Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak reports revenue highest in

About 6.2 million people visited the Pikes Peak region in 2006, generating more than $1 billion in travel-related revenue and more than $19 million in tax receipts in El Paso County, according to Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak.

The 2007 annual performance report for the tourism industry is largely based on lodging and auto rental tax collections (2 percent for hotels and 1 percent for car rentals), which provides the organization with much of its funding.

In 2006, the city collected about $3.6 million from the lodging and auto rental tax, which is about $60,000 more than during 2005 and is the highest collection total during the past five years.

Monthly lodging and auto rental tax collections were up nine of the 12 months during 2006, compared to 2005. July and August collections, $468,677 and $419,471, respectively, were down more than 7 percent compared to 2005.

The absence of the State Games of America in 2006 was the reason for the decline, according to bureau staff.

Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center was the areas No. 1 attraction, with 690,000 visitors, followed by the Air Force Academy, with 650,000 visitors, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, with 445,729 visitors.

The numbers include both local and out-of-town visitors.

Garden of the Gods Park estimates that 2 million people visit annually, based on a count in 1994, said Bonnie Frum director of operations.

The Colorado Springs Municipal Airport had almost 1.02 million enplanements in 2006, which is about 14,000 fewer than in 2005 and the second lowest number since 1995, according to airport management records.

The bureau spent 79 percent of its $3.1 million budget on programs, including promoting Colorado Springs at conferences and developing Web sites for prospective visitors, said Jim Cassidy, chief financial officer of Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak.

In 2006, the bureau increased its advertising expenditures by about $50,000, to $881,427, which is 14 percent more than the national average. Payroll for the bureau increased more than $100,000, for a total of $1.154 million for the staff of 21. That is 6 percent lower than the national average for salary and benefits, according to the bureau.

As part of a five-year strategic plan adopted in 2006, the bureau is focusing more attention on the Internet to attract visitors to the Pikes Peak region, said Amy Long, director of marketing and membership. In 2006, Web visits increased 31 percent compared to 2005, and for the first three months of 2007, Web visits were up 43 percent compared to 2006, Long said.

Last month, the visitors bureau launched a Web site, www.coloradosprings.travel to attract visitors. It also was awarded a $15,000 grant from the Colorado Tourism office, in addition to $7,500 it will receive to develop a cultural activities Web site that will launch in June.

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