Summer Tourism Continues To Grow In Colorado

· Sep. 8, 2015, 3:15 pm

Photo: Crowded Rocky Mountain National Park, Alpine Visitor Center (HV) — Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park at the Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road in August 2015.

Colorado ski areas have built summer playgrounds of biking, hiking, climbing and zip lining. That’s fueled strong growth in summer tourism in both the number of visitors to the state and the hotel rates they pay.

Ralf Garretson with the research firm Destimetrics said winter tourism is still a bigger business, but it has less room for growth.

"We’re watching summer earn its own place and deserve its own brand," Garretson said.

He said growth in summer tourism has exceeded 10 percent each year since 2012.

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