consideration and planning: Hyper-local content will allow the campaign to span from the greatest icons and national parks to off the beaten path experiences that locals would recommend. This is also a critical platform for partners to engage with the recovery campaign. (KPIs: clicks, site visits, time on site)
Conversion: Drive activation by partnering with top tour operators and booking engines to nudge consumers down a path to booking in their market. (KPIs: tour operator and OTA bookings, annual ROI study)
Online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia are a global marketing asset. Expedia and other OTAs are also striving to package more activities and attractions in destinations by increasing their international marketing efforts. Brand USA has established an international partnership with Expedia to launch consumer marketing programs in which U.S. destinations can invest. VISIT DENVER has partnered with Expedia in the past and will rely on their data to make plans for future marketing investments when and where appropriate.
International travel to the U.S. still heavily depends on relationships with international travel companies. The strongest segment for international travel to the U.S. is individual travelers (FITs), rather than traditional group travelers. Most companies that have traditionally worked with travel agents to reach consumers have now added consumer-facing websites.
Despite the increases in direct online booking options in many countries, traditional travel agents continue to be important because of their expertise, ability to obtain the best prices and because of the benefits provided by consumer protection laws around travel purchases made with traditional travel companies. Travel agent webinar training has helped update the travel trade on changes to VISIT DENVER’s offerings and continues to be an important part of the international strategy.
In 2023, VISIT DENVER was awarded a $500,000 grant ($250,000 to be used in 2023 and $250,000 to be used in 2024) from the Colorado Tourism Office, which is being used to contract direct Representative PR agencies in Mexico, Canada, U.K., Germany and France. Trade efforts are underway with these agencies as well, where they are helping identify travel trade training opportunities. VISIT DENVER has contracted Hermann Global International on a social listening and search patterns in the U.K. and Germany, in 2024. The goal is to understand consumer perceptions of Denver; keep visitors in Denver longer, whether their trip is part of a Colorado or
US West vacation; understand motivating factors for visitors as they search for places to go and understand what turns off consumers about Denver as a destination (and what the misperceptions could exist).
B. Travel Trends to Denver and Colorado
Denver has a great combination of urban and outdoor experiences that are attractive to international travelers and can take different shapes, attracting different types of travelers at different stages in life or with different preferences. Experienced international travelers looking for a new destination with a dining and cultural scene find Denver satisfies these requirements with the added outdoor and walkable downtown. The Denver Michelin Guide has added attention to the city in major European markets, such as UK, France and Germany. International travelers look for a Colorado vacation that includes skiing or national parks visits.
Those who want the Western or “cowboy” experience think Denver is the best city to fly into when arriving in the U.S. Not only does it offer a great experience within the city, but Denver is a great place to start and finish a vacation. It is also a market considered next on the list for savvy travelers looking for a unique experience.
Tourism Economics provides estimated numbers of international visitors and nights spent in paid accommodations by international visitors to Denver and Colorado. The research does not break down leisure versus business travelers; however, it is estimated the majority is leisure travel. Its numbers are based on the analysis of several data sources: the U.S. Department of Commerce/NTTO arrival numbers, airline passenger data (OAG – Official Airline Guide), credit card spending and Smith Travel Research hotel statistics.
2024 and the Road to Recovery
International visits to Denver are expected to grow 42% (to 520,700) in 2024, as forecasted by Tourism Economics. This equates to an additional 152,900 visitor arrivals compared to 2022. International travel spending in Denver is forecasted to grow 51.36% in 2022, to $412 million, an increase of $140 million compared to 2021.
Tourism Economics is forecasting Denver to recover its international visitors to 2019 levels by 2024, and projecting growth of 113% from 2022 to 2027 in international visits, if all things remain the same (that there are no changes to COVID such as a stronger variant, or economic or geopolitical forces that make traveling not viable for key markets in Europe, for example).
In addition, Tourism Economics is forecasting international nights in paid accommodations in Denver will grow 103% from 2022 to 2026 to over 2 million room nights.
Raw data can be found here: 8-21-2024 GCT Dashboard - 2024-08-21.xlsx
Denver’s largest source markets for 2024 are Canada (with 196,000 arrivals or 35% of total international arrivals), followed by the U.K., Mexico and Germany.
2024 Denver, CO Visitor Markets by Overnight Visits
Source of data: 5-10-2024 GCT City Reports-Denver
Source of data: 5-10-2024 GCT City Reports-Denver
According to Oxford Economics, Denver is outpacing comparable North American cities in 2023 and 2025.
Source of data: 5-10-2024 GCT City Reports-Denver
Trips to Denver tend to be shorter than those to the United States as a whole, with three nights the average length of a trip in 2023, compared to 6.6 nights for the United States.
Source of data: 5-10-2024 GCT City Reports-Denver
2024 has seen the addition of several international nonstop flights, totaling 31 international nonstop flights, the most Denver International Airport has seen.
New nonstop international flights in 2024:
Viva Aerobus from Monterrey, 2 weekly flights, year-round – January 25, 2024
Aer Lingus from Dublin, Seasonal, – May 17, 2024
Turkish Airlines from Istanbul, 4 weekly flights, year-round – June 11, 2024
C. Partnerships
Partnerships are crucial to international marketing successes:
Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) – On July 1, 2021 the CTO reinstated its international representation contracts with several countries that were paused in 2020. The office now employs in-market representatives in the U.K., Germany/Switzerland/Austria, France, Australia/New Zealand, Mexico and Canada, which continued in 2024. VISIT DENVER is now contracting, through a CTO grant, the same in-market representatives in the U.K., Canada, Mexico, Germany and France, while partnering with CTO in efforts to bring visitors from Australia/New Zealand.
Rocky Mountain International (RMI) – RMI collaborates between Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Idaho and Montana to market the Great American West and pursue the U.K., Germany/Switzerland/Austria, Italy, France and Benelux markets. In July 2021, RMI resumed full representation in the Nordic countries and Australia/New Zealand. Denver is a gateway city partner represented in all markets, now competing with Minneapolis/St. Paul/ Bloomington.
Colorado Ski Country USA and Colorado Ski Industry Partners – Collaborative marketing in Europe, Asia, Australia, Mexico and South America aims to increase the length of stay in Colorado and include pre- or post-ski visits to Denver.
Brand USA – Cooperative marketing opportunities are available through the national tourism marketing effort that has fully integrated marketing campaigns and in-market representation in 15 international markets covering over 40 countries. Travel from these markets makes up 93% of inbound visitation to the United States.
Denver International Airport (DEN) – Increased collaboration with DEN helps to maintain and pursue new nonstop service to Denver and increase the number of visitors to Denver and Colorado.
D. Results
For the domestic tour companies, VISIT DENVER has tracked 57 companies with Denver Tours year-to-date through July (compared to 65 in 2023). Travel packages for Denver were also marketed internationally by 291 receptive tour operators, according to a new report purchased this year that is prepared by RMI.
Many travel companies have new staff and VISIT DENVER continued to compile new contacts in 2024. In 2024, a total of 15,471 international room nights were tracked through June, through international marketing efforts. Through June 2023, 6,023 room nights were tracked from the available sources.
E. Target Markets
The Tourism Department markets to international travel companies to encourage Denver visitation in the following ways:
Dedicated Denver hotel + flight packages to promote Denver as a destination.
Denver as a gateway to a Colorado vacation, in a fly-drive travel program (e.g., touring itineraries in a car, motorcycle or RV that include Denver and RV rentals by international visitors that require an overnight stay before picking up the vehicle.)
Denver as a gateway to the West, in a fly-drive travel program (e.g., touring itineraries in a car, motorcycle or RV that include Denver and RV rentals by international visitors that require an overnight stay before picking up the vehicle).
Group tours (motor coach, mini-bus or van tours) that include Denver.
Denver hotel listings (hotel options only, without full city package or itinerary).
Target countries for Denver are determined by air access and traveler preferences in addition to border openings, international nonstop flights and traveler sentiment. Canada and Mexico rebounded first, due to proximity and flight availability. 2024 has seen the most international nonstop flights in Denver’s history.
VISIT DENVER collaborates with Brand USA, CTO, DEN and The Great American West through marketing campaigns, to leverage the Bureau’s investment to its greatest potential.
