Press Release: Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade
January 10, 2002
DENVER, CO -- The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) will launch the second in a series of four PSAs on January 10,
2002 aimed at enhancing instate and drive market travel. The latest 30-second spot features a montage of scenic
Colorado images, and a variety of winter activities, including ice-skating, sledding, skiing and even winter hot-air
ballooning.
Viewers are offered a glimpse of exciting vacation possibilities available in Colorado through striking photography
and copy that reads, ``The scenic beauty of Colorado. The history. The mystery. The fun. Explore the wonders that
bring people here from all over the world. Make this the year that you take an unforgettable vacation right here
in Colorado. You won't believe the adventures that are waiting in your own back yard. Rediscover Colorado.''
``There are countless winter activities and adventures to be enjoyed here in Colorado,'' said Bill Jensen, chairman
of the Colorado Tourism Office Board. ``Through these PSAs we hope to encourage people to explore, enjoy and even
create their own extraordinary Colorado vacation experience while supporting our state's tourism-related businesses
at the same time.''
The second PSA will be worked into rotation with the initial PSA featuring Gov. Bill Owens encouraging Coloradans
to rediscover Colorado. These two winter spots will air through the end of January in three Colorado markets: Colorado
Springs, Grand Junction and Denver. Subsequent PSAs will focus on summer travel in Colorado and will run in April
and June.
The PSAs are one of the major recommendations made by the CTO in a report to the governor on the state of the Colorado
tourism industry, as part of the statewide tourism conference held in October 2001.
One of Colorado's leading industries, tourism employs over 200,000 workers. In 2000, roughly $7 billion, or $19
million per day, was spent in Colorado by business and leisure travelers. A decline of as little as 10% in tourism
spending, could result in a loss of approximately $700 million to the state. Many regions throughout Colorado sustain
their economies through tourism. In some regions, tourism accounts for more than 75% of direct basic income.
SOURCE: Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade