The statistic has left Colorado Welcome Center manager Tiffany Alexander scratching her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish I knew what to attribute the increase to,\u201d Alexander said, \u201cbut it is wonderful news.\u201d<\/p>\n
Located on Main Street in Cortez, the Welcome Center celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and as of Good Friday last week, the facility had received a total of 1,254,458 visitors throughout its 25-year history.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of our visitors who come in are headed out of state,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cThe top destination they want to know about is Monument Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander said prepping for the summer tourism season involves ordering and stocking more than 650 brochures, and maintaining knowledgeable and happy volunteers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe generally have three people working the front desk,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cIts more than one person can handle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most of the people who stop at the Welcome Center are from Colorado. In recent years, Alexander said she has witnessed a growing number of Japanese tourists, but she added people from around the world have visited.<\/p>\n
The most obscure question Alexander has received during her 10-year stint at the Welcome Center was about Colorado\u2019s only geyser. Without the Internet, Alexander said she wouldn\u2019t have been able to locate it. (It\u2019s near Dunton.)<\/p>\n
Last year, The Welcome Center had 41,456 visitors. Their top question was for directions to Mesa Verde, Alexander said.<\/p>\n
The largest number of visitors ever recorded at the Cortez Welcome Center was 74,427 in 1992. The lowest number of visitors, 38,133, was recorded in 2001.<\/p>\n