Tourism tax improves significantly in Colorado Springs

The wet spring and early summer in Colorado Springs apparently did little to discourage tourists from coming to the area and spending lots of money.

Revenue from the Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax increased 14 percent during the first six months of 2015. It provides an additional $270,000 to be spent on tourism marketing and promoting large-scale events to out-of-town visitors.

A survey in March by the Convention and Visitors Bureau and private donors found that the area rates low in the region for the amount of money spent to support tourism. The bureau hasn’t decided on a new marketing plan.

Chelsy Offutt of the bureau cited lower gas prices and a growing variety of attractions as factors in the tourism increase.

“Tourism is very competitive,” she said. “I’m not sure we can continue to have that kind of increase without more marketing.”

The March survey recommends raising the tax from 3 percent to 4 percent, placing a special tax on attractions and creating special marketing districts for the bureau’s member counties.

Allen Scott, director of operations for the Mining Exchange hotel downtown, said he’s seeing the effects of tourism growth.

“We’re having the best year we’ve had yet,” he said. “Our month of July was the best we’ve had in our three-and-a-half year existence here. We’re sold out this weekend. The history here really appeals to visitors.”

But another aspect of local history isn’t being helped as much by the situation.

“We’ve seen some increase but I don’t know if it’s really much,” said Gregory Roberts of the Pikes Peak Railway Museum.

The museum is off the beaten tourism path, located near the interchange of Interstate 25 and Fillmore Street where a major construction project is underway.

“We’ve been here since 1995 but most people don’t know about us or where we are,” Roberts said. “A few years ago we tried to get a sign on the highway but the state raised the price to a level we can’t afford.”

However, Roberts said the museum is slowly becoming more popular.

“We have a tour guide from England who takes people around the world and stops here every year,” Roberts said. “He came here one time and said he wanted to bring others.”

Even though tourism is a major part of the local economy, one tourist says the area has the potential for even more success.

“I don’t think my friends back home know much about Colorado Springs,” Carolyn Crouse, a visitor from Georgia, said. “But they will when I get back home.”

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers mentioned during his State of the City address this week that expanding tourism is one of his top priorities.