ACRA Proposes $4.9M Budget to Offset Aspen Airport Closure

Aspen —Will the closure of the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport hurt local businesses? The Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) says no, provided they spend nearly $5 million to keep people coming.

On Monday, ACRA presented its proposed 2027 budget of $4,931,473 to the Aspen City Council. The plan is driven by one specific logistical hurdle: the airport will be closed from April 7 to Nov. 19. To bridge that gap, the association is asking for a significant bump in marketing and sales spending, betting that money can substitute for convenience.

The math holds up on paper, though it requires dipping into the past to fund the future. ACRA projects 2027 income at $4,431,473, a dip from the $4,843,136 expected in 2026. However, the proposed expenses are higher than last year’s approved total of $4,843,136. That leaves a projected deficit of roughly $500,000.

Eliza Voss, ACRA’s Vice President of Destination Marketing, confirmed that the gap will be covered by $250,000 in 2026 savings and another $250,000 from Destination Marketing reserves.

To hear them tell it, the extra spend is a necessity, not a luxury. Voss noted that the budget supports ACRA’s Aspen Destination Management Plan and is designed to "attract visitors to town." The goal, she said, is to address visitor pressure while preserving the small-town character that draws people in the first place.

The biggest line item is the Marketing and Programming sector, which sees a $195,021 increase. The total for that sector jumps from $3,048,022 in 2026 to $3,243,043 in 2027. Of that, approximately $776,000 is allocated to leisure marketing advertising — about $100,000 more than typical.

Voss explained that this additional advertising spend is "in support of attracting visitation during the airport closure to remain relevant." It funds photography, videography for campaigns, and social media presence. The budget also maintains sponsorships for major events like the Aspen Literary Festival, X Games, and Ruggerfest.

For those who fly into Eagle County Regional Airport during the closure, ACRA has pledged $65,000 toward ground transportation. The association is also supporting Fly Aspen Snowmass and a new Visitor Information specialist position based in Carbondale for the White River National Forest.

But flying isn’t the only way to fill hotel rooms. Group sales are a major lever, and ACRA is pulling on it harder this year. Sarah Reynold Lasser, ACRA’s Senior Director of Business Development, announced an increase in annual booking incentives for group business.

Currently, a Master Account credit is $2,000 for groups booking a minimum of 10 sleeping rooms per night. Starting May 1 and running through Nov. 30, that incentive rises to $5,000 for groups booking 200 room nights or more.

Reynolds Lasser said the timing is deliberate. "We are targeting that timeframe when the airport is closed, incentivizing groups to still book Aspen as a destination," she said. "We are doing our part to help make it easier."

The question is whether a $5,000 incentive and a bus ticket can outweigh the inconvenience of a four-hour drive. For ACRA, the bet is that relevance and high occupancy are worth the price of admission.

Voss left the council with a clear stance on the strategy: "This budget is also where photography and videography come in for campaigns, as well as social media."