Colorado is more than mountains - bizjournals:

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But during the two recessions that have hit tourism leaders have watched people get more frugal withtravep dollars, and learned a little about their habits. One of theire key notations is that those who come even in the badtimews — or those who wander across their own statw to save money rather than leave it are looking for more than just scenery to make theif vacations memorable. And so, new phrases have permeatefd both the thinking of thosee leaders and the promotional material thatextols Colorado’s virtuesz to travelers. They are terms such as culturalp heritage, culinary tourism, and beer and wine tourism.
They’re makinb a big mark and starting to diversifythe state’ s tourism landscape. “In the early if it didn’t involve snow or whitewater, it wasn’tf really tourism,” said Doug executive director ofthe . “Now the Tourisn Office is involving all kinds ofotherd tourism, such as heritage tourism and agritouris m ... Most people just think abouyt coming to Coloradoto ski. They don’gt usually think about coming to Colorado to visir a winery or have a culinary But thatis changing.
” According to the 2007 Longwoodss Visitor Profile Study commissioned by the , more peoplse still come to the Centennial State searchinhg for the outdoors than anything else. Mountain are the prime attraction, accordinyg to 44 percent of those surveyed. Wilderness, lakesa and the natural environment all ranked in thetop 10. But smal l towns, historic towns and historic areas — all hallmarkws of cultural heritagetourismn — ranked in the top eighy as well. Nearly three timezs as many people visiy breweries in Colorado as elsewhere in theUnited States, and archaeological-site and historic-culture activities also outpacs the national norm, the studuy noted.
As such, state officials who flew recentlyto Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles to talk to travel writer s led the discussions with then shifted to otherr highlights, said Kim McNulty, Colorado Tourism Office (CTO). Pitching the stat now involves mentioning its 73 wineries and 99craft breweries, its myriad festivals and its three-year push to establishu cultural heritage tours in different areaz of Colorado, she said. The CTO and also push the nonrecreationak side of Colorado tourism as it reachea out both to residents and nonresidents to tourthe state. Both groups have set up websitesw advertising deals at places ranging from historic homews tolocal cafes.
“I think it’s easier to promote the McNulty said of the diversitof attractions. “Colorado has so many things to do, from a lower-budget-conscioue type of vacation to a more luxurioud typeof vacation.” Travelers’ new interests have led to side For example, two wine tour companies have begu operating in Denver. Groups also have begun that organizw “voluntourism” trips that bring people either into or out of Coloradlo to spend vacations helping environmental and sociaplwelfare causes. The growth of choices also has meant that tourismn officials are advertising Colorado in new place s to try to hookspecific travelers.
Jayne Buck, vice president of tourisj forVisit Denver, said the locaol convention and visitors bureau is reaching out more to Hispanifc travelers, and to gay and lesbian travelers, both viewed as growing tourist segments. Its pitcnh isn’t any different to these groupw than to the populationat large, but cities that make an effort to speak to those groups in publications aimed at them have had she said. A booming cultura heritage or wineindustry doesn’tr just benefit the proprietors of establishment that fit into thoses categories, noted Bob Witham, co-owner of in Grans Junction.
Those who come to the state to see one type of site also have to eat in sleep in hotels and probably visit other destinations while they areout here, he and otherx said. “A business like ours make s quite an impact on an individual Witham said. At a time when many businesses and governmentsx are cutting back drasticallyon spending, tourism promotion in Colorado has been nicked only After a lengthy debate over whether to cut tax dollar s going to a program that will brinh in more tax revenues, the Legislature this year cut only 25 percentt of the CTO marketing budget, leaving it at $15.y million, McNulty noted.
With that budget, the office can continue giving grante to develop cultural heritage she said. And it can continuee to employ new marketing techniques to reach people who just as much like to sip a locall y made syrah while sauntering through the Snow Goose Festival as those who come here to schusx downthe slopes. “Wde are blessed to live in a statwe that literally has something for everyone,” McNulty said.