[Boulder, CO] November 18, 2024 Since 1995, Downtown Boulder Partnership, Visit Boulder, and the City of Boulder have teamed up with RRC Associates to capture visitor and resident experiences in the biannual Downtown Boulder Intercept Survey. From this past July to September, 775 visitor intercept surveys were completed, and the full results of the survey are available on the Downtown Boulder Partnership website.
Questions focused on defining who comes downtown, customer behavior, types of businesses and activities visitors engage in, how much money they spend, and demographics of where they live and work.
Locals continue to be the primary visitors to Downtown and drive economic activity. In 2024, just over half of the Colorado respondents in the survey were from Boulder vs. 43% in 2018. Outside of Boulder, respondents reported coming from Longmont, Denver, Lafayette, Broomfield, and Louisville. These local residents are critical to Downtown’s success, and they also bring friends and family downtown, as word-of-mouth was a top-rated response in the survey for why people choose to come Downtown.
Out-of-town visitors also play a crucial role in sustaining and energizing downtown Boulder’s economy. Nearly half of those surveyed lived outside of Colorado, and these visitors reported spending almost double the amount per visit compared to local residents. This demonstrates the significant financial impact tourists have on downtown businesses, from shopping and dining to enjoying entertainment and supporting arts and cultural activities. Much of this out-of-state visitor traffic continues to come from states with large populations including California, Texas, and Illinois, underscoring Boulder's appeal and ease of access for travelers.
Key findings:
- Visitors are critically important to downtown businesses. 41% of those surveyed were from outside of Colorado. Out-of-state visitors spend nearly double per visit downtown vs. Boulder County residents.
- 60% of visitors are in town for leisure (vacation or visiting friends/family). 2024 saw a jump in college visits with 1 in 10 reporting they were here to visit CU Boulder. Most people rely on word of mouth for pre-trip planning or have been to Boulder before.
- This year saw a rise in people coming to shop but revealed a decrease in respondents who cited dining as their primary purpose for their visit downtown. The number of employees surveyed on Pearl Street dropped by half from 2018. The post-COVID shift to remote and hybrid work continues to impact pedestrian traffic as it is in urban districts nationwide.
- Half the survey respondents reported eating a meal while downtown. When asked what drove the choice of restaurants, the top response was cuisine type, followed by ambiance. Price was not a major factor in choosing a restaurant.
- More than two-thirds of visitors said their experience in Boulder was better than expected and over 60% said they would be extremely likely to recommend Boulder to friends for a leisure destination.
“It’s no secret that the past few years have been challenging for all downtowns across the nation, and downtown Boulder is no exception,” said Downtown Boulder Partnership CEO Bettina Swigger. “The results of this survey are promising, showing that both locals and out-of-town guests are coming downtown. Visiting the district strengthens the cultural and economic fabric of our community. This winter, we welcome guests from near and far to explore our many restaurants, shops, public spaces, holiday events, and cultural sites. Each visit strengthens our local economy and deepens the connections that make our community thrive."
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Inquiries:
Downtown Boulder Partnership:
Terri Takata-Smith, VP Marketing & Communications, terri@downtownboulder.org
Visit Boulder:
Karleen Lewis, Director of Marketing & Communications, karleen.lewis@bouldercvb.com
City of Boulder:
Emi Smith, Communications Program Manager, smithe@bouldercolorado.gov