With Memorial Day in the rearview mirror, the summer tourism season is underway — and, according to some forecasts, it could be disappointing.

Amid President Donald Trump’s ever-evolving trade war, the World Travel & Tourism Council says the U.S is on track to lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending this year. And with falling consumer confidence and still-high prices, only 46% of U.S. adults are planning to travel this summer, according to Bankrate’s 2025 Summer Travel Survey released in April; that’s down from 53% in 2024. Meanwhile, U.S. hotel occupancy rates are expected to edge up slightly from 2024, the American Hotel & Lodging Association predicts, but will still remain below 2019, pre-pandemic rates.

Industry group representatives are hopeful the Pikes Peak region, though, will be insulated from the worst of those impacts. Doug Price, president and CEO of Visit COS, the city’s marketing agency for tourism, is optimistic about the summer and points to several major events coming to the area in June and July, including the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament at The Broadmoor.

“We’ve started the year well,” he said. “Through the month of March, the lodging and auto rental tax collections year over year are up about 1.13%. It’s really good when you can come out of the slowest quarter of the year and be up year over year.”

Tourism is a key component of the Colorado Springs economy. “Total spending by visitors in 2024 was $3.1 billion and that’s up from $2.9 billion in 2023,” Price said. One data point suggests that each passenger at the Colorado Springs Airport spends about $750 during their stay, a direct injection into the local economy.

The U.S. Senior Open in late June appears ready to be a major boost for the local economy. Estimates call for up to 130,000 people to attend the tournament, which is expected to generate $24 million in economic impact for the city.

“There will be a lot of international players competing and we expect to welcome spectators from around the world,” said Russ Miller, the director of golf at The Broadmoor. “Previous championships were the largest one-week period of tax revenue in Colorado Springs for the entire year. It’s a proven economic driver.”

Other athletic events Price highlighted include the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 12 and the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, taking place between July 8 and 12 at the Penrose Equestrian Center, which he anticipates will draw tens of thousands of visitors.

One local attraction that’s impossible to miss is Pikes Peak, which dominates the view west. Visitors can take the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway or drive the Pikes Peak Highway to the summit, or they can plan to hike up to it.

Last year was a busy one on the Pikes Peak Highway, with 282,593 drivers taking the road up between May and August. This summer, staff at America’s Mountain are expecting a 20%-30% increase compared to last year, according to previous coverage by The Gazette.

Timed-entry permits are once again required through Sept. 30. The city explains the system is designed to make the experience more enjoyable, reduce your wait in line, and make sure there are enough parking spots along the highway. More information can be found online at coloradosprings.gov/drivepikespeak.

Also, shuttle buses will have more frequent stops at Crystal Creek Reservoir Gift Shop, Glen Cove Visitor Center, Devils Playground and the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center, which opened in June 2021.

PK McPherson, executive director of Pikes Peak Region Attractions, an association of local sites marketing the area’s tourism, said early numbers at area attractions have been somewhat flat — though flat, of course, is better than down, she noted.

“There are numerous unknowns, including tariffs, travelers’ sense of job security, and consumer confidence, as well as gas prices, weather, and wildfires,” she said. “I don’t think anyone will be doing backflips in September (the end of the season), but I think it will be an OK year.”

One positive sign: Gas prices are below year-ago prices, key for a region so reliant on car travel. As of midweek last week, the national average for a gallon of gas was about 40 cents cheaper than a year ago, according to AAA. In Colorado Springs, the difference was less dramatic — about 20 cents — at $3.033 a gallon on Wednesday.

As for air travel, while some reports point to softening demand this summer — United Airlines, for example, said it will reduce domestic flights by 4% starting in July because of weakened demand — the Colorado Springs Airport is ready for a busy summer, roughly on par with last year. Throughout June, July and August, airport staff expect to see about 375,000 passengers coming and about the same amount going. The spring break travel season, though, was a bit slower this year; March passenger traffic was down about 3% from last year.

Visitors to the region will, of course, be dining, and that’s one area where optimism may be lacking. The Colorado Restaurant Association is beginning to hear from restaurant owners concerned about the summer outlook as economic worries persist.

“Summer travel, even around the state (by) residents, is really important for local restaurants,” said Colorado Restaurant Association Vice President of Communications Denise Mickelsen. “Patio season is critical, and as much as possible, we hope that people will go out and enjoy the Colorado sunshine on a restaurant patio.”

Joe Campana, who, along with his wife, Hannah, owns several Colorado Springs restaurants including Bonny and Read, The Rabbit Hole and SuperNova, has his concerns for the summer.

“We’re down 5 to 10% across the board at most of our restaurants,” he said. “I am brewing my own beer for all of my companies just to keep our prices down because everything’s going up. … Hops have gone up, grain’s gone up, chocolate’s gone up (and) coffee’s gone up.”

Amid those costs, “We’re scared,” he said. “This doesn’t feel like a housing market crash, this feels like everything is about to crash.”

Headed to the outdoors

Outdoor recreation is a key draw for visitors to the Pikes Peak region. Andy Neinas, who jokes that his title is “troublemaker,” owns and operates Echo Canyon River Expeditions, a rafting, lodging and “glamping” company in Canon City. Even though snowpack levels are lower than usual, reservoir capacity is strong, he said, which will benefit white water rafting.

Some travelers are making reservations, Neinas said, but added many people are playing things by ear, making their decisions at the last minute.

“If you’re looking for a big and exciting white water rafting experience, come in the first part of June. Past that, Mother Nature starts to decline and we return to family friendly flows that last through August,” Neinas said. “Snowpack impacts peak season… but another part of it is also reservoir capacity, and that is strong.”

Farther from the Springs, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve is also poised for a regular season.

Located roughly three hours from Colorado Springs, most of the park’s visitors are domestic and just under half of them are from Colorado.

A typical year may be just the National Park Service needs. Driven by efforts from President Trump and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk to shrink the federal workforce, roughly 1,000 National Park Service employees were laid off earlier this year. 

Indications of a drop in visitors from other countries remind park Superintendent Andrea Compton of years during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic. International travel virtually stopped but domestic travel thrived.

“What we saw (during COVID) was a counterbalance of U.S. people traveling more. … I’m going to watch with interest. It wouldn’t surprise me if there’s something similar like that that happens again,” she said.

Last year, the park and preserve saw more than 437,000 visitors, down from an all-time high of 602,000 in 2021 and more in line with previous years. It is still higher than visitation numbers from a decade ago.

Overall, the tourism sector appears primed for a busy, if not record-breaking, summer.

“You can’t tell people not to come in the summer,” Price, of Visit COS, said. “Everybody knows Colorado is a great, great place in the summer.”