The six goal areas of the 2016 Roadmap included a list of more than 70 initiatives.
Here is a brief recap of some of the progress that has been made since the original roadmap launched:
Goal 1: Expand Meetings & Convention Business and Infrastructure
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The Colorado Convention Center expansion officially opened in December, 2023 and will begin hosting groups in April of 2024. -
The renovation of the National Western Center is proceeding, including the opening of all three CSU Spur Campus buildings: Hydro, Vida and Terra.
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The MEET Denver meeting planner immersion event is now hosted on an annual basis, bringing in dozens of planners each year worth hundreds of millions of dollars of confirmed and potential business.
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VISIT DENVER continues to host key industry groups, including ConferenceDirect (2022), Hospitality Performance Network (HPN; 2022), HelmsBriscoe (2023) and more!
Goal 2: Attract Visitor-Driven Events
Denver continues to offer a variety of visitor-friendly events, and maintains an on-going effort to recruit, support and promote hundreds of events each year. In addition, the Denver365 events calendar continues to be a focus area, collecting and promoting thousand of events each year. Here’s a sampling of some signature events:
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Denver hosted the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, which included three sell-out crowds of nearly 50,000 people each day at Coors Field.
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Denver has hosted several international soccer matches, including tournaments like the Concacaf Gold Cup and the Nations League Finals.
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VISIT DENVER supports and promotes several large annual cultural festivals, including March Powow, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, PrideFest, Denver Food & Wine Festival, Denver Film Festival and many others.
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Through the Tourism Improvement District funding, VISIT DENVER operates the Mile High Tree that welcomed more than 231,000 guests in 2023.
Goal 3: Create World-Class Attractions and Services
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In 2016, the Scientific Facilities & Cultural District (SCFD) was renewed for another 10-year period. -
In 2017, VISIT DENVER, along with the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) and the City and County of Denver, worked together to ensure Denver’s tourism industry remains competitive through the creation of a Tourism Improvement District (TID) that adds a 1 percent tax to the guest folio of hotels with 50 or more rooms in the City and County of Denver.
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The TID generates marketing and programming which includes activities such as client incentives, the MEET Denver event and regional marketing campaigns.
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In 2023, the Go The Extra Mile frontline hospitality training program was launched online. More than 200 frontline workers have already completed the course!
Goal 4: Enhance Connectivity and Mobility
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The A-Line rail from DEN to Denver Union Station opened in 2016. -
In 2022, DEN completed the construction of 39 new gates, significantly increasing its capacity.
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Denver International Airport (DEN) has relaunched nearly all the international flights it had prior to the pandemic and continues to add more. In 2024, two more nonstop flights will launch from Monterrey, Mexico by Viva Aerobus and from Dublin, Ireland by Aer Lingus.
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In February 2024, DEN opened the new West Security area, a significant milestone in the Great Hall expansion project.
Goal 5: Improve Downtown Visitor Experience
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The renovated 16th Street Mall will begin opening in late 2024 and complete in late 2025.
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VISIT DENVER was one of the original funders for HOST, Denver’s Department of Housing Stability.
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VISIT DENVER supported the Downtown Denver Action Partners, a collaboration between the Downtown Denver Partnership, the City and County of Denver, RTD, Denver Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. These efforts, launched in November 2022, span the entirety of downtown, with a concentration of resources first deployed in areas experiencing higher levels of crime and public health incidents.
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VISIT DENVER enhanced its Clean & Safe Resource Guide for meeting planners and convention attendees. This is a comprehensive list of the safety and activation initiatives focused on the City Center.
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VISIT DENVER developed an ad campaign and accompanying website to encourage young people to pursue careers in tourism and hospitality. This initiative also includes working with education partners at Denver Public Schools, Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, and Junior Achievement to reach high school aged-students and educate them about the variety of career pathways in hospitality.
Goal 6: Strengthen Destination Branding
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In 2023, VISIT DENVER worked with Denver-based BrandJuice, to update the city’s consumer brand. The new brand positioning, “Uplifting by Nature” has been incorporated into a variety of promotional campaigns and is informing a corporate rebrand that VISIT DENVER will launch in spring 2024. -
In 2023, the internationally recognized Michelin Guide launched its first-ever Colorado edition. 26 Denver restaurants were recognized, including three – Beckon, Bruto and Wolf’s Tailor – that were awarded a coveted Michelin Star.
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In 2023, Denver Arts Week, one of VISIT DENVER’s signature branding programs, broke all records by compiling and promoting more than 500 cultural events during the 9-day-long citywide cultural celebration.
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In 2024, Denver Restaurant Week, another signature branding program, will celebrate its 20th anniversary. More than 250 restaurants are currently signed up to participate.
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VISIT DENVER provides two attraction passes, CityPASS and Mile High Culture Pass, both featuring attractions, allowing visitors to experience top Denver facilities for a discounted price.
