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Aspen sales rise 14 percent in April

Andre Salvail
The Aspen Times

Business is supposed to slow down in April, the month that ski season winds down and fewer visitors fly into Aspen.

But with on-mountain snow conditions remaining solid during the month, Aspen retailers collectively realized a $3 million increase in sales compared with the same month last year, according to the city’s monthly consumption tax report.

The latest report, released Thursday by the city’s Finance Department, shows that businesses garnered $25.16 million, a 14 percent boost compared with April 2013’s $22.06 million.



The accommodations category, which represents hotel and lodge bookings, saw a 32 percent jump in sales, rising from $2.7 million to $3.6 million. Other gains were posted in restaurants-bars (10.7 percent), sports equipment-clothing (14 percent), construction (24 percent), food and drug (14.3 percent), jewelry-gallery-fur (101.1 percent), liquor (8.5 percent) and clothing (9 percent).

The city’s 2.1 percent sales tax generated $558,049, a 21 percent increase when compared with the $461,687 collected in April 2013.




Year-to-date retail activity is pacing well ahead of last year’s January-to-April period. Businesses reported $233.46 million in sales, a 7.9 percent increase compared with $216.43 million in the same four months last year.

April generally accounts for 4 percent to 5 percent of annual sales in Aspen, according to Finance Director Don Taylor.

andre@aspentimes.com