Tourism Pays for Colorado Springs & the Pikes Peak Region
ShareCOS
Sharing Colorado Springs responsibly is critical to the ongoing vitality of our city.
When we share our city with the people we love, we make it a better, more vibrant place to live, work and play.
We love Colorado Springs
A select few are fortunate to have been born in Colorado Springs. The rest of us got here as quickly as we could. Maybe you came here on a family vacation and knew you'd be back to live here someday. Maybe you went to college here and never left. Or maybe you were stationed at one of our military bases and decided to make it your place of retirement. Now that you call Colorado Springs your home, it's probably true that you can't help but share this amazing place with your friends and family.
Did you know that every time someone visits, they help fund all of our favorite things? It's true! From local events to parks and trails, road repairs and even your favorite local businesses - they all benefit from tax dollars ONLY VISITORS pay! Don't believe us? Read on to learn more!
It's tax money that our community DOES NOT pay but still gets to enjoy all its benefits!
What IS LART Funding?
LART (Lodging and Auto Rental Tax)
A funny little acronym with a BIG impact on our community. What is it? In short, this is a tax that visitors pay when they stay at a local lodging property or rent a car. That means it's tax money that our community DOES NOT have to pay but still gets to enjoy all its benefits!
That's right, unless you take a nice stay-cation here in COS where you rent a car, stay in a hotel, resort or AirBnB, you will NEVER pay this tax.
Think about a time you went on vacation and checked out of a hotel. Those added taxes on your invoice is a lodging tax. Most destinations' tax range from 11-16%.
Our LART? Just 2%! We have one of the lowest LART percentages in the country. But don't let her small percentage fool you - this small amount makes a BIG difference in our community and helps fuel our economy. Learn about the ways we use this funding below.
Guest Create More Than Memories
Visitors Benefit Parks & Trails
Your college roommate's visit to Colorado Springs helps fund our parks, trails and open spaces. Projects from LART tax include trail maintenance, building new trails and preserving open spaces.
Out of Town Guests Keep Businesses Open
Your bestie's Colorado Springs visit helps employ 20,000 of our friends, family and neighbors. Every time a visitor eats in a restaurant, grabs a beer or visits an attraction, local businesses benefit.
Visitors Keep Events on the Calendar
A visit from your aunt helps fund our favorite community events. Without tax dollars from her visit, these events may not have a future.
How tourism works for you
The mission of Visit Colorado Springs is to create economic vitality through memorable visits to the wonders of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region. The link below provides more information on what we do and why it's important to all of us.
