April 27--The campaign to bring more visitors to Pueblo and Southern Colorado will have to be a team effort, state and local tourism officials said Friday.

Destination Pueblo, a committee of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, sponsored a luncheon at the Convention Center to discuss what works and what needs to be improved to lure more tourists to Southern Colorado, according to committee member Deborah Espinosa.

"What people are looking for are authentic and unique experiences," Espinosa said to 50 people gathered for the event. "For example, we are learning that ag tourism is people who want to connect to the earth and see their origins in Colorado."

However, Espinosa said, there are challenges to overcome.

"Some shops and places are not open on days and times that attract visitors," she said. "Also, we need to learn more about what attracts regional tourists."

Al White, director of the Colorado Tourism Office, called tourism "a marvelous economic engine and one you need to get behind."

"Pueblo and Southern Colorado are just on the cusp of seeing some real growth in your tourism," White, a former state senator, said.

There are big bucks at stake in tourism, said John Ricks, associate director of the state tourism office.

"In 2011, $15.9 billion was spent on tourism in Colorado, a 9.2 percent increase over the last year," Ricks said.

The bulk of that figure was visitor spending on commercial lodging, he said.

"Sixty percent of the total was from lodging," he said.

Ricks called tourism "a growth industry."

"Last year, tourism generated $879 million in state and local tax. That is a 17.2 percent increase from 2010, when the amount was $750 million."

The state tourism board is actively spreading the word about vacation opportunities in Colorado and will work cooperatively with anyone who wants to boost tourism, Hicks said.

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