Boulder survey shows who’s visiting downtown

Locals continue to be the primary visitors to downtown Boulder and drivers of economic activity, according to the biannual Downtown Boulder Intercept Survey released Monday.

Since 1995, Downtown Boulder Partnership, Visit Boulder and the City of Boulder have teamed up with RRC Associates to capture visitor and resident experiences through the Downtown Intercept Survey.

In 2024, just over half of the Colorado respondents in the survey were from Boulder vs. 43% in 2018. Outside of Boulder, respondents reported coming from Longmont, Denver, Lafayette, Broomfield and Louisville. Those local residents are critical to Downtown’s success, the survey concluded, and they also bring friends and family downtown, as word-of-mouth was a top-rated response in the survey for why people choose to come downtown Boulder.

The survey results are from July to September this year; 775 visitor intercept surveys were completed. Questions focused on defining who comes downtown, customer behavior, types of businesses and activities visitors engage in, how much money they spend, and demographics of where they live and work.

Nearly half of those surveyed lived outside of Colorado, and these visitors reported spending almost double the amount per visit compared to local residents. Much of the out-of-state visitor traffic continues to come from states with large populations including California, Texas and Illinois.

Key findings:
• 41% of those surveyed were from outside of Colorado. Out-of-state visitors spend nearly double per visit downtown vs. Boulder County residents.
• 60% of visitors are in town for leisure (vacation or visiting friends/family). 2024 saw a jump in college visits with one in 10 reporting they were here to visit CU Boulder. Most people rely on word of mouth for pre-trip planning or have been to Boulder before.
• This year saw a rise in people coming to shop but revealed a decrease in respondents who cited dining as their primary purpose for their visit downtown. The number of employees surveyed on Pearl Street dropped by half from 2018. The post-COVID shift to remote and hybrid work continues to impact pedestrian traffic as it is in urban districts nationwide.
• Half the survey respondents reported eating a meal while downtown. When asked what drove the choice of restaurants, the top response was cuisine type, followed by ambiance. Price was not a major factor in choosing a restaurant.
• More than two-thirds of visitors said their experience in Boulder was better than expected and more than 60% said they would be extremely likely to recommend Boulder to friends for a leisure destination.
“It’s no secret that the past few years have been challenging for all downtowns across the nation, and downtown Boulder is no exception,” said Downtown Boulder Partnership CEO Bettina Swigger. “The results of this survey are promising, showing that both locals and out-of-town guests are coming downtown. Visiting the district strengthens the cultural and economic fabric of our community. This winter, we welcome guests from near and far to explore our many restaurants, shops, public spaces, holiday events, and cultural sites. Each visit strengthens our local economy and deepens the connections that make our community thrive.”