Denver tourism hits record $10.5 billion visitor spending

Denver tourism grew modestly in 2025, reaching record levels for both domestic visitors and visitor spending, according to new data released by Visit Denver and Longwoods International.

Denver welcomed 37.6 million domestic visitors in 2025, up 1.4% from the previous year. Visitor spending reached a record $10.5 billion.

Overnight visitors totaled 20.1 million and generated $8.7 billion in spending, both slight increases over 2024. Overnight leisure travel reached a record 17.9 million visitors, up 3% year over year.

“Tourism is vital to the Denver economy, and last year was strong, with record-setting attendance at the Colorado Convention Center, the opening of the new 16th Street, a packed event calendar and so much more,” Richard W. Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver, said in a statement.

Visit Denver said tourism supported 73,200 jobs across the metro area in 2025 and generated millions in state and local taxes.

The study found Denver continued to outperform pre-pandemic tourism benchmarks. Compared with 2019, total visitation was up 18%, and overnight visitor spending increased 46%, according to Longwoods International.

“The 2025 study shows that Denver continues to succeed in key areas of the visitor market,” Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International, said in a statement.

Denver International Airport continued to play a major role in the city’s tourism economy. In 2025, 42% of overnight visitors arrived by plane, compared with the national average of 28%.

A separate Longwoods International return-on-investment study found Visit Denver’s 2025 spring and summer advertising campaign generated 3.6 million incremental trips and $1.6 billion in incremental spending. The study also estimated that the campaign generated $180 million in incremental state and local taxes.

California, Texas, Illinois and Florida were the top states sending overnight visitors to Denver outside Colorado. Los Angeles, New York, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and Houston were the top out-of-state metro markets for overnight visitors.