DENVER (Feb. 19, 2026) — Visit Denver, and the Visit Denver Foundation, will honor six Tourism Stars at the 26th Annual Denver & Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame Dinner on Wednesday, March 4, at Mission Ballroom. The Tourism Stars are recognized for going above and beyond in 2025 to help make Denver a top destination for leisure travelers, conventions and meetings.
The Visit Denver Foundation awards scholarships to undergraduate students pursuing degrees and certificates in hospitality and tourism at accredited Colorado colleges and universities. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded nearly $1.8 million to more than 620 students. The Hall of Fame Dinner serves as both a fundraiser and a way to honor tourism impacts from the previous year.
Tourism continues to be a powerful economic engine for Denver. In 2024 (the most recent year of available data), the city welcomed 37.1 million visitors, who spent more than $10.3 billion and supported 73,500 jobs, making tourism one of the metro area’s largest employers.
“Denver delivered an exceptional year for visitors in 2025, driven by strong civic partnerships and world-class cultural offerings,” said Richard Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver, the official destination marketing organization for the city. “From transformative downtown investments to landmark exhibitions and beloved seasonal traditions, these Tourism Stars played a key role in elevating Denver’s appeal. We are proud to recognize their contributions and look forward to celebrating them in March.”
16th Street
The long-anticipated reopening of 16th Street marked a major milestone for downtown Denver. Led by the City and County of Denver, including the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Community Planning and Development, Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver Arts & Venues and Downtown Denver Partnership, the revitalized corridor reintroduced one of the city’s most iconic public spaces. The project enhanced accessibility, public art, programming and the overall visitor experience, reinforcing downtown Denver as a vibrant hub for tourism, business, dining, shopping and events.
Denver Christkindlmarket
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, Denver Christkindlmarket has become one of the city’s most beloved holiday traditions. Produced by the German American Chamber of Commerce – Colorado Chapter, the open-air market draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually with its authentic European holiday atmosphere, artisan vendors, traditional food and live entertainment, including being paired with Visit Denver’s Mile High Tree. The milestone anniversary underscored the market’s role as a signature seasonal attraction and a driver of winter visitation to downtown Denver.
Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum continued to attract national and international attention in 2025 with a slate of major exhibitions, including “The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism,” “Fuse Box: Sarah Sze,” “A Century of Art in Latin America,” “Kent Monkman: History is Painted by the Victors” and “Charles Sandison: Chamber.” These exhibitions, some of which were only showing in the U.S. in Denver, highlighted the museum’s global reach, curatorial excellence and ability to draw visitors seeking both historic and contemporary art experiences.
Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light®
Denver Botanic Gardens marked the 40th anniversary of Blossoms of Light® in 2025, an iconic regional holiday event that is regularly recognized by national publications, including Conde Nast Traveler and U.S. News & World Report, as one of the best holiday light events in the country. The dazzling winter display has become a seasonal pilgrimage for visitors and residents, contributing significantly to winter tourism while reinforcing Denver’s reputation for innovative outdoor cultural experiences. The addition of a Sensory-Friendly Night greatly increased the accessibility of the event.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
In its 125th year, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science delivered another standout year with blockbuster exhibitions including “Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep,” “The Secret World of Elephants” and “Brick Planet: A Magical Journey Made with LEGO® Bricks.” These immersive, family-friendly experiences drew visitors from across the region and beyond, reinforcing the museum’s role as one of Denver’s most visited attractions.
History Colorado
History Colorado Center, one of eleven museums and historic sites operated by History Colorado, engaged visitors with a powerful lineup of exhibitions exploring identity and community through the stories of our state’s shared past. Stand out exhibitions included The 90’s: Last Decade Before the Future, Big Dreams in Denver’s Little Saigon, and Where Is Denver’s Chinatown, as well as a trilogy of exhibitions recognizing the twin anniversaries of America’s 250 years of independence and Colorado’s 150 years of statehood, such as Moments That Made Us, 38th Star: Colorado Becomes the Centennial State and Expedition 1776: The Journey of Dominguez and Escalante. The exhibitions provided meaningful and surprising cultural context while spotlighting the diverse history and communities of Denver and our state, all contributing to cultural tourism and educational travel.
Community members and industry leaders are invited to purchase a table and attend the Tourism Hall of Fame Dinner to celebrate Denver’s Tourism Stars. Table purchases help honor the organizations and events that drive visitation while supporting the Visit Denver Foundation and its scholarship programs for future hospitality and tourism professionals.
The Denver & Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame dinner is a fundraising event for the Visit Denver Foundation, which has awarded more than $1.6 million in scholarships to 577 Colorado students pursuing a career in tourism and hospitality.
About Visit Denver, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating 117 years of promoting The Mile High City, Visit Denver is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. Denver welcomed more than 37.1 million visitors in 2024, generating $10.3 billion in spending, while supporting tens of thousands of jobs and making Tourism one of the city’s largest industries. Learn more about Denver at Visit Denver or Tourism Pays Denver. Follow Denver’s social media channels for up-to-the-minute updates on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.