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Record number of tourists visit Pikes Peak Region last year despite continuing impacts of economy, COVID-19 pandemic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- On Wednesday, Doug Price celebrated receiving the Spirit of the Springs Lifetime Achievement Award by expressing optimism about the current and future state of the area's tourism industry.

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Price, the longtime president and CEO of VisitCOS, the local convention and visitors' bureau, has been on the job during a period of growth and additions to popular attractions --such as the new visitors' center on the summit of Pikes Peak, the rebuilding of the Cog Railway and improvements to Garden of the Gods.

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"We're waiting on confirmation of the final numbers but we believe that we set a record last year with 24 million visitors," he said. "We also set a record of collecting $10 million in revenue from the lodging and auto rental tax. We did that despite the pandemic, high gas prices and rising inflation."

Price believes that the potential exists to surpass those numbers this year.

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"Last summer, gas prices and inflation really peaked during the summer months," he said. "This summer, things seem to be more under control. And so, we're really optimistic that it's going to be a better summer than it was last year. Worker shortages aren't a problem. We're ready to go."

Another success he mentioned, has been a continued hotel construction boom that has resulted in at least ten new hotels with ten more scheduled to open by the end of next year.

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However, Price revealed that two aspects of local tourism -- international travel, along with group meetings and events -- have recovered slowly.

"It's going to take our government making it easier for people to get their travel VISAs to come into the U.S.," he explained. "There's some enormous wait times for people overseas who want to come into the U.S. Until that gets rectified, we're still behind the 8-ball. I think groups and meetings will come back fully in 2024."

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Price also responded to criticism about lower-than-expected attendance at the new U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum, and the new Weidner Field soccer stadium; both were among four venues of the City for Champions initiatives -- tourism-related projects that were started by former mayor Steve Bach and completed by current Mayor John Suthers.

"It's still a little early to gauge the total success," he said. "It's a long-term play. Both opened during the height of the pandemic. So, they're still on a trajectory to do very well, but it's just taking a little longer."

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Others are noticing the area's tourism success, too; In January, Forbes ranked Colorado Springs among the world's 50 best places to visit -- one of only 11 U.S. cities so honored.

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Scott Harrison

Scott is a reporter for KRDO. Learn more about Scott here.

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