The biggest benefit of hosting the Colorado Governor’s Tourism Conference is not the $235,000 it’s expected to circulate into the local economy.

That’s nice, but we’d get the same boost from any large conference in town and there are more on the way thanks to a public-private partnership to expand the capacity of Two Rivers Convention Center.

The bigger benefit is the context it provides. Tourism is a big deal in this state. From Denver to Durango and all points between, towns put significant resources into attracting visitors. That there’s a conference dedicated entirely to helping Colorado communities tap the economic power of tourism should be an eye-opener for some local residents.

Read more at The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.