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The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) announced today that its Matching Marketing Grants program has awarded more than $710,000 in grants to 22 Colorado organizations to aid in their marketing efforts. ....
The Royal Gorge Route passenger train is rolling into its 23rd year of providing breathtaking rides through the Royal Gorge canyon, but it is also on track to be a hugely popular restaurant on wheels. When Owner Mark Greksa and his family revived passenger train rides through the Royal Gorge in 1998, about 75,000 passengers rode the train during the two-hour round trip the first two summers of 1999 and 2000. A concession car provided snacks like popcorn, sodas and candy bars back in those days. Fast forward 21 years and the ride has become a year-round attraction that is a huge draw for not only train buffs, but foodies. Chefs obtain the majority of it the train’s goods and ingredients from Colorado producers, creating fresh gourmet foods prepared on the train’s kitchen cars as it chugs into the canyon. ....
Although last summer’s commercial rafting season was characterized as “among the most trying in the industry’s history,” Arkansas River outfitters fared surprisingly well despite the COVID pandemic which forced a late start. It’s hard to imagine, but for some rafting company owners, COVID concerns did not decimate business last summer. In his 10 years at the helm of Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center, owner Brandon Slate has never been as busy as he was last summer despite the global pandemic. “Last year (in the spring) phones were not ringing at all and we ended up having the busiest season since I’ve been running the company,” Slate said. “It was crazy.” ....