Visit Colorado Springs, the city’s and Pikes Peak region’s marketing organization, discussed the success and challenges the tourism industry experienced during 2022 and what to expect in the year ahead at its annual business meeting Wednesday.

The region’s tourism industry has walked a long road to recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, Wednesday’s speakers asserted, but there are still steps left on the journey.

“Tourism is a huge, huge part of our economy,” said Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers.

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Tourism brings more than 40,000 jobs to the region and generates billions in revenue, said Pepper Dombroski, Visit Colorado Springs chair and sales director for The Broadmoor hotel.

In 2022, Colorado Springs brought in 128% of the projected amount for the city’s Lodging and Auto Rental Tax, which was up 15% from 2021, said Doug Price, president and CEO of Visit Colorado Springs.

Plus, the Colorado Springs Airport saw the highest enplanements in 22 years with the addition of new flights, seasonal routes and Avelo Airlines.

“While we categorize 2022 as a strong tourism year,” Price said, “we still haven’t fully recovered yet on a couple of fronts.”

International travel is one of the biggest segments of the market the city is lacking, Price said, attributing the less-than-full return of foreign travelers to slow lead times for U.S. travel visas.

Conventions and meetings held in the city were also not back full-force, following national trends, Price said.

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City visitation data gathered by Longwoods International, a research consultant that provides data about tourism, will be available in June, Price said.

During the summer months, Colorado Springs’ peak tourism season in summer, inflation and gas prices also hindered the tourism industry, Price said. But improvement in hotel occupancy is expected this year because inflation and gas prices are projected to lessen, he added.

Six hotels are scheduled to open in 2023, adding 855 rooms. Four new hotels in 2024 are expected to add 700 rooms, Price said.

Visit Colorado Springs listed accessibility and inclusivity as top priorities this year, noting the need for more lodging information and expanded infrastructure for travelers with mobility disabilities.

“We will work to make our destination more inclusive and welcoming,” Price said.

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