Southern Colorado Travel

Web Site Spotlights Southern Colorado, Hopes for Tourism Transfusion

By Tonya Poole, 2-18-06

As states go, Colorado has never had a shortage of tourists and travelers abuzz on its flanks. The fertile ski culture, the lure of fall aspens, and the metro Denver city swing are big draws for the state, and mean big tourism dollars at state and local levels. But wander south of Telluride or Colorado Springs and you’ll watch the flood of out-of-state dollars progressively slow to, in some areas, little more than the drip of a rusty spigot.

Too far south to draw day-trippers from the front range and central Rockies, and too far north to attract attention from Santa Fe and Taos visitors, southeastern and south central Colorado have in many ways suffered from (or enjoyed, depending on your point of view) Little Sister Syndrome – pretty and charming, full of potential, but nonetheless tucked behind the shadow of her bigger, bolder sibling.

In an effort to boost awareness of southern Colorado’s lesser-known but equally-enchanting bounty, Action 22, Inc. – an association of 22 southern Colorado counties uniting to give voice to the region – has launched ColoradosFrontier.com. The travel and tourism site covers 23 Colorado counties and more than 40 cities and towns, from Pueblo to Trinidad to the small towns that collectively make up the San Luis Valley.

The site hosts area information by county, browsable by interactive map, and lists events and attractions, things to do and regional resources. Action 22, Inc. has launched a local ad campaign to entice area travel, adventure and hospitality businesses to list themselves and their events on the site. If that’s you – you can learn more by calling (888) 779-1799, or sending an email to fun@coloradosfrontier.com.

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