High fuel prices and inflation are expected to dampen the summer tourism season across the country, but the Pikes Peak region could be at least partially insulated as a road-trip destination.  

As travelers look to cut their travel costs and cancel overseas visits, Colorado Springs could be a strong contender in revised plans, said Doug Price, CEO of VisitCOS, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. 

“The upside for us this summer is really that people will stay closer to home,” he said. 

It’s a silver lining as the tourism industry faces a tough outlook for the summer travel season that traditionally kicks off on Memorial Day weekend.

Longwoods International, a market research consultancy, found in a recent survey that high gas prices are influencing American travelers. Among those planning to travel in the next six months, 8% are canceling completely, 36% are reducing their travel, and 41% are planning shorter trips, the consultancy found.

At the same time, international travel into the U.S. has been down, with one of the major hits coming from Canada, Price said.  A University of Toronto study that relied on cellphone data showed trips to large U.S. cities dropped 42% during 2025 compared to the prior year. 

During a challenging year generally, tourism got off to a bit of a slow start in Colorado Springs, with lodgers and auto rental tax (LART) collections in February, reflecting January activity, down about 5% compared to the prior year, and March collections down about 7% But April collections, reflecting March activity, rose by 2.38% from the year before. For activity in the first quarter of the year, collections are down 2.87% compared to the same time period last year.

In a challenging market, VisitCOS and others in the tourism industry are working to lure visitors to town — and a major focus for VisitCOS are potential visitors within a 500-mile radius who would drive here, Price said, although the number of travelers that will show up remains a big question mark.

Some summer hopes for tourism destinations are pinned on celebrations focused on the state’s 150th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the nation, he said, including concerts such as the United We Rock Festival at Rock Ledge Ranch and Tim McGraw’s appearance at Falcon Stadium. 

Sporting destination

Price said he expects travel to town for business conferences and sporting events, such as the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent, to stay largely stable and draw visitors despite higher travel costs. 

“We are going to really depend on those events to be strong this summer to help us get through what’s going to be kind of a questionable summer,” he said. 

A good goal for this summer’s visitation could be holding steady to last summer’s numbers, Price said. More than 25 million visitors a year pass through the region, and 11 million of them spend the night, Price said. 

While Price doesn’t see any single event on the calendar that can replace last year’s U.S. Senior Open, there are plenty of events on the calendar. 

For the second year in a row, the city is expecting to host the Colorado Senior Games, an event expected to draw 800 athletes competing in a variety of sports during June, said Rands Keasler, with the Colorado Springs Sports Corp., a nonprofit.  During 2028, the community will host the National Senior Games, which is also expected to be major draw. 

 A similar event called the Rocky Mountain State games in July also draws athletes across a large variety of sports such as archery, cycling, judo and paddleboarding, she said. 

In addition to Sports Corp.’s major events, it also works to draw smaller competitions to town. The nonprofit endorses the events, but it does not host them. The nonprofit expects about 50 of those events to take place in town, about on par with last year, Keasler said.

Events that will get people to town, such as club sporting tournaments, are important business drivers, said Justin Armour, who owns Crystal Park Cantina in Manitou Springs. 

The year following the COVID-triggered shutdowns was almost too busy as crowds inundated Manitou Springs, but more recently, while the same annual trends are in play, overall volume has been down a bit, he said. 

Armour wasn’t sure if the small decline was driven by economic factors or an overall more competitive market with so many new restaurants opening over 24 months. 

He is hoping for a charming summer in Manitou Springs to bring in business, he said. 

“I am hoping and praying we have a great tourist season,” he said. 

Coming impact of airfare

The Colorado Springs Airport data largely mirrors local tourism revenue. The number of people boarding planes dropped in January and February from the year before and then recovered in March. The latest data shows overall compared to the first quarter of last year, the number of people boarding planes locally is only down .7%, city data shows. 

The airport’s data shows Southwest and United offering fewer flights, while American, Allegiant and Delta have been adding service. 

But a jolt of good news is just around the corner, said Jon Jager, manager of Air Service Development for the airport. While April’s data cannot be released yet, it showed growth, he said. 

“I am encouraged by the numbers,” he said. 

It’s possible that higher airfares driven by higher fuel prices did not have a marked impact on plane travel earlier in the year because travelers had already secured their tickets, he said. 

Those weighing summer travel may decide they can’t afford higher tickets, which could have an adverse impact on the local economy, he said. 

Airlines will also be evaluating their routes as they balance higher costs and shorter flights are often a target for reductions because they cost more to operate, he explained. 

So it’s possible if fewer people take connecting flights to Denver, the frequency of flights to Denver could be cut, Jager said. 

While Colorado Springs is a road-trip destination, if travelers fly in, it typically extends their stays from a single day to multiple nights, ensuring they stay in hotels and eat at restaurants, said PK McPherson, executive director of Pikes Peak Region Attractions. 

Destinations optimism

Despite tough market conditions, the number of people visiting key regional attractions was strong during the first quarter, said McPherson, who runs the association promoting 29 destinations. Not all of the attractions are open year-round. 

“I feel like there is a fair amount of optimism,” she said. But at the same time, high gas prices are a critical factor during the summer season, she said. 

The mild winter allowed Pikes Peak to stay open on more days from January through March, boosting visitation up to 31,000 up from about 27,000 the year prior,  Sarah Braun, interim manager of Pikes Peak — America’s Mountain, said.

The lack of snow at ski resorts in towns such as Breckenridge, Aspen and Vail also drew people down to the Colorado Springs region to take part in other attractions, Price said. 

Amid the price pressures, McPherson and Price expect higher-end attractions and hotels to continue to succeed. 

McPherson also expects free or very low-cost destinations to do well, while those with mid-range ticket prices around $60 each could challenge a family’s budget. Similarly Price said limited-service hotels have more trepidations about the season. 

Resort-style hotel Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs has not experienced much change in visitation, said James Anderson, the general manager. 

“We’re seeing positive signs heading into summer. … We expect this summer to be at par, if not stronger, than last year,” he said, noting that it is an attractive destination for those coming from across Colorado. 

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum also had a strong winter season, driven in part by excitement around the 2026 Winter Games, said Tommy Schield, a spokesman for the museum. During the games, the museum’s chief of content was also gathering artifacts that went up on display at the museum in April, he said, including the American flag that Hillary Knight carried after the women’s Ice hockey team won gold.

“We are trying to bring the 2026 games to life over the summer,” he said. 

The museum also just launched a new display with the signatures of athletes who have visited the museum. It features 700 signatures across the diamond-shaped panels, which were originally part of the building’s exterior.

The museum also works closely with those at the YMCA and Sports Corp. to offer tickets to athletes, families and fans that are coming to town, he said. 

To serve locals, the museum offers free tickets that can be checked out through the Pikes Peak Library District.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Crystal Park Cantina.