Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry

DENVER -- Today, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) named Conor Hall as the new Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) Director.

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC), a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), has been accepted as a member of the United Nations Global Mountain Partnership.

Having grown up in Lima, Peru, Mariana Cevallos never had much experience with nature. When she moved to Colorado in 2015, she immediately fell in love with the great outdoors and Colorado’s active lifestyle. As she immersed herself in the outdoors lifestyle, she began to notice there was very little minority representation. 

As Colorado mountain communities transition from an extraction-based economy to other diverse, sustainable economies, the Commercial Historic Preservation Tax Credit and Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) may prove to be a pivotal tool and resource for these pending changes. 

World-renowned for its parks, forests, and public lands, Colorado provides abundant opportunities for residents and visitors to find connection to outdoor spaces through recreation. However, a lack of financial and economic resources often excludes underserved youth and their families from fully experiencing the array of land, water, and wildlife activities in our state.

DENVER -- The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade will host a virtual trade mission to Canada throughout the month of June, focused on growing the state’s outdoor recreation industry. 

Throughout the month, companies will learn about the Canