The restaurant sector was the only group of businesses registering a positive gain in sales tax receipts this May over what was collected a year ago during the same month. The lodging, groceries, and construction sectors all reported decreased sales from May 2024 to May 2025.
Those tallies were among the detailed sales tax receipts the Town of Estes Park’s finance department released Friday, July 25. The department tracks collections by total dollars received from various sectors of the business industries inside the town limits each month. Overall, taxable sales reported for May 2025 decreased 9% from the taxable sales reported for May 2024.
According to the report, “the Restaurants industry sector collections increased 10.70%, or $35,449 in May 2025 over May 2024. Delinquent returns filed in 2025 were $20,261 higher than in 2024. There were several delinquent returns filed in 2025 from large filers. After backing out delinquencies, this industry experienced an increase of $15,188. Overall, this industry experienced an increase, which appears to be due to an increase in economic activity. In addition to this increase, there also appears to be several potential late filers.”
Total sales taxes received from lodging properties inside the town limits for May 2025 reflected a decrease of 0.40% from 2024. However, the town’s financial report includes some state refunds filed in 2025 and delinquency filings, bringing the lodging receipts for the month $278 ahead of those received in 2024. In addition, the report said that the town’s analysis indicates funds could still be due from a business that has not filed its sales tax report or submitted collections.
Lodging sales tax receipts collected by the Local Marketing District in May 2025 for use by Visit Estes Park showed a decrease from those received in May 2024. Year over year, the VEP sales tax receipts came in 2.3% less than those collected last year. In its annual comparison, VEP’s receipts are 0.6% higher than in 2024.
During the first five months of 2025, the town received $1,374,994 in dedicated 6E funds.
The town’s report shows that the groceries industry sector collections decreased 11.55%, in May 2025 from May 2024, and that delinquent returns filed in 2025 were down less than $1,000 from 2024.
“After backing out delinquencies, this industry (groceries) experienced an overall decrease of $20,922, which appears to indicate a decrease in economic activity,” the report said.
The construction industry sector collections for May 2025 also showed reduced collections, reflecting a decrease of 24.86% from May 2024. According to the report, the decrease “appears to indicate a slight decrease in economic activity.”
The full details of Estes Park’s receipts are in the Town of Estes Park Monthly Economic Dashboard.