Why Choose Colorado for Your Next Corporate Meeting or Conference

By Beth Buehler

Deciding where to host a gathering for your next corporate meeting or conference is always a huge first step on a meeting and event planning checklist. It involves examining where attendees will be traveling from, considering budget line items, comparing what various destinations can offer, and looking at the demographics and interests of attendees.

It’s also important to look at the overall vibe of a state. For example, Colorado offers Western friendliness, exudes an adventurous spirit, makes the environment and healthy living a priority, and features all sorts of vibrant communities. Let’s look at four big reasons why Colorado should be chosen for your next corporate meeting or conference.

It’s a Bucket List Place

Many conferences rely on attendee registration, booth sales and sponsorships to make the gathering financially sustainable and frequently are a money maker for the organizing association that relies on the proceeds to finance operations. The selection of a location for the conference is part of finding the right lodging and venue combination and is helpful when attracting people and businesses to attend.

Colorado is a bucket list destination for many people, so having a chance to visit the Centennial State for a meeting or conference and extending a stay before or after for personal time or additional business activities is attractive. In 2022, according to the most recent Longwoods International report for Colorado, approximately 90 million domestic travelers visited Colorado, and 2.8 million business trips and 1.9 million business-leisure trips were made to the state. Special event trips numbered 2.7 million.

In terms of overnight trips in the state, a total of 3% were for conventions/conferences, 5% for other business and 5% for business-leisure, according to the same report. The top five states of origin for overnight trips are Colorado, California, Texas, Florida and New York and the top five activity groupings for overnight trips are outdoor (60%), entertainment (58%), cultural (40%), sporting (30%) and business (24%).

It’s also helpful to understand Colorado as the location of top businesses. Nine Colorado companies landed on the 2024 Fortune 500 list ranging from Arrow Electronics in Centennial with $33.1 billion in revenue to Ovintiv in Denver with $10.9 billion in revenue. Other companies on the list include EchoStar, Ball Corporation, Liberty Media, DaVita, Newmont, VF and Qurate Retail, all located in the Denver metropolitan area, which means the city is a key place for these entities’ meetings and a solid choice for transportation options.

Corporate Meeting Planning Made Easy

The Colorado meetings and events industry is truly unique in that there is a great deal of partnering that happens between destinations and amongst suppliers. The goal is to bring business to the state and deliver the best fit and customer service possible so that groups come back for more.

A perfect example is Destination Colorado Meetings, an association of more than 165 member venues, destinations and meeting service providers that gather for educational events, host the annual Colorado Meetings Showcase and Customer Appreciation Event, and promote the state at trade shows. There also is an easy online RFP process where meeting and event planners can plug in the parameters of their events and get matched with Destination Colorado Meeting members based on the details submitted.

Destination marketing organizations (DMOs)—usually in the form of convention and visitor bureaus, tourism offices or Chambers of Commerce—represent a specific local community or county. They have staff who can suggest ideal accommodations, venues, activities, attractions, dining options and more for groups. DMOs also often have photography, video and other marketing tools that can help sell management teams on why they should choose Colorado for your next corporate meeting or conference and encourage prospective attendees to take part.

Destination management companies (DMCs) on the other hand are professional services companies that specialize in local expertise and resources. According to The Association of Destination Management Executives International, a DMC is a “strategic partner to provide creative local experiences in event management, tours/activities, transportation, entertainment and program logistics.” Destination Colorado Meetings has eight DMC members that stand ready to assist in Denver, Colorado Springs, Beaver Creek, Vail, Aspen and beyond.

Memorable Corporate Meeting Venues

Selecting the right venues when choosing Colorado for your next corporate meeting or conference is key when making a gathering extraordinary instead of predictable. From ranches, art museums and ski resorts to convention centers and large hotels with spacious conference centers, there is the right fit for nearly every group. Maybe your team would like the privacy of a high-end guest ranch in Grand County or the uniqueness of corporate retreat surrounded by grapevines or orchards in the Grand Junction area.

College campuses in Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Greeley offer all sorts of great venue choices as well as other local attractions that serve as memorable options such as historic theatres, train museums, performing arts centers, breweries, distilleries and more. Or check out the food halls in Golden, along with those in Silverthorne, Boulder, Denver and Aurora. Vail has a meeting and event venue that transforms from a golf club in the summer to a center for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing in winter. How cool is that?

Fun Things to Do

There is no shortage of things to do in Colorado. Think about offering a menu of options for attendees to best plug into their interests. Do you have adventurers, foodies, history lovers, or people who enjoy spa and hot springs relaxation during meeting breaks? Adventurers will plug into the various levels of hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting, paddle boarding, golfing, skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing available. Colorado’s vibrant food scene was recently recognized by the James Beard Foundation and Michelin Guide, and there are all sorts of breweries, distilleries, wineries and food tours within the state’s borders.

History lovers will embrace ranching and historic mining towns that now have world-renowned ski resorts like Aspen, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Steamboat Springs and Telluride. Also consider charming historic towns like Georgetown, Loveland and Trinidad. Buena Vista, Durango, Glenwood Springs, Salida and Steamboat Springs have well-known hot springs, and many hotels, resorts and ranches around Colorado have outstanding spas featuring local products and specialized treatments that reflect the destination.

Why choose Colorado for your next corporate meeting or conference? Easy planning, incredible venues and a huge menu of amazing activities are among the many reasons.

Top Photo: Final evening event planned by RMC during Luxury Ski Week in Aspen, photo by Sam Ferguson Photography 

Colorado native Beth Buehler has been editor of Colorado Meetings + Events magazine for 19 years and helped launch Mountain Meetings magazine that was published for more than a decade as well as Southwest Meetings + Events. She has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado.