The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) was created by the legislature July 1, 2000, to promote Colorado as a tourism and travel destination. The CTO replaces the Colorado Tourism Board and the Colorado Travel and Tourism Authority. The office is governed by a board of directors consisting of fifteen members, including four legislators and eleven members appointed by the Governor and representing various tourism and travel industry segments. Administrative oversight is provided by the Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
Promotion Activities
To carry out its mission, the Colorado Tourism Office oversees the following activities:
- Colorado Welcome Centers, ten centers with helpful travel information conveniently located across the state.
- Advertising and public relations, funded by the state and private partners.
- Customer response services and promotional materials, including maintenance of the official state travel web site, www.Colorado.com, the 1-800-COLORADO telephone information center, and publication and distribution of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide.
- Research: The CTO Board sponsors research on trends in the Colorado travel and tourism industry and the economic impact of the industry in the state. Research reports are available in the Industry Partners section of www.Colorado.com.