In 2010, the Albany County Tourism Board reported that most visitors to the county traveled from surrounding states, such as Colorado, Nebraska and Montana. However, in the peak tourism months of June, July and August, the number of international visitors rose dramatically, making up 15 percent of all visitors in August.
Jamie Crew, ACTB assistant director, attributes these international visitors to an increase in international advertising and the prominence of the ACTB Website, visitlaramie.org.
“Travelers want to come through Laramie because they see on the Website the beauty of the Snowy Range and Vedauwoo,” Crew said.
Many travelers stop by on their way to better-known locations such as Yellowstone, according to Fred Ockers, ACTB executive director.
But, they are persuaded to stay the night after they see that Laramie has some of the same outdoor experiences as Yellowstone.
“These tourists are mostly European. We see many German, English and French visitors throughout the summer,” said Ockers.
The ACTB saw 700 walk-in visitors in July, and 80 of those visitors were from outside the U.S.
“These visitors really do contribute to the diversity of the town,” Crew said. “After the university students leave in the summer, Laramie loses an international presence. These visitors really help bring it back.”
Most visitors, no matter where they are from, come to experience Western society. “We really want international travelers to participate in western culture, which they have seen in movies and television,” Ockers said.
“Many older visitors remember the Laramie television show with Robert Fuller and want to come see the place for themselves.”
In addition, Laramie offers a wide variety of attractions for visitors, such as the Ivinson Mansion, Wyoming Territorial Prison and the Art Museum, but the most popular attractions to international visitors are the historic downtown and the scenic byway tours, according to Crew.
“The historic walking tour gives fun facts about Laramie’s old downtown. For example, the dance halls and saloons on Ivinson that eventually turned into respectable shops and restaurants,” Crew said.
Also, the scenic byway follows U.S. Highway 130 through Medicine Bow National Forest. In the winter, travelers can still see snow on the peaks and hike at high altitudes away from the summer heat.
Some international travelers simply want to find places away from the crowd and head to cabins in Centennial and Albany where they can hike and ATV, said Ockers.
Although Wyoming does not qualify as one of the most diverse states, according to an MSNBC report titled “Diversity growing in nearly every state,” Albany County does bring in travelers from around the country; some who continue to come back year after year.
“We had a French couple come in over the summer, and they were amazed at all the different things you can do in Laramie. They were already planning another trip for this upcoming summer to come back,” Crew said.
Email: Ann McGuigan