≡-Pagosa Springs in US Launches New Lodgers Association Amid Ongoing Tourism Challenges – A Step Towards Sustainable Tourism and Local Prosperity – Viral of Today

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Home » TOURISM NEWS » Pagosa Springs in US Launches New Lodgers Association Amid Ongoing Tourism Challenges – A Step Towards Sustainable Tourism and Local Prosperity Tuesday, July 8, 2025On July 2, following a rather unusual meeting of the Pagosa Springs Area Tourism Board, the walk out of Town Hall was shared with one of the downtown business owners. This individual was among those directly impacted by the ongoing highway reconstruction project that cuts through downtown Pagosa Springs, a project expected to take a full two years to complete.In an effort to understand how businesses were managing amidst the disruption, it was inquired about the current status of walk-in traffic for the summer. The response indicated a troubling downturn, with business owners reporting a 58 percent decrease compared to the previous year.To provide some context, it is important to note that the Tourism Board is a joint initiative between the Town of Pagosa Springs and the Archuleta County government. It comprises appointed representatives from a range of tourism-related sectors, including lodging, restaurants, and activities. The primary role of this Board is to make recommendations to the Town Council and the Board of County Commissioners regarding the use of the Lodging Taxes, which are collected separately by the Town and County. In 2024, these taxes amounted to around $1.4 million. Historically, most of this revenue has been allocated to marketing efforts, staffing for the downtown Visitors Center, and supporting events geared towards tourism.However, there is a possibility that the spending priorities of the Board might be revisited, a topic that was touched upon during the meeting but will be explored in more detail in a follow-up discussion.For the past two decades, many local leaders had operated under the assumption that promoting tourism would directly benefit the residents of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County. Over time, however, the growing cost of living, particularly in housing, has become a significant burden for working families and seniors on fixed incomes. While the effects of tourism promotion on these issues are a matter of debate, some believe that the continued emphasis on attracting tourists has only exacerbated the challenges faced by residents.At the meeting on July 2, these concerns about infrastructure needs such as roads, housing, and the deteriorating sewer system were notably absent from the discussions. Instead, the meeting focused primarily on ways to gather information about tourists visiting Pagosa Springs and strategies to attract even more. This included the introduction of a company called Blue Room, which had been hired by the Tourism Board to provide local data on tourism trends, aimed at enhancing marketing efforts.Unfortunately, Blue Room was facing challenges in gathering the necessary data to track visitor trends, such as lodging occupancy, average room rates, and booking lead times. This is because many local lodgers in Pagosa Springs have consistently refused to provide this information to both Blue Room and the Tourism Board. This lack of cooperation made it difficult to obtain accurate data, leaving the Board in a compromised position when it comes to shaping future marketing efforts.During the meeting, however, an interesting development was shared. The Town Council and the Board of County Commissioners had recently amended their agreement concerning the joint funding of the Tourism Board. As part of this amendment, a seat on the Board was allocated to an entity called the “Lodging Association.” The issue with this, however, was that such an association did not yet exist.That changed when a handful of lodging representatives at the meeting announced that they had officially formed the Pagosa Lodgers Association. Registered as an LLC in May 2025, the association now represents a collective of local lodging providers. While the number of members is modest—13 businesses out of approximately 600 lodging entities in Archuleta County—it marks an important milestone for the industry.The representative from the newly formed association, Kelly Spence, explained the purpose of the organization, which aims to advocate for the effective use of Lodgers Tax funds to market Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County as a premier tourist destination. The association, as she emphasized, seeks to ensure that lodging businesses have a say in how the tax dollars collected from their guests are spent.It was also made clear that the taxes in question are not directly “taken from the lodgers” themselves but are collected from guests who stay at hotels, motels, and vacation rentals. These taxes are then remitted to the Town or County, helping fund tourism promotion efforts.Spence also outlined the association’s goals, which include advocating for data-driven advertising and initiatives that can attract year-round visitors to Pagosa Springs. In her view, strengthening the tourism sector and fostering shared prosperity for local residents is essential. The association, she explained, is willing to do whatever it can to support this initiative, and it is open to exploring any opportunities to contribute positively to the local tourism industry.When asked about the membership of the association, Spence hesitated, noting that they had not yet provided a full list of members to the Tourism Board. This lack of clarity led to further discussion about the need for transparency in representing the interests of the local lodging community. Despite the vagueness surrounding the membership details, Spence reiterated that invitations to join the association had been extended to numerous lodging entities, and the association has already held six to eight meetings.The board was also told that further updates from the Pagosa Lodgers Association would be provided later in the meeting. As the conversation progressed, it was clear that the association’s formation was a step toward giving the lodging sector a more substantial voice in the future of local tourism.In a separate but related matter, the topic of increasing the Archuleta County Lodgers Tax was briefly discussed. This potential increase could appear on the November 2025 ballot, with the additional funds possibly directed toward further tourism promotion and infrastructure improvements. However, this conversation would be addressed more thoroughly in the next meeting, scheduled for June 25.The second part of the Tourism Board’s ongoing discussions will focus on the use of the Lodgers Tax funds and how the potential tax increase might impact the tourism industry and the local economy. The community will also be kept informed about how the funds will be spent, with a keen eye on whether they will directly address the growing concerns over infrastructure and housing.The conclusion of the July 2 meeting left several open questions regarding the future of Pagosa Springs’ tourism strategy. Will the increased focus on marketing and attracting more tourists ultimately help or hurt the local residents who are struggling with the cost of living? Will the newly formed Lodgers Association have the influence it needs to ensure that the concerns of lodging providers are adequately represented? And, most importantly, how will the town address the pressing infrastructure challenges that continue to affect its residents?The upcoming discussions and decisions surrounding these issues are expected to have a lasting impact on both the local tourism industry and the community as a whole.

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