Marijuana Tourism Continues to Drive Travel Interest in Denver
Searches for Seattle and Portland have also surged according to Hotels.com data
DALLAS, April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The travel impact of marijuana legalization has been a much debated topic, but for the second year in a row, Denver is expected to see heightened travel interest on and around April 20th according to Hotels.com®.
In 2014, Denver saw a 73 percent year-over-year increase in hotel searches for check-ins during the April 20th weekend, which featured a number of organized marijuana events and music festivals, but coincided with the Easter holiday. While the date falls on a Monday this year, searches for check-ins during April 17-20 have surged yet again, rising over 60 percent over the same timeframe last year.
Denver also experienced an overall boost in popularity in 2014 as it became the 14th most popular domestic destination for Americans, according to the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®). The upward trend was seen across the state of Colorado with searches for the entirety of 2014 showing a 51 percent increase over 2013.
Similarly, the state of Washington has also seen an increase in travel interest since the recreational sale of marijuana was legalized in July of 2014. Seattle, which remains the 18th most popular domestic destination on the HPI, experienced a 61 percent boost in searches in the second half of 2014 after the law was in effect.
While Oregon's Measure 91 won't go into effect until July 1, 2015, the state has already seen a 25 percent rise in searches for stays during the first 90 days that the law is in effect. Travel interest in Portland has also increased during this period, reflecting a 64 percent rise in searches.
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SOURCE Hotels.com
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