Primary International Target Markets
Primary target markets have been picked by the following factors:
Performance in 2024
Forecasted performance in 2024 and beyond
Nonstop flights
Visa waiver status
Geopolitical environment
Brand USA, CTO and The Great American West support and priorities to maximize budget and reach
Target Markets:
1. Canada
2. United Kingdom
3. Mexico
4. Germany/Switzerland/Austria
5. France/Benelux
6. Australia/New Zealand
Secondary Markets:
1. Japan
2. Italy
3. South America
4. Nordic Countries (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland)
5. Asia Pacific
With the new nonstop flight from Turkish Airlines, additional markets such as Turkey and India are being evaluated.
F. Competitive Overview
Denver’s most obvious competitors have strong non-stop international air service, wellestablished brands and access to famous attractions including national parks. Denver acts as the premier gateway to this region. Potential competitors in the West and Midwest, include Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle.
Phoenix and Las Vegas – Phoenix is known for its upscale golf resorts and is a gateway to the Grand Canyon, while Las Vegas is a “must-see” destination for entertainment, gambling and shopping. Both of these cities have strong nonstop international air service and can be used to access many of the national parks in the West without including Denver.
Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City has good international air access, including nonstop to and from London, Paris and Amsterdam, and is a strong Delta Airlines hub. Utah has retained consistent
tourism funding even in the midst of the COVID crisis while other states cut budgets, which allows them to more aggressively pursue international markets.
Los Angeles and San Francisco – Both cities have California’s positive destination appeal and many international nonstop flight options. International travelers have traditionally used the large cities on the West or East Coast as gateways to the U.S. These cities offer access to beautiful coastal scenery, golf, national parks and famous attractions, including Universal and Disney theme parks.
Seattle and Portland – Increased international air service, expanded marketing budgets and nonstop flights to and from Asia, Nordic countries and Europe make Seattle and Portland strong competitors for those travelers wanting to see the Western U.S. In addition, both are strong U.S. gateways for Icelandair.
Chicago – Chicago remains a very strong international gateway for the U.S. Although Choose Chicago (the Chicago Convention and Visitors Bureau) has experienced ups and downs in funding. They are slated to host IPW again in 2025.
Tourism: Public Relations Trends
As travelers become more discerning in their planning, they continue to look to trusted media sources to be inspired, to find travel experiences and to understand how they can get good value for their travel budgets. Denver remains a popular destination for travelers in a continually more competitive travel space and the media coverage reflects that. As leisure travel surged back in the 2022-2024 timeframe, journalists have also returned to the road and taken to the skies again in droves, and they are producing global stories to inspire travel and support the industry like never before. Year-to-date in 2024, the Communications Department has generated more than $86 million of positive print, broadcast and online earned media coverage featuring Denver as a top travel destination. As priorities, news cycles, the media landscape, the economy and traveler habits change, travel journalism continues to evolve to fit demands and the Communications Department’s success depends on being attuned to these trends.
Even as widespread travel coverage has resumed, major long-standing travel publications and travel sections across the globe continue to struggle, and the ongoing shift toward digital news and social media outlets continues, further suffocating advertising revenue for traditional operations. Some travel sections that previously focused on international bucket list trips have shifted their focus to be more regional or even profiling neighborhoods within their city; others run more syndicated columns creating even less space for tailored placements.
In-person media marketplaces have returned and are producing record attendance numbers; however, individual media deskside meetings have transitioned to meetings at a journalists’ closest coffee shop as work from home or the nomadic lifestyle continues to be popular for travel media. With more flights being added and more competition for travel dollars and column inches, it’s even more important for public relations professionals to have individual time with media and to show the media they are a priority by simply showing up in person be it for a FAM, international marketplace or pitch meeting.
Despite this evolution, the public relations trends below remain relevant and offer a snapshot of a rapidly evolving industry. As budgets shrink and journalists are expected to produce more stories on a widening scope of beats, relationships and trust between public relations professionals and journalists are increasingly important. The Communications Department develops these relationships and closely monitors these trends to provide timely, tailored and imaginative pitches to heighten Denver’s profile as a destination.
Travel Media Trends
Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a hot (and controversial) topic throughout the media and journalism industry, its use in public relations and travel journalism remains highly ambiguous and suffers from too many credibility and ethics implications to truly forecast its long-term relevance within the industry.
Major search engines have changed the way they employ AI, serving up pull quotes instead of complete articles. Experts anticipate this will cause website viewership to plummet;
thereby, impacting advertising revenue, budget and ultimately, the journalists employed to tell a story.
With shrinking advertising revenue media outlets are looking for new ways to produce revenue including increased advertorials, native advertising and whole departments focused solely on affiliate editorial.
With the ongoing proliferation of digital news, most consumers prefer to get their news online, including travel stories and even most journalists find it online.
The quantity of dedicated travel editors in major daily news publications continues to decrease, making destination features even more difficult to place. Many have converted to freelance writers, furthering the clutter among journalists competing to place stories, while also offering opportunities to organizations like VISIT DENVER to pitch more outlets with a single visit.
The prevalence of freelance and self-employed travel writers continues to increase, comprising nearly 57% of journalists in the industry today. Freelancers face more competition than they ever have to place travel stories in publications offering less real estate for travel topics. Public relations professionals need a relationship to trust that media on a familiarization trip (FAM) will produce, since many freelancers do not attend a trip with an assignment letter, like was expected previously, but start to sell their story during and after the FAM experience. Optimistically, this means a single FAM can result in several secured placements across both outlets and angles.
Journalists and their audiences are looking for unique, and sometimes niche, experiences and are opting for individual FAMs versus group FAMs to fit their editorial needs. The Communications Department has focused on meeting journalists where they are in creating FAMs that will result in unique stories highlighting Denver’s pillars. Time and again it is proven that the best stories come from those who experience the place firsthand.
Freelancers have the added burden of selling a story to an editor, meaning the Communications Department has to pitch the journalist and also at times be a resource for the freelancer to pitch editors. This process means it also often takes longer after a FAM for a story to run.
Due to diminishing resources in the print news industry, freelance travel writers no longer receive the resources or the compensation they did in the past, and editors often expect them to play the role of photographer for their stories as well.
As bloggers and influencers have gained more traction in recent years, reputable ones are scarce. As with most online coverage, blogger and influencer placements are difficult to monetize and still do not warrant priority over placements that can achieve a tangible value. Social media has started to blur the lines with many journalists supplementing their income as influencers and vice versa with influencers trying their hand in journalism. Journalists have also started to go to social media for story ideas as their readers also follow them on social contributing to social platforms becoming a leading resource for trip planning.
Online photo galleries and listicles remain popular and are especially beneficial in driving traffic, increasing website page views and helping destinations to collect superlatives.
Images are vitally important to all mediums; high quality, easily accessible photography and videography have become as important as the story itself. Press releases accompanied by
photos have a higher probability of earning placement and stories with photos get more reader clicks.
The prevalence of video in travel media across all digital, social and print mediums continues to grow and stretch traditional standards of reporting. Even many longstanding print publications have embraced the use of video on their websites to complement or replace standard text news placements.
Editorial coverage continues to shrink in proportion with the decreasing attention span of readers who are now accustomed to short, concise stories on the web and through social media channels.
A growing number of online resources are now available at the fingertips of today’s prospective traveler, decreasing the reliance on media outlets for travel inspiration. From travel apps on smartphones to Facebook and Instagram pages to user-generated review sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp, few segments of travel have been changed by the internet more than travel public relations
The monetary value of online travel editorial generated by PR is still difficult to gauge; however, advertising value equivalency (AVE) and impressions remain the industry standard for measuring results. Although strides have been made with tracking vendors, there is currently no other widely accepted industry standard for monetizing online editorial placements. The number of vendors is shrinking, with Burrells closing shop after 136 years tracking print media, creating more standardization in reported numbers.
Online travel writers still garner information from media sections within official destination websites. They expect easily navigable, responsive websites that offer access to photos and provide itinerary planning/mapping tools.
International Media Trends
In another sign of travel optimism, global tourism is on the move again in a big way, and VISIT DENVER’s international focuses are Canada, Mexico, the U.K., German-speaking Europe and France, which serve as primary sources of international travel offering nonstop flights to Denver International Airport (DEN). VISIT DENVER also works closely with the CTO to support media from countries outside of these five markets.
Although international media trends remain subject to long-term, unforeseen changes based on the geo-political climate, global economics and gas prices, the trends below remain relevant and offer a valid snapshot of the industry.
International media face the same challenges from the internet as American print and broadcast media, and they are reacting in the same manner – shorter stories, less space and fewer articles.
