Colorado: The New Belgium?

The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) showcased its culinary scene, along with samples from its abundant craft breweries to travel media at an exclusive tasting event at Wildebeest restaurant in Vancouver on Thursday.

The CTO, touting the tagline ‘Colorado Flavours & Craft Libations’ had plenty of reasons to visit the Colorado, in addition to the fact that the State boasts more beer by volume than anywhere else in the U.S.

Steve Kurowski, marketing & public affairs manager for the Colorado Brewers Guild said Colorado is in the state of a ‘craft beer renaissance’, with 250 breweries operating, including the award-winning New Belgium brewery.

To accompany the copious beer selections on offer, Colorado is also home to an emerging agritourism sector, and local farms and orchards have opened their fields up to tourists who are drawn to the organic farm-to -fork foodie scene.

Lance Hanson, founder of Jack Rabbit Hill Farm in Northwestern Colorado said culinary and micro brew aficionados will be in food and drink heaven while sampling local organic fares, and that as west coasters are known for discerning palates, Vancouver is the is the right market to promote agritourism to.

Durango Tourism representatives  were  on hand to showcase the region’s growing farm-to-fork movement, and Liz Birdsall from the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs said in addition to a recent $50 million renovation, the five star property’s restaurants feature the classic culinary creations of the American West.

Mike Driver, director, CTO, told PAXnewsWest that Vancouver represents an important target market for the Colorado Tourism Office, and was the only Canadian city visited on this year’s trade mission.

“Vancouver is a hugely important to us as a destination and a tourist market,” said Driver. “There are a lot of cultural similarities between what’s happening in Colorado and what’s happening in Vancouver.”

Driver said that while travellers most often want to try something new when vetting vacation destinations, they also tend to look for the familiar, or the comforts of home, and in that respect Colorado is a good fit for Vancouverites.

“We have really good weather, if anyone’s looking for a break from the rain,” Driver quipped.

Colorado also has a huge ski country, with Aspen consistently rating among the world’s top ski hills, and in the summer has multiple cycling, fishing and outdoor sporting adventures on offer.

Air Canada and United Airlines currently offer daily non-stop service to Denver from YVR.

For more information, go to Colorado.com.

Photo: Maria Pradissoto, Durango, Mike Driver, director, CTO, Liz Birdsal, Broadmoor Resort, Melissa Medeiros, media relations, CTO, Amy Morgan, musician, Post Paradise, Annika Klint, Canadian Representative, CTO, Nick Duarte, musician, Post Paradise, Tim Pancini, tourism representative, CTO and Steve Kurowski, marketing & public affairs, Colorado Brewers Guild.