Wyoming tourism revenue tops $2 billion

Think Wyoming has been more crowded in recent years? You’re right, but it doesn’t entirely have to do with population growth.

Leisure tourism has boomed in recent years, delivering more than $2 billion into the state’s economy for the first time in 2004.

Diane Shober, state travel director, said Wyoming’s numbers fall in line with some national trends as baby boomers begin to travel more.

"When you have people who have more time to spend on the road, that contributes to destination spending," she said. And people tend to have discretionary money to spend while on the road.

Travel spending in Wyoming in 2004 amounted to about $5.5 million per day, according to a report compiled by an Oregon firm hired by the Wyoming Business Council. Adjusted for inflation, spending has increased 2.2 percent each year since 1997 within Wyoming’s second-largest industry.

By WHITNEY ROYSTER
Star-Tribune staff writer

Full Story: http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/09/21/news/f27e5e38b815abf58725708300034c07.txt