Due to the rise of international nonstop flights to DEN and increased interest in Denver as a destination, the Communications Department spends more time creating thoughtful itineraries for and hosting international journalists including from Denver’s newest routes from Dublin and Istanbul.
European consumers remain interested in the American West and the entire Rocky Mountain region with the variety of recreation opportunities and attractions available. Denver generally offers the primary “big city” option on press trips that feature food, culture, sports, shopping and nightlife verticals to create new coverage opportunities. Denver benefits from its western heritage; international journalists especially associate Denver with the global trend that their audience is seeking.
The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) maintains contracts with trade and public relations representation firms in major markets including the U.K., Germany/Switzerland/Austria, Canada, Mexico, France and Australia/New Zealand. With the same in-market representatives in place as Denver, CTO staff regularly pursues press tours to Colorado from these countries with a stop in Denver. Leads for media coverage and press trips are also generated via other alliances, such as Rocky Mountain International (RMI). Each of these media visits requires significant staff time in planning and implementation.
The best methods for developing international media coverage include hosting educational press trips for journalists; efficiently responding to media requests; collaborating with Brand USA media FAM efforts; and participating in international media promotions or travel trade shows such as IPW, TravMedia IMM marketplaces in London, Berlin and Paris and Brand USA’s Pan-European Media Forum, where contact can be made with a large number of journalists in one location.
Measurement Trends
With the growing prevalence of online and social content and the difficulty in monetizing its value, many companies are attempting to create and market new qualitative methods to measure media placements, but currently none are widely accepted in the PR industry.
With less real estate to work with and the dilution of eyeballs thanks to changing search habits, articles on average generate a lower AVE. As a result, it takes many more placements to generate the same ad equivalency as in the past. Nonetheless, monetizing results through AVE remains a standard “best practice” in most major convention bureaus and across the global PR industry.
Tourism: Digital Trends
In 2025, digital marketing will be defined by the convergence of advanced technologies and personalized strategies. As platforms evolve to prioritize user retention, brands must adapt by creating immersive, platform-native content that fosters genuine connections. AI-driven content creation, the rise of short-form videos and the strategic use of SMS will be key in capturing audience attention. Meanwhile, the shift toward zero- and first-party data and AI-powered search tools will reshape how brands interact with consumers, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and data-driven personalization in an increasingly complex digital environment.
The Evolving Focus from Traditional Marketing Attribution to Cross-Channel Measurement
In the realm of digital marketing, there's a significant shift from traditional marketing attribution models to comprehensive cross-channel measurement approaches. This evolution is driven by several trends and challenges:
Complex Customer Journeys: Modern consumers interact with brands across multiple channels and devices, making their journeys more intricate. Traditional attribution models often oversimplify these paths, missing crucial interactions. A holistic measurement approach is now essential to accurately evaluate marketing performance across all touchpoints.
Privacy and Tracking Challenges: With growing privacy concerns and the phasing out of many third-party cookies, accurately attributing conversions has become challenging. Marketers are adopting machine learning and AI-based solutions that identify correlations between ad spend, clicks and sales without relying heavily on cookies.
Integration of Measurement and Attribution: Measurement involves collecting and analyzing data to assess marketing efforts, while attribution assigns credit to specific touchpoints. Integrating these processes provides a more comprehensive understanding of campaign impacts.
Emerging Technologies: The rise of predictive analytics and real-time data analysis empowers marketers to make informed decisions swiftly, adapting to changing consumer behaviors.
Emphasis on Data Quality and Insights: There's an intensified focus on obtaining highquality data. Accurate insights help businesses optimize marketing spend, understand customer behavior and enhance the overall customer experience.
This transition reflects the need to adapt to an ever-evolving digital landscape, ensuring that marketing strategies are both effective and aligned with consumer behaviors.
AI’s Transformative Role in Content Creation: Personalization, Automation and Enhanced Creativity
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing content creation across industries, enhancing the ability to attract and engage audiences. Key impacts include:
Assisted Content Creation: AI-powered tools can assist in generating a diverse range of content, from blog posts and social media updates to promotional videos. Leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, these tools produce content tailored to specific audiences, ensuring a dynamic and consistent presence across platforms, made even more impactful with human-based edits.
Enhanced Creativity and Storytelling: AI augments creative processes by analyzing data to identify emerging trends and preferences. This enables brands to craft compelling narratives and visual content that resonate with their target audiences. AI can also suggest innovative content angles, such as focusing on niche markets or emerging topics.
Personalized Experiences: Personalization is crucial in modern marketing. AI analyzes past interactions to recommend tailored content, highlight relevant events or products and suggest experiences that align with individual preferences.
Predictive Analytics for Targeted Marketing: AI's predictive capabilities help understand and anticipate consumer behavior. By analyzing historical data, brands can identify which content types are most likely to engage specific audience segments, leading to more effective marketing campaigns.
Interactive and Immersive Content: AI facilitates the creation of interactive experiences like virtual tours, chatbots and augmented reality (AR) features. Such technologies allow audiences to engage with brands in immersive ways, fostering deeper connections.
AI empowers brands to develop efficient, personalized and engaging marketing strategies, enhancing their connection with audiences and driving better results.
It’s worth noting that California is in the process of establishing standards for AI provenance, authenticity and watermarking, requiring digital content to have clear indications of AI involvement. Brands must be aware of such legislation as it impacts how they deploy AI tools, ensuring compliance and transparency. Staying informed about state and federal laws is crucial for managing legal risks and maintaining consumer trust in AI-generated content.
Leveraging SMS for Direct, Personalized Engagement
Short Messaging Services (SMS or text) marketing is emerging as a pivotal tool across industries, offering direct, personalized and timely communication with consumers who have opted in. Its effectiveness is underscored by several factors:
Real-Time Engagement: SMS enables instant communication, making it ideal for sharing time-sensitive information such as flash deals, event reminders or urgent updates. This immediacy captures consumers' attention at critical moments.
Personalization and Segmentation: AI-powered SMS platforms allow brands to send highly personalized messages based on user data. For instance, a consumer interested in fitness
might receive alerts about upcoming wellness events or product launches. Such personalization enhances engagement and relevance.
Geo-Targeted Campaigns: Utilizing geolocation technology, brands can send SMS messages based on consumers' current locations. For example, a shopper near a retail outlet might receive a text about in-store promotions, driving foot traffic.
High Open and Response Rates: SMS boasts significantly higher open and response rates compared to channels like email. Well-crafted SMS campaigns can deliver a high return on investment by effectively engaging the audience.
Omnichannel Strategy Integration: SMS is increasingly integrated into broader marketing strategies, complementing email, social media and other channels. For example, an SMS might include a link to a new product video or a limited-time offer, creating a seamless consumer journey.
By leveraging these aspects, brands can enhance their engagement strategies, fostering stronger connections with their audiences.
Brands must also guard against overwhelming consumers with an overload of messages. Since SMS is a very personal communications vehicle, people can be easily frustrated by brands that send too many or not relevant content.
Maximizing Engagement Through Video Content
By 2025, video marketing is anticipated to be central to engaging audiences and enhancing brand appeal. Key trends include:
Short-Form Video Content: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels offer opportunities to capture attention quickly. Short videos are especially effective for reaching younger demographics and showcasing products or stories dynamically.
Interactive and Shoppable Videos: Brands can create videos that allow viewers to interact or shop directly within the content. This interactivity boosts engagement and streamlines the path to purchase.
Live Streaming for Real-Time Engagement: Live streams enable brands to engage audiences in real-time, offering product demonstrations, Q&A sessions or behind-the-scenes glimpses that foster authenticity.
Personalized Video Content: Leveraging data-driven insights, brands can tailor video content to resonate with specific audience segments, enhancing relevance and engagement.
Vertical Video Optimization: With the prevalence of mobile viewing, optimizing videos for vertical formats ensures a better user experience and maximizes screen real estate.
Long-Form Storytelling: While short-form content is popular, longer videos that delve deeper into stories or topics can build brand narratives and deepen emotional connections with audiences.
Embracing these video trends allows brands to craft compelling content strategies that captivate and inspire their audiences.
Elevating Personalized Marketing Through Zero- and First-party Data
As third-party cookies wane due to privacy concerns and regulatory changes, DMOs must adapt by embracing zero- and first-party data strategies. Zero-party data refers to information that customers intentionally share with a brand, such as personal preferences, interests and feedback. In contrast, first-party data is collected by businesses through their channels based on customer interactions and behaviors. While first-party data is reliable and owned by the organization, it often requires analysis to derive insights and may not always involve explicit customer consent. Zero-party data presents fewer privacy concerns and offers more precise insights, directly reflecting the customer's intentions and preferences. This approach offers several advantages:
Privacy Compliance: Zero-party data collection aligns with privacy regulations, as it involves explicit consumer consent. This transparency fosters trust and mitigates privacy concerns.
Enhanced Personalization: With direct insights into consumer preferences and interests, brands can tailor marketing campaigns more precisely, improving relevance and engagement.
Building Trust and Engagement: By transparently collecting data and offering value in return, like personalized recommendations or exclusive offers, brands can strengthen relationships with consumers.
To collect zero-party data effectively, brands can employ strategies such as:
Surveys and Quizzes: Engaging consumers with interactive questionnaires that reveal their preferences.
Incentivized Feedback: Offering rewards or exclusive content in exchange for information.
Enhanced Registration Forms: Including optional fields during account creation that allow consumers to share more about themselves.
Social Media Polls: Utilizing platform features to gather opinions or preferences.
These methods not only gather valuable data but also enhance the overall consumer experience by fostering interaction and personalization.
Navigating the Impact of AI LLM Platforms and Zero-Click Search Results on Brand Strategies
The emergence of AI Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and the rise of zero-click search results i.e. results generated on-page without needing subsequent links are reshaping digital marketing landscapes. Brands must adapt to these changes in several ways:
Transformation of Search and Content Strategies: AI-driven platforms provide direct answers to user queries, reducing the need for users to visit external websites (aka zero-
click results). Brands should optimize their content to be included in AI-generated responses, ensuring visibility.
Monetization and Advertising Challenges: Traditional paid search and advertising models may become less effective as AI platforms answer queries directly. Brands might need to explore innovative advertising methods, such as in-context ads within AI-generated content.
Opportunities and Adaptation: AI platforms that cite sources can still drive traffic to brand websites. Producing authoritative, high-quality content increases the likelihood of being referenced, maintaining brand visibility.
Legal, Ethical and Privacy Considerations: The use of AI introduces concerns around content licensing, data privacy and ethical usage. Brands must navigate these carefully, potentially revisiting data management and content creation strategies.
Overall, the integration of AI in search and content consumption necessitates a strategic overhaul, emphasizing content optimization, innovative monetization and ethical considerations.
Adapting Content Strategies to Platform Algorithms Prioritizing User Retention Over Traffic
Platform algorithms are increasingly designed to keep users engaged within the platform rather than directing them to external sites. This shift impacts content marketing strategies as follows:
In-Platform Content Consumption: Social media platforms favor content that encourages interaction and longer viewing times. Brands must create engaging, native content like videos, carousels and stories that resonate within the platform's ecosystem.
Decline of Organic Reach for External Links: Algorithms often deprioritize posts with external links, reducing organic reach. Brands should focus on delivering value directly within the platform to maintain visibility.
Platform-Specific Content Creation: Tailoring content to suit the unique features and audience preferences of each platform is crucial. For instance:
• Instagram: Utilize Reels and Stories for visually appealing, quick content.
• TikTok: Create short, trendy videos aligned with current challenges.
• LinkedIn: Share professional insights and articles that encourage discussion.
Community Building: Fostering communities through interactive content like polls, Q&A sessions and live events enhances user retention and engagement.
Emphasis on Video Content: Short-form videos are particularly favored, offering a dynamic way to convey messages and engage audiences.
Direct Interaction and Conversational Marketing: Features like direct messages and live broadcasts facilitate real-time, personalized interactions, deepening consumer relationships.
Integrated Shopping and In-App Purchases: With e-commerce features becoming integral to platforms, creating shoppable content allows users to discover and purchase without
leaving the app.
Shift in Success Metrics: Engagement metrics such as views, shares and time spent on content are becoming more indicative of success than traditional traffic measures.
Adapting to these algorithmic changes requires a strategic focus on creating immersive, platform-native content and fostering ongoing engagement within social media environments.
The Power of Storytelling in Content Marketing: Crafting Compelling Narratives to Drive Engagement
Storytelling remains a foundational element in effective content marketing, with evolving approaches shaped by digital advancements and consumer expectations. Key aspects include:
Authenticity and Emotional Connection: Consumers value genuine narratives. Sharing real stories, behind-the-scenes content and customer experiences that foster trust and loyalty.
Multi-Channel Storytelling: Narratives that unfold across various platforms social media, websites, emails and immersive technologies ensure cohesive messaging and reach diverse audiences.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Encouraging consumers to contribute to the brand's story enhances authenticity and leverages social proof, making narratives more relatable.
Interactive Storytelling: Incorporating interactive elements like polls, quizzes and chooseyour-own-adventure formats engages audiences actively, making the experience memorable.
Data-Driven Personalization: Tailoring stories based on individual preferences and behaviors increases relevance and impact, fostering deeper connections.
Visual Storytelling Through Short-Form Video: Utilizing platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels to convey stories quickly captures attention and caters to modern consumption habits.
Storytelling for Social Impact: Narratives highlighting social causes, sustainability or community initiatives resonate with value-driven consumers.
Long-Form Content for In-Depth Engagement: Formats like documentaries, podcasts and blog series allow brands to explore topics deeply, building authority and a dedicated audience.
Leveraging AI and Emerging Technologies: AI-generated narratives and immersive experiences through AR/VR offer innovative storytelling avenues.
Community-Driven Narratives: Involving audiences in the storytelling process fosters a sense of belonging and turns consumers into brand advocates.
By mastering these storytelling facets, brands can create meaningful connections, drive engagement and stand out in a competitive market.
Social Media Trends Overview
To effectively grasp the trends of 2025, it's essential to first analyze and comprehend the dynamics shaping the landscape in 2024.
In 2024, it's estimated that there will be 5.17 billion social media users worldwide, with each person using an average of 6.7 different social networks per month. Social media advertising spend is projected to hit $219.8 billion, accounting for 28.8% of all digital advertising spend. Although the average time spent on social media has slightly declined to 143 minutes per day, the decrease in organic reach makes paid social media advertising essential for reaching target audiences. This steady growth in paid social advertising highlights the importance for brands to allocate larger budgets to stay competitive. Despite the slow growth in organic social, the vast number of users emphasizes the immense opportunity for marketers. Social media is clearly here to stay and will remain a pivotal platform for digital marketing strategies (Sprout Social, 2024).
Since social media users typically engage with over six platforms per month, the importance of a multi-platform strategy for effective social media marketing cannot be overstated. The leading platforms include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube, each offering unique opportunities to reach and engage diverse audiences (Forbes, 2024).
By 2025, the global social media user base is projected to reach 5.85 billion, a substantial increase from 2024. However, a notable trend is emerging: approximately half of consumers are expected to either stop or significantly limit their interactions with social media platforms. This shift suggests a growing awareness of digital well-being and a desire for more meaningful online experiences.
In conclusion, the social media landscape of 2025 will be characterized by more personalized, immersive and AI-driven experiences. Marketers will need to adapt to changing user behaviors, prioritize authentic connections and leverage emerging technologies to stay relevant in this evolving digital ecosystem.
Top Social Media Platforms Shaping the Digital Landscape
Facebook is the most utilized platform by marketers worldwide, with 89% of marketers participating, and the largest online social network, with approximately 3.05 billion monthly active users. Its immense reach makes it a favorite among marketers, offering unparalleled opportunities to connect with a vast audience (Sprout Social, 2024).
Instagram boasts 2 billion monthly active users, with 61.1% of its global user base aged 18-34 and predominantly male. Reels continue to have the highest reach rate on the platform, averaging 30.8% double that of other content formats (Sprout Social, 2024).
TikTok is projected to surpass 2 billion users in 2024, making it the most frequently used app globally. The largest share of TikTok's advertising audience, 36.7%, is aged 18-24 (Sprout Social,
2024). Additionally, TikTok has recently overtaken Google as the go-to search engine for Gen Z.
LinkedIn has become essential for professional networking, career advancement and industry insights. As the top channel for B2B content distribution, 40% of its monthly active users visit LinkedIn daily (LinkedIn, 2024). The platform boasts over 1 billion members across 200 countries and hosts over 67 million company profiles (Sprout Social, 2024).
Pinterest has 482 million monthly users and is the third-most visited social media platform in the US. With 76.2% of its global users identifying as female, it's a powerhouse for trendsetting and shopping inspiration. Impressively, Pinterest's annual trend predictions boast an 80% success rate, and 85% of weekly users have made a purchase based on Pinterest pins (Sprout Social, 2024).
