The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO), a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), announced 16 new recipients of the Tourism Marketing Grant to enhance tourism marketing initiatives across the state. These grants are designed to support local and regional tourism economies by providing resources to promote Colorado as a premier travel destination while fostering sustainable and responsible travel practices that benefit both residents and visitors. The funding announced today supports initiatives across the state, including in Huerfano, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Rio Blanco, and Summit counties.
“The Colorado Tourism Office is excited to announce the recipients of this year’s Tourism Marketing Grants, empowering a diverse range of organizations across the state to elevate Colorado’s profile as a top-tier travel destination,” said Colorado Tourism Office Director, Timothy Wolfe. “By increasing our matching support, we’re helping our partners create more impactful and sustainable marketing campaigns that benefit not only our tourism economy but also the well-being of our residents and natural resources.”
Established in 2001, the Tourism Marketing Grant program provides financial assistance for marketing campaigns and initiatives that align with the CTO’s mission to boost traveler spending through the promotion and development of compelling, sustainable travel experiences statewide.
The program’s goals include promoting responsible travel, strengthening destination stewardship, and maximizing the economic impact of tourism investments in Colorado. Grant funding this year totals $592,525.
Sixteen grants will impact 22 counties across Colorado.
The organizations awarded grants this year include:
- City of Ouray ($20,000): to build awareness of Ouray as a winter destination through an expanded winter marketing campaign.
- City of Trinidad ($40,000): to support a tourism website redesign for Trinidad to include updated content, improved website navigation and expanded visitor experiences.
- Colorado Cross Country Ski Association ($49,300): to develop and promote a mobile app that will serve as a digital visitor hub, enhancing the visitor experience and encouraging exploration of Colorado’s Nordic centers.
- Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau ($40,000): to support a multimedia marketing campaign highlighting neighborhoods and towns across the Pikes Peak Region to increase awareness of lesser-known locales and showcase year-round adventure.
- Fort Collins Conventions & Visitors Bureau ($50,000): to implement a Sounds of Fort Collins campaign to promote the city’s rich musical heritage, which will include the development of a comprehensive music marketing strategy, a new music-focused microsite, video content featuring live performances and interviews with local musicians, and targeted promotions for music festivals.
- Fremont County Tourism Council ($40,000): to grow an influencer program with the aim to increase Fremont County Tourism Council profile visits, engagement, link clicks and more. This investment will compliment existing organic social and paid advertising efforts.
- Huerfano County ($29,985): to fund a comprehensive three-day film shoot designed to showcase key points of interest, including the Scenic Highway of Legends, Cuchara Mountain Park, and partnerships with local lodging providers. The video and audio assets will be utilized for future marketing campaigns.
- Lake County – Opera 403 ($38,000): to expand awareness of the Colorado Historic Opera House Circuit and support cultural and heritage tourism in local communities.
- Lake County – Trails 132 ($10,240): to help Colorado residents and visitors navigate the year-round recreation opportunities that Lake County has to offer and do so responsibly.
- Marketing Telluride, Inc. ($50,000): to assist in an international digital marketing campaign that promotes Telluride tourism to the Mexican market.
- Meeker Chamber Of Commerce ($15,000): to update and increase their printed educational materials as part of their Conversation Starter Campaign which is phase one of their marketing strategy. Many organizations in the region rely on these materials to distribute valuable information to visitors.
- Pagosa Springs Area Tourism Board ($50,000): to elevate Pagosa Springs and Alamosa as desirable international travel destinations to audiences in the UK and Germany.
- Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association ($50,000): to fully refresh their website by updating the user interface and the overall architecture and development processes. This includes adding Spanish translation and improving website accessibility.
- Prowers County Lodging Tax Panel ($40,000): to produce a GPS-enabled audio tour highlighting 10 significant locations in Prowers County including the towns of Holly, Granada, and Lamar.
- Ridgway Area Chamber Of Commerce ($20,000): to support a targeted marketing initiative aimed at revitalizing the Ridgway business district, home to both a historic and creative sector.
- Town Of Frisco ($50,000): to execute a strategic and integrated public relations campaign centered on developing brand awareness locally, regionally and nationally of the Town of Frisco as a distinct mountain destination.
The funded projects will begin execution in January 2025 and continue through December 2025. For more information about the Colorado Tourism Office Tourism Marketing Grant program, please visit oedit.colorado.gov/tourism-marketing-grant.
About the Colorado Tourism Office
The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) is a division of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The mission of the CTO is to empower the tourism industry by inspiring the world to explore Colorado responsibly and respectfully. The CTO seeks to advance the strength and resilience of the entire industry through collaboration, inclusivity, innovation, and leadership. In 2023, Colorado travelers spent $28.2B, generating $1.8B in local and state revenues, reducing the tax burden for every Colorado household by $800. For more information, please visit www.colorado.com.