As Denver bounced back from the pandemic, the city saw a boom in tourists that led to a record year in 2023.

But last year, the number of tourists stagnated.

Denver saw about 37 million domestic visitors in 2024 and generated $10.3 billion in tourism revenue, according to a new report released Wednesday by marketing and tourism agency Visit Denver. Both figures remained about the same as the year preceding it.

It’s a contrast to the three years before, which saw tourism not only recover quickly but break new records.

Denver saw another record year of tourists, new report shows

By the end of 2021, the number of tourists almost climbed back to 2019 levels. Then in 2022, the number of tourists grew by 15% to set a new record that was later topped in 2023 when tourism surged by 3%.

The most popular attractions tourists visited in 2024 include the Cherry Creek neighborhood, 16th Street, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, Denver Zoo and Colorado Rockies games at Coors Field.

Leaders are celebrating the tourism numbers matching 2023’s record as a sign of resilience as travelers across the nation are starting to pull back on spending.

“We are proud that Denver had such a strong showing with the economic headwinds last year and in an increasingly competitive market,” said Richard W. Scharf, CEO of Visit Denver, in a press release. 

The level of growth Denver saw in tourism had to “plateau” eventually, said Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International, the travel consultancy firm that has conducted Visit Denver’s study since 1994.

He explained travelers have begun to pull back due to concerns about the economy and household debt rising. It doesn’t mean they’re necessarily cancelling their trips, but are being more selective on how they spend during their visits.

“In a year where it was getting a little tougher to compete for visitors, Denver held its own. And that’s pretty impressive,” Eylon said.

One reason for that is because Denver has solidified itself as a 365-day destination over the last decade, he said, making the city less dependent on a single season to attract tourists.

About 22% of Denver tourists visited in Q1, 26% in Q2, 28% in Q3 and 23% in Q4, the report said.

“If you’re a true four season destination like Denver has become, it allows you to weather any hiccups or bumps much better,” Elyon said.

Another bright spot for Denver’s tourism is marketing campaigns, according to Visit Denver’s report.

The number of “marketable trips,” a target group of travelers open to tourism promotions, rose 14% to its highest level yet at 8.7 million visitors.

The leading out-of-state cities where overnight tourists visited from include Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Phoenix and Chicago — which are all advertising markets for Visit Denver.

In 2024, Denver International Airport hit 80 million passengers for first time

For 2025, the tourism agency said it’s watching for trends in decreased tourism spending expected this summer and international travel numbers – especially from Canada as tensions with the U.S. northern neighbor have flared up over President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Travel in 2025 had a slower start as consumer sentiment has dropped, according to a Bank of America Institute Report. 

Spending fell across lodging, airlines and several other tourism-related areas in the first four months of the year, the bank’s report said. 

“Lower-income households have reined in their spending the most,” the report said. 

It’s not clear if it’s a sign of a slower summer season, according to the bank’s research, though falling airline and lodging prices could make it easier for people to go on vacation.

“Moreover, both 2023 and 2024 were such strong years for travel and tourism as people emerged from the pandemic that it was always going to be hard for 2025 to compete,” the bank said.