YouTube is the most popular social media platform in the U.S., with 2.68 billion active users and 80 million YouTube Premium subscribers. Over half of all internet users visit YouTube at least once a month (Forbes, 2024) and nearly 90% come from mobile devices. YouTube Shorts is one of the platform's fastest-growing features, racking up 50 billion daily views (Hootsuite, 2024).
The Rise of Short-Form Video on Social Media
Short-form videos on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube remain among the most effective and popular formats for engaging content. These videos deliver quick, concise information about products or services, making it easy for consumers to stay informed and entertained on the go.
Short-form videos are a powerhouse for modern marketing. With 73% of consumers preferring this format for discovering products or services and a staggering 2.5 times more engagement than long-form videos, it's no wonder 85% of marketers see them as the most effective social media format. Brands are leveraging influencers to create relatable content,and 26% of marketers plan to boost their investment in short-form videos in 2024 making it the top investment in any content format. As consumer demand for video content soars, short-form videos lead the charge (Yaguara, 2024).
In 2025, short-form videos will continue to lead the digital landscape, offering even more authentic ways for brands to connect with their audiences. As technology advances and user preferences evolve, marketers must stay agile and embrace these trends to maximize their impact in the ever-changing world of digital content.
Influencer Marketing: The Power of Authentic Connections
Influencer marketing is set to reach a staggering $24 billion by the end of 2024, reflecting its robust and ongoing growth. With 69% of consumers trusting influencer recommendations, these figures underscore the significant impact influencers have on their audiences when it comes to impacting purchase consideration for everything from wellness products to travel. Notably, micro-influencers, who make up 47.3% of the total, are proving just as effective as their
more prominent counterparts thanks to their highly engaged and loyal communities. The data shows that influencer marketing remains a powerful and efficient brand strategy. Brands don’t need a massive budget to benefit from influencer partnerships what matters most is crafting a campaign that resonates and selecting the right influencer for the particular brand (The Social Sheperd, 2024).
In 2025, influencer marketing will be characterized by a strong emphasis on authenticity, engagement and measurable results. Brands that adapt to these trends leveraging AI, embracing diverse influencer types and focusing on creating genuine connections, will be wellpositioned to maximize the impact of their influencer marketing strategies.
Tourism: 2025 Goals and Objectives
Goals and Measurements Overview
The Tourism and Marketing Departments track specific leisure tourism and marketing efforts to determine the results achieved. For 2025, both departments have conducted extensive analyses of their respective goals to ensure targets are appropriately set, which is particularly important as VISIT DENVER heads into the second year of the new contract with the City.
The Marketing Department is responsible for the execution of strategies and tactics for the domestic leisure visitor market and conducts and monitors all advertising, promotional activities and consumer touchpoints for all markets. The Tourism Department is charged with the sales, service and tracking efforts for the international leisure group and domestic group and travel agent leisure markets.
For marketing, the metrics include tourism advertising impressions and engagements, visitor touchpoints, both traditional and interactive, as well as advertising value equivalency (AVE) generated by the public relations team.
For tourism, the main metric has historically been voluntary room night reporting from travel companies, travel planners or Denver hotels. In 2024, tourism complemented reported room nights with impressions and room nights from cooperative marketing plans with Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and airlines. Maintaining the number of travel companies selling Denver is also crucial to growing tourism, as is the generation of leads and referrals to VISIT DENVER partners for all leisure markets.
The 2025 goals outlined below have been developed with the best available data as of August 2024. Goals may be different in the final report as new information becomes available over the next few months and as the current international, national and local industry environment changes.
Room Nights: Domestic
Based on a cost-benefit analysis of the number of room nights produced in the domestic leisure group markets, which includes weddings, reunions and motor coach tour groups, the Bureau allocates limited staff resources toward these efforts and has automated wedding leads and service requests on VISITDENVER.com. The number of room nights are currently tracked through TourTrackerPro® research, by contacting tour operators and sometimes requesting from hotels. A total of 1,598 room nights were requested in wedding leads (YTD July of 2024) and, using a conservative estimate of 50% conversion, 799 room nights were consumed in 2024.
In the travel trade market, the TourTrackerPro® research was purchased in Q2 of 2024 to also allow VISIT DENVER to track the number of room nights from domestic operators. For 2024, 52 companies with groups planned to visit Denver resulting in 12,420 room nights which contributes to the goal of 30,000 room nights. Additionally, at least 11,523 room nights have
come from marketing campaigns with Hotelbeds for the domestic leisure travel agent market YTD through July.
Room Nights: International
Obtaining room night data from international travel companies is difficult due to data privacy policies and the lack of streamlined ways to provide specific city booking numbers. In addition, hotels are usually not able to assist in this reporting, because the bookings are primarily for individual travelers and are typically made via U.S.-based receptive travel companies; thus, the country of origin is not easily tracked. In addition, major hotel chains continue to resist the implementation of traditional contracts with receptive travel companies, which was exacerbated by COVID; instead, they are only offering dynamic rates or “on-request” rates for international travel companies. In addition, in 2024, the international travel industry continues to experience a labor shortage that impacts reporting of room nights. The goal for international travel trade room nights consumed in 2025 will be 33,000 room nights, with similar budgets YOY.
VISIT DENVER conducts international marketing campaigns with travel companies and consumer marketing platforms such as Airlines, international OTAs, Expedia and Brand USA. These campaigns often result in room nights being booked directly from the influence of the campaigns. VISIT DENVER will track the room nights as a measurement in 2025 based on the marketing investment.
To better evaluate international visitation to Denver, VISIT DENVER also obtains data from Oxford Economics, which conducts global research on visitation to the U.S., combining airline passenger data, U.S. Department of Commerce annual international visitation results, credit card spending metrics and other sources. This research for 2024 indicates that international room nights for Denver totaled 593,700, a 22% increase compared to 485,400 in 2023. Denver maintained 0.8% market share of U.S. arrivals in 2024. This share is projected to remain at 0.8% in 2025. The Tourism Department strives to maintain 0.80-0.83% Denver market share of inbound arrivals to the U.S. post-COVID.
If additional budget is available for VISIT DENVER to explore marketing campaigns in newer nonstop markets, such as Dublin (Aer Lingus), Japan (United Airlines), Turkey and India (Turkish Airlines), more impressions and room nights can be expected.
Leads and Referrals
Business leads and referrals to VISIT DENVER partners are also generated and tracked in both international and domestic markets by the one sales manager in the Tourism Department. DMOs are generally recognized as a trustworthy resource for travel companies seeking destination information, but online travel planning resources are also competition for DMOs.
There is a growing trend among travel trade clients to request referrals, rather than allowing a lead to be sent to the hotels or other suppliers of services on their behalf. For a referral, the
DMO provides a list of contacts for specific partner hotels or service providers and the clients can contact the suppliers as they deem appropriate. Clients prefer to contact and negotiate directly with hotels and other service providers, rather than getting responses to a lead sent by VISIT DENVER.
The number of leisure event planners and travel companies needing assistance from VISIT DENVER for short-term tours, travel and events increased in 2024 to 375 compared to 300 in 2023. However, this is expected to be flat in 2025, with fewer requests from International and weddings, which make up the largest part of leads and referrals.
The Tourism Department lead and referral goal for 2025 is 375.
Contacts, Impressions and Companies Offering Denver Product
Travel trade contacts and proactive contact outreach are measured on an annual basis, as are the number of companies that offer Denver travel product. Travel trade contacts and impressions have historically been generated via proactive client outreach, trade shows, sales missions and training seminars.
Contact goals for 2025 will be increased 17% year-over-year to 3,500. The department will leverage opportunities for in-country trainings through the in-country representatives in key markets of Mexico, Canada, U.K., Germany and France as well as virtual trainings with marketing partners like CTO, RMI, Brand USA and Visit USA.
Historically, impression numbers were counted from a total number of travel trade clients that attended travel trade shows, but that number does not reflect direct impact. International marketing campaigns, which resumed in 2022 and continued in 2024, resulted in 51,217,711 impressions YTD through July and are expected to surpass the goal of 80,000,000 million for the year. The department will continue to use international marketing impression numbers to measure impact. The marketing impression goal will be 100 million in 2025. This number will come from cooperative marketing campaigns in key international markets, with a flat budget from 2024 and based on expected results from 2024
In 2024, as of July, 21 new travel packages have been tracked, over the 20 travel packages forecasted. VISIT DENVER strives to maintain exposure to the same key travel companies and is expecting 20 new travel packages in 2025. This is slightly lower than 2024 due to established product in the marketplace. An additional 20 new products are expected in 2025.
