Pueblo is becoming a travel and tourism hub in a big way thanks to diverse offerings that appeal to a wide audience, from sporting events to foodie fiestas like the annual Chile & Frijoles Festival that celebrates the tasty Pueblo chile crop.
Travel and tourism bring in a staggering $296 million-plus to the Pueblo County economy — economic boost the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce is celebrating this week in honor of National Travel & Tourism Week. The travel and tourism economic impact has gone up every year since 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to shelter in place.
Colorado Tourism Office statistics complied by Dean Runyan Associates show Pueblo County’s travel and tourism direct spending grew from $205.9 million in 2020, to $276 million in 2021 and $296 million in 2022. The figure accounts for purchases by travelers including lodging taxes paid at hotels and other local and state taxes paid by the traveler when they make purchases like gas, food and souvenirs.
Mandy Thacker, community development coordinator for the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, expects when the state releases its 2023 figures they will be even better.
“I did get numbers from all our destinations like the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum and all the different museums in town and their numbers have all increased each year since COVID,” Thacker said.
Tourism for 2024 also is on track to have a successful impact on economic development. For example, the Pueblo Convention Center last weekend hosted the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, which brought 370 creative arts leaders to Pueblo, Thacker said.
| Year | Direct Spending | Employment | Direct Earnings | Tax Receipts |
| 2022 | $296 million | $2,800 | $102.9 million | $17.2 million |
| 2021 | $276 million | $2,600 | $95.5 million | $16.6 million |
| 2020 | $206 million | $2,400 | $81.7 million | $12.8 million |
What events are bringing visitors to Pueblo?
The Colorado State Fair, held Aug. 23-Sept. 2, and the Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Fest, held Sept. 20-22, are obvious huge summer events in Pueblo that “bring a lot of people into town,” Thacker said.
Visit Pueblo’s new focus on sports tourism is becoming like a well-hit baseball headed over the fence. Sports tourism has “really popped off and gone really well,” Thacker said. The chamber’s Cara Siegel, marketing and engagement coordinator, travels to conferences throughout the United States to bid on events that organizers are looking to host.
“We’ve won a few of those. We just got a cheerleading competition,” Thacker said.
Partnering with the Pueblo Convention Center in a collaborative effort also has definitely helped with entertainment like USA Boxing events, Thacker said. USA Boxing brought an Olympic preview event to Pueblo in April and another event is slated for late October.
“We are able to take those visitors under our wing by providing them with visitor bags and guides on where they can go eat and museums they can visit and things like coupons they can use,” Thacker explained.
Sporting events slated for this summer, fall and winter
Father’s Day weekend is expected to be a big one when the Tony Andenucio Tournament, lovingly referred to as “The ‘Nuch,” is set to bring baseball players to town June 13-16 for games at Runyon Field. That same weekend, the Jim Dilorio Baseball Tournament will bring another 40 baseball teams to Runyon Field June 14-16.
Colorado State University Pueblo’s sporting events also are hitting the travel numbers out of the ballpark with events like the Colorado High School Coaches Association state games set for June 11-14. The university also is bringing in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Day Camp set for June 27-30 for boys and girls ages 13-18 who are focusing on learning more about basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, track and field, baseball and softball.
Grassroots Gravel is set to bring backroad bicyclers to Pueblo on Oct. 12 for races ranging from 15 miles to 110 miles.
CSU Pueblo also will host Colorado High School Athletic Association football championships featuring playoffs for the state’s best six-man and eight-man football teams in December.
Other attractions and activities that bring visitors to Pueblo
Pueblo County also is a destination for fishing, kayaking, hiking, biking and all sorts of activities.
“It’s the season for all that now with everyone getting outside and enjoying the nice weather. We want to encourage people to get out and explore,” Thacker said.
Pueblo’s indoor activities also abound with top-of-the-line museums and a robust restaurant scene offering a plethora of Pueblo chile dishes that foodies can’t resist. This week on social media, Visit Pueblo is highlighting places to explore such as El Pueblo History Museum, which offers Americans with Disabilities Act access and rich cultural programs.
“A lot of times people need certain accommodations so we are trying to highlight those places that are ADA friendly,” Thacker said.
National Travel and Tourism Week runs through Saturday and is highlighted by this year’s theme, “Travel is Essential,” underscoring the critical role of travel in driving economic growth, fostering vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, and enriching quality of life.
More on sports tourism:New Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce division aims to solidify Pueblo as a sports town
Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or via X, formerly Twitter, at twitter.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.