The Town of Estes Park reported solid revenue growth in 2025, while Visit Estes Park saw steady gains in lodging tax collections, according to December tax distribution data released Feb. 10 by the Colorado Department of Revenue.
Town sales tax collections for the year increased 6.31 percent compared with 2024. VEP’s lodging tax revenue rose 5.81 percent year over year.
The town is completing its monthly analysis to determine what impact, if any, delinquent payments may have had on overall collections. Without adjusting for potential back payments of past-due taxes, December 2025 sales tax collections totaled $1,726,953.90 — a 32.46-percent increase over the $1,303,764.45 collected in December 2024.
“The increase in December was certainly unanticipated,” said Town Administrator Travis Machalek. “I am looking forward to learning more about the driving factors behind that increase as staff completes the December Sales Tax Report.”
Machalek added in an email that the year-over-year growth was also higher than expected. “We know that inflation is playing a role in the increase, with the all-items index rising 2.7 percent before seasonal adjustment,” he said.
VEP’s December lodging tax receipts were up 4.56 percent in 2025 compared with December 2024. The Estes Park Local Marketing District received $216,764 in December 2025, compared with $207,291 the prior year.
For the full year, VEP collected $3,810,727 in 2025, up 5.81 percent from $3,601,194 in 2024.
Funds dedicated to housing and childcare totaled $5,997,618 in 2025.