Domestic Visitor Numbers and Spending
Additional research is utilized to evaluate results for consumer marketing campaigns annually. Longwoods International implements a comprehensive study to quantify domestic visitor numbers and spending. This research provides a credible analysis of Denver’s domestic leisure visitors. While Longwoods conducted their research for the 2023 travel year, such information needs to be handled cautiously and balanced with additional sources of information. In this
case, it is VISIT DENVER’s intent to combine this information with data about travel spending and taxes generated as reported by the annual Dean Runyan Associates report, received in late summer.
While competition for leisure travelers is increasingly intense, given the myriad of global choices they have, VISIT DENVER strives to maintain a growth rate for leisure visitors to Denver that equals or exceeds the national growth rate for leisure visitor travel, as reported by Longwoods. The 2023 Longwoods research reported a 3% increase in overnight visitors for Denver. Overall, U.S. overnight travel grew at that same 3%.
Domestic Leisure Tourism Marketing: Advertising Impressions and Digital Engagements
VISIT DENVER and its agencies devote a substantial amount of time and money developing promotional campaigns designed to attract future visitors. These campaigns form the core of the marketing department’s strategies to continue the impact of tourism for the city and for its partners.
Tourism is an extremely competitive global industry, and Denver competes with destinations across the country and around the world. With so many destinations to choose from, Denver’s success rests on being able to differentiate the city’s appeal from other similar destinations, and then to “close the deal” by offering relevant, credible and appealing information once a potential visitor becomes interested.
Two of VISIT DENVER’s primary tactics for attracting potential visitors are the Bureau’s domestic advertising campaigns and social media efforts. A third core tactic, public relations efforts, is covered below.
VISIT DENVER’s advertising campaigns run year-round to regional and national target markets, positioning the city using the “Uplifting by Nature” brand, and messaging pillars related to dining, culture, outdoor activities, events and more. One of the main measurements of success is the number of impressions these campaigns can generate. This new City goal, advertising impressions, will be calculated in partnership with the Bureau’s advertising agency of record based on the expected campaign mix, media tactics and budget. For 2025, the goal recommendation is 700,000,000, a 27% increase over 2024
The second component, digital engagements, is a combination of visits to VISIT DENVER websites and engagements on VISIT DENVER social media posts on the Bureau’s primary platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Though VISIT DENVER does use other social platforms, the three above represent the vast majority of the social media team’s time and budget, as where most of the audience looks for travel information.
The website metric recognizes continual improvements to the VISIT DENVER website as well as the realities of an increasingly competitive online environment that sees people turning to other
information sources such as social media and generative AI platforms. The recommendation for the website portion of the digital engagements goal is 11,550,000, a 10% increase over 2024.
The social media metric includes a combination of post engagements (likes, reactions, comments, shares, saves, link clicks) and videos views (all video starts in excess of three seconds) on the primary platforms for both organic and paid posts. The recommendation for the social media engagement portion of this goal is 40,000,000, a 9% increase over 2024.
The combined goal for 2025 for digital engagements is to be set at 51,550,000, an 9% increase over 2024.
Leading Indicators for Leisure Tourism Marketing Goal Setting
Advertising Impressions
Digital Engagements : Web Visits
Strong Denver brand, competitive budgets, increasing demand, experienced and tenured agency and shift to digital media channels.
Organic visibility is trending up with an effective SEO strategy. Paid search program has been optimized and driving more traffic. New content around sustainability, accessibility and diversity will create new demand. Refreshed and new editorial and blog content keeps the website visible across channels.
Digital Engagements : Social Engagements and Video Views VISIT DENVER's social media presence remains strong, with impressive engagement on Facebook and Instagram. Our dynamic short-form video program has been a major asset, allowing us to seamlessly repurpose content across platforms. Looking ahead to 2025, we're set to broaden our reach by including YouTube and Pinterest in
Continue to focus on high-impact, low-cost programmatic media while also leaning into higher cost, high engagement tactics that generate conversions.
Refreshed digital marketing program for meetings will capture new traffic. Repurposing successful short form videos from social on website will increase engagement. A new display and video-based search program will capture new audiences.
Utilize short-form video storytelling to captivate our audience and showcase Denver. Expanding to YouTube and Pinterest will reach new audiences and diversify our content. Collaborating with influencers will add authenticity and boost engagement across all channels.
Media overall is expected to come with higher costs in 2025.
Increase 27%
The emergence of AI Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, the rise of zero-click search results and privacy laws are reducing the amount of traffic to the website or sessions that can be tracked. Platform algorithms favor inplatform content versus links to brand websites impacting referral traffic.
May face increased competition, algorithm changes impacting reach, and the rise of ad blockers affecting paid campaigns. Additionally, if we don't evolve with emerging storytelling trends, we risk falling behind in audience engagement as preferences shift towards more dynamic and authentic content.
Increase 10%
Increase 9%
our paid social advertising strategy, aspiring to connect with new audiences and elevate engagement.
Visitor Inquiries and Touchpoints
VISIT DENVER has established a number of measurements that indicate consumers’ interest in visiting Denver, and in interacting with VISIT DENVER platforms during all phases of their visit. Collectively, these measurements are called Visitor Inquiries and Touchpoints and are a combination of the following: requests for the Official Visitors Guide to Denver and Colorado (OVG); visits to one of the official Tourist Information Centers (TICs); engaging with one of the Bureau’s online newsletters and promotions; and, finally, engaging with other information sources. These last two are new goals in the City contract and will be further defined below.
In the past several years, interactions with interactive platforms have been increasing, particularly with digital and mobile channels, while more traditional channels are static or down, such as requests for visitor guides. Visits to the TICs are down this year with the closure of the Denver Union Station (DUS) location during renovation of the Great Hall, from March to mid-July and lower number of attendees at the Colorado Convention Center (CCC). The TIC at DUS is open seven days a week this year from 9am to 4pm. With fewer convention attendees this year through June, the number of visitors at the CCC TIC also decreased. While the attendance was down 27%, the TIC at CCC was down 41%. A diminished demand for OVGs and an overall decrease in interest in physical materials and in-person interactions, have left digital channels as the most prevalent way for visitors to get information. With these factors, VISIT DENVER is expecting traffic to the TICs at CCC and DUS to be 33,731 in 2024, much lower than the 45,000 forecasted. It is expected that the TIC at DUS will continue to be a critical location, where visitors arrive or leave by train and require information, and with a projected convention attendance at 41% higher than in 2024, VISIT DENVER expects the numbers of the TIC at CCC to be equal to the 2024 goal. Therefore, a flat goal is recommended in 2025 at 45,000. In 2024, VISIT DENVER will be researching and testing new ways to interact with visitors, through continued geofencing advertising as well as new TIC experiences, whether this is a mobile TIC or a location at the 16th Street Mall.
Demand for the flagship official visitors guide has also been slowly increasing, though not to pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, the in-state distribution program was nearly doubled to include many statewide locations not previously in the plan, and geared to appeal to Colorado visitors who may want to extend their trip with a visit to Denver. The visibility of online ordering options for the guide has also increased, leading to a higher rate of online requests. Combined, this leads to a goal recommendation for 2025 of 235,000, an 18% increase over 2024.
Subscribers to Online Newsletters and Promotions will be defined as new subscribers to the Discover Denver consumer e-newsletter. Based on 2024 performance, the goal for 2025 will be 19,425.
Finally, the Other Digital Information Sources goal will be defined in 2025 as visits to the digital version of the OVG and a new digital meetings publication launching in Q1 2025. The goal for 2025 will be 33,000. This definition will be evaluated annually based on emerging technologies.
Leading Indicators for Visitor Inquiries and Touchpoints Goal Setting
Channel Strengths
Tourist Info Centers
Denver Union Station and Colorado Convention Center locations are open, with DUS open 7 days a week during summer. New geofencing tactic adds a new way to reach in-town visitors.
Official Visitor Guide Requests
Subscribers to online newsletters and promotions
Other digital information sources
Demand for Denver travel info returning slowly. Certain segments (e.g. older travelers) like using printed guides. Distribution program significantly improved in 2024
Email communications continue to be an effective channel for visitor interest and engagement.
Providing users a digital alternative of key resources to learn about Denver creates additional touchpoints and options to digest information.
Public Relations
Continued use of these two locations and use of geo-targeted ads to direct visitors when they arrive, as well as possible new mobile TIC or a location at 16th Street Mall.
Continue to update information including top attractions, neighborhood info and key events. Continue to expand distribution and fulfillment program.
Increase visibility for sign-ups on website and advertising channels such as paid social and paid search.
Consistent demand for the digital official visitor’s guide reveals opportunity to expand digital resource offerings.
DEN location permanently closed. Downtown location closed indefinitely due to inability to staff.
Younger travelers not as interested in physical materials Avoidance of physical materials. Hotel distribution locations impacted by pandemic. Some TICs are closed.
Increase 18%
New resources for visitor information on AI Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and inplatform content provides users more options to get information.
Public relations efforts are measured by a longstanding industry standard known as advertising value equivalency (AVE), which determines the monetary value of public relations media placements based on the equivalent costs to place advertising in the same space. Though there are difficulties in this method (e.g., lack of consistent reporting, especially from online sources), AVE remains the most widely used and consistent industry metric to track media relations successes.
In 2025, the Public Relations Department will continue its practice of tracking AVE in three main areas: national, international and local “business of tourism” stories.
National Market
Along with the optimism of record domestic leisure travel, the national travel media industry has experienced a strong return of soft travel stories and city features. Domestic journalists are traveling in big numbers, and the traditional media FAM trip continues to serve as the most effective means of providing inspiration for national travel stories. Domestic media marketplaces have experienced record attendance levels including IMM in New York City and IPW, the two largest annual media marketplaces offered in the country.
Despite the many reasons for optimism, many well-known travel outlets are still working through industry-wide downsizing and diminishing advertising revenue. Artificial Intelligence and their methods of crawling the web has started to negatively impact digital viewership, further softening advertising revenue. As a result, AVE continues to become more difficult to achieve and predict. Domestic meeting and travel trade outlets continue to lose clients who indicate they are more influenced by general press outlets than trade outlets when it comes to destination information. Additionally, travel sections are shrinking and audiences are demanding coverage of less popular destinations, increasing Denver’s competition in the limited spaces available.
Nonetheless, since key indicators in the communications space point toward strong forward momentum, VISIT DENVER anticipates a continued upward trajectory within the domestic travel market in 2025. With this in mind, a national goal of $40,000,000, an increase of 26%, is recommended.
Local Market
Local AVE numbers track the positive press about the impact of tourism on the local and statewide economy in local media outlets, along with VISIT DENVER activities and programs. VISIT DENVER tourism and partner advocacy stories continue to capture local news interest as the city sets new visitation records. The return of major local events, such as Denver Arts Week and Denver Walls, as well as the launch of newer initiatives like Michelin, have served as good local success stories. Additionally, the completion of the Colorado Convention Center expansion will illustrate the significance of an important industry that drives so much of the downtown economy. Due to the relatively low cost of local media, AVE numbers are traditionally low, so large year-over-year increases are difficult to achieve. A shrinking pool of reporters and outlets further reduces the potential for AVE. A goal of $2,500,000, an increase of 8%, is recommended for 2025.
International Market
With the continued return of global travel in 2025, VISIT DENVER will continue the momentum started in 2023 to lure international visitors who typically stay longer and spend more to The Mile High City. In 2023 through 2024, with the help of federal recovery grant funding administered by the CTO, VISIT DENVER was able to resume professional service agreements with international public relations representative agencies in Canada, Mexico, the U.K., German-
speaking Europe and France, and was able to successfully conduct proactive media efforts in these key international markets while increasing earned media outcomes from the prior year. The relationships have proven immensely successful, more than doubling the department’s international AVE year over year, and VISIT DENVER will continue to engage these in-country representatives even after the grant sunsets in Q1 2025.
With these resources in place, international travel stories continue to return at a steady rate in proportion with global travel sentiment. And, with expert guidance in these countries, VISIT DENVER will continue to pursue key communications platforms and channels including international media marketplaces (IMMs) and Brand USA’s pan-European International Media Forum. With many U.S. DMOs vying for market share in these countries, VISIT DENVER has been able to create new opportunities to complement and amplify the existing work of the CTO with media efforts such as FAMs, travel trade show appearances and general proactive media outreach to generate destination coverage. With DEN now offering more nonstop international flights than any time in its history, this approach also may help to fill airline seats and ensure the continued success of these nonstop flights.
With this approach, VISIT DENVER will continue to collaborate with the CTO to generate much needed international market AVE. Due to the factors above, the recommendation is to adjust international goals to $15,000,000, an increase of 50%.
Leading Indicators for Public Relations Goal Setting
Local news continues to focus on the downtown corridor as it relates to tourism and the general importance to the City’s economy.. Stories associated with sports, tourism, hospitality and conventions that portray the economic impacts of the industry will continue to resonate with the local media industry including the return of major local events, such as Denver Arts Week and Denver Walls. New programs like Michelin will add to the department’s AVE as well as bolster pride in the city and appreciation for tourism for Denver residents. Due to the relatively low cost of local media, AVE numbers are traditionally low, so large year-over-year increases are difficult to achieve.
DOMESTIC (National) Pacing upward Domestic journalists are hitting the road in droves, and the traditional media FAM trip continues to be the most effective means of providing inspiration for travel stories. Key domestic media marketplaces are generating record attendance levels such as IMM in New York City and IPW. Although positive sentiment toward the domestic media FAM has returned with rising volume in both group and solo journalist hosted visits, outlets are relying mostly on freelancers to attend FAMs and deliver resulting travel stories. VISIT DENVER will host the Adventure Travel Trade
INTERNATIONAL Pacing upward
Association event in 2025 and anticipates an increase in secured placements through relationships and experiences for hosted media. Although there is still much reason for optimism, many well-known travel outlets are still experiencing downsizing and devoting less real estate to travel. As a result, AVE has become more difficult to achieve and predict.
Global travel stories continue to return at a steady rate in proportion with the return of high spending international visitors. Key communications platforms and channels are generating record participation including international media marketplaces (IMMs) and Brand USA’s panEuropean International Media Forum. VISIT DENVER will host 2029 IPW and will use that event on the horizon to further elevate the reputation of the city to international travel media in anticipation of the conference. U.S. DMOs are vying for market share in key travel markets with media efforts such as FAMs, travel trade show appearances and general proactive media outreach to generate destination coverage. VISIT DENVER will continue to capitalize on its Denver-specific agency agreements to create new opportunities that complement and amplify the existing work of the CTO in key global markets. With DEN now offering more nonstop international flights than any time in its history, this approach also will help to fill airline seats and ensure the continued success of these nonstop flights.
Goals
Increase 50% to $15,000,000
1. Increase the number of leisure travelers to Denver metro area by creating awareness of Denver as a desirable leisure travel destination and by expanding Denver’s exposure in domestic and international travel programs.
2. Identify and pursue domestic and international leisure travel markets most likely to visit Denver throughout the year.
3. Generate community awareness among city and hospitality industry constituents encouraging them to support the Bureau sales and marketing efforts.
Objectives
The Tourism and Marketing Departments’ primary goal is to increase leisure travelers in three markets: domestic consumer, international and domestic group, in order of priority. The following objectives provide quantitative measurements toward that goal.
1. Generate and track 65,000 leisure room nights that includes 23,000 through International
third party and OTAs, 10,000 through International Trade and 32,000 through Domestic Groups.
2. Generate 375 leads and referrals for Denver in the domestic and international markets via trade shows, sales missions, website RFPs and telemarketing.
3. Generate 3,500 contacts with domestic and international travel trade representatives via proactive client outreach, in-person and virtual trade shows and trainings.
4. Generate 100 million international marketing impressions for Denver from campaigns with travel trade and international consumer marketing partners.
5. Develop 20 new or enhanced travel products that include Denver in domestic and international markets.
6. Generate 700,000,000 domestic advertising impressions and 51,550,000 digital engagements (social post interactions and video views).
7. Generate 332,425 visitor inquiries and touchpoints. This new combined goal includes visits to Tourist Information Centers, requests for the Official Visitors Guide, requests for online newsletters and promotions and other digital information sources.
8. Generate $40,000,000 in ad equivalency from Denver stories in national consumer media publicizing Denver as a leisure and meeting travel destination.
9. Generate $2,500,000 in ad equivalency in local media stories on the Bureau’s impact and the importance of tourism and conventions to Denver’s economy.
10. Generate $15,000,000 in ad equivalency from Denver stories in international media publicizing Denver as a leisure travel destination.
VISIT DENVER: History and Organization
A Short History of VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
In 1908, Denver hosted the Democratic National Convention in a brand-new building –the Denver Auditorium Theatre. The event was so successful in generating press and economic development for Denver that city leaders decided to create an agency to attract more conventions. In 1909, the Denver Convention Bureau was organized as a private trade association with the mission of bringing conventions and meetings to The Mile High City. It was only the sixth convention bureau in the United States. Today, there are more than 800 destination marketing organizations.
In 2008, the bureau rebranded using the trade name VISIT DENVER, once again hosted the Democratic National Convention and in 2009, celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 2025, VISIT DENVER will celebrate 116 years of promoting Denver and Colorado.
About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau is a not-for-profit trade association with over 1,200 business partners (members) that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination.
With an annual forecasted budget of $49.0 million in private and public funding and 66 full-time professionals, VISIT DENVER’s goal is to bring conventions and tourists to Denver for the economic benefit of the city, the community and Bureau partners. As VISIT DENVER continues to rebound from the pandemic, the 2024 estimated actual revenue is projected to be $47.1 million which surpasses the 2019 budget of $41.3 million. Staffing has increased back to 2019 levels. The Bureau’s budget is derived from partnership fees of approximately $1 million, private fundraising and advertising sales, and from 3.75% of the Lodger’s and Tourism Improvement District (TID) Taxes in the City and County of Denver. The Bureau is governed by a 39-member Board of Directors who are elected by the Bureau partnership and includes two Denver City Council members. In addition, there are five Lifetime members, up to 16 Community members that include two members appointed by the Mayor of Denver and two honorary members.
The Bureau is an accredited Destination Marketing Organization, a designation awarded and maintained by Destinations International (DI), the industry association for bureaus and related organizations.
VISIT DENVER Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Mile High City welcomes people of all races, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities and sexual orientation. VISIT DENVER is committed to making the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion a way of life for the organization, its partners in the hospitality industry and its visitors.
VISIT DENVER believes that travel makes the world a smaller and more connected place. It brings people together and fosters interaction among diverse cultures. It builds understanding,
appreciation, empathy and respect for one another. This philosophy is essential to who the organization is as a community and why Denver is one of the top destinations in the country to live and to visit.
Denver celebrates its rich cultural heritage across its vibrant neighborhoods with attractions, restaurants, festivals and events throughout the year. Go to Diverse Denver, where you will find the Accessibility Guide, the Land Acknowledgment to support Indigenous people and more.
With this in mind, VISIT DENVER renews its pledge of awareness and action to create change, both within the organization and in the city. The organization is committed to making these core values a way of life for the organization, partners in the hospitality industry and visitors.
In addition to a newly formed board advisory committee to assist VISIT DENVER with its community DEI initiatives, a staff consultant was contracted and has developed a three-year program of education and training.
STAFFING
The Bureau’s staffing levels are back to pre-pandemic levels. Current staffing levels support the Bureau’s ongoing ability to generate demand and continue to grow the economy.
The following is an overview of the staffing and departments within the Bureau:
Communications
The department is responsible for all print, broadcast and online messages and media relations. The current department staff consists of one director, one manager and a coordinator.
Convention Sales
The department is responsible for marketing Denver as a meeting and convention destination. Goals are to increase the number of meetings and conventions held in Denver, generate awareness of Denver as a preferred meeting destination and build community awareness among city and hospitality constituents, encouraging them to support Bureau sales and marketing programs.
Located in Denver, Washington, D.C. and Chicago, there are 16 individuals dedicated solely to sales efforts, covering different markets, but working together to achieve a common annual room night goal. The department also includes a senior vice president/chief sales and services officer, an associate vice president, a director, an executive assistant, three coordinators and an information analyst who provides support to the sales team.
The Bureau contracts with two independent sales professionals to develop convention sales leads through telemarketing and e-mail sales efforts. This initiative, known as the B.E.S.T. (Bureau Extra Sales Team) program, started in 2004.
Denver Sports Commission
The Denver Sports Commission was founded in 2001 to help bring high-profile sporting events to Denver. In December 2012, the Board of Directors of the Metro Denver Sports Commission (Denver Sports) voted to align themselves with VISIT DENVER's sports marketing efforts, effective January 2013. Under the direction of VISIT DENVER, the Denver Sports Commission has continued to serve as a clearinghouse and resource for all sporting event organizers interested in Denver as a future location. The executive director of Denver Sports is responsible for attracting premier amateur and professional sporting events to Denver.
Destination Services
The department is responsible for assisting conventions and meetings coming to Denver by acting as a liaison between Bureau members, city facilities and planners. They also facilitate any needs the client may have to ensure that the group returns to the city for future meetings. The department currently consists of one director, one associate director, three citywide destination managers, a manager, two coordinators and an assistant.
Executive
The department is responsible for overseeing the daily business operations of the Bureau. The president/CEO delegates departmental management authority to a vice president in each of the respective areas: Conventions, Marketing, Tourism and Finance and Administration. The director of government and community affairs serves as the Bureau’s liaison between city and state governments, the Board of Directors and the business and residential communities on all issues pertinent to the Bureau’s mission, especially those public policy and infrastructure issues that have potential to impact the tourism or meetings climate, positively or negatively. The department consists of the president/CEO, a director and an executive assistant.
Finance and Administration
The department is responsible for internal/external customer service and support, which includes the areas of finance, administration, human resources/payroll and information technology. The department consists of an executive vice president/CFO, an accounting director, a human resources director, an accounting manager, a human resources manager, three information technology managers, an accounting assistant and an office administrator.
Marketing and Digital Marketing
The department develops integrated marketing programs to promote Denver as a premier travel destination for conventions, meetings and leisure travel. The department consists of a vice president/chief marketing officer, a director of web and content, a digital design manager, a marketing manager, a social media manager, a web marketing manager and a coordinator. The Bureau contracts one content manager in support of the VISIT DENVER website.
Partnership and Foundation
The department is responsible for the sales, servicing and retention of the Bureau’s 1,200+ partners (members) and oversees advertising sales for the Bureau. The department generates
approximately $1.9 million in private revenue annually, from partner dues, advertising sales and partnership cooperatives. Revenue continues to lag from the $3.3 million earned in 2019 as partners continue to struggle with their recovery from the pandemic. The department plans partnerships events that encourage community networking and engagement. In addition, the department plans events for the VISIT DENVER Foundation, which awards scholarships to college students pursuing degrees in the tourism industry. The department also oversees the Bureau’s efforts with workforce development in the hospitality industry. The department consists of an associate vice president, a services manager and three coordinators. The Bureau also contracts with an independent sales professional to generate new partners and sell advertising.
Tourism
The department is responsible for promoting Denver as a year-round leisure destination to domestic and international travelers with the goal of increasing leisure visitors for Denver. The department also manages the “Go the EXTRA Mile” program and branded programs such as Denver 365 (Events), Denver Arts Week and Denver Restaurant Week. The department consists of a vice president/chief tourism officer, a tourism senior sales manager, one cultural tourism program manager and a coordinator. Additionally, the department manages two tourist information centers located in the Denver Union Station (DUS) and in the Colorado Convention Center (CCC), respectively. Due to the pandemic, the California Street location has been closed permanently. In addition, due to the current renovation of the airport terminal, that location is closed as well.
Summary
VISIT DENVER HEADCOUNTS
VISIT DENVER: 2024 Board of Directors
2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Brent Fedrizzi
Chair
President, North American Regional Offices, AEG Presents
Leon Barnes
Chair Elect
VP of Human Resources, Comcast Cable Corporation
Greg Feasel
Past Chair
President and COO, Colorado Rockies Baseball Club
Luis Benitez
Co-Chair, Convention and Tourism Advisory Committee
Chief Impact Officer, Trust for Public Land
David Coors
Secretary
Vice Chairman, Molson Coors Beverage Company
Executive Chairman, Coors Spirits Company
Jack Finlaw
Workforce Development Liaison
President and CEO, University of Colorado Foundation
A. Barry Hirschfeld (Lifetime Board Member)
Executive Committee
President and CEO, A.B. Hirschfeld & Sons
Walter L. Isenberg
Treasurer and Chair, Audit/Finance Committee
CEO and Co-founder, Sage Hospitality Group
Bruce A. James
Co-Chair, Roadmap and Destination Management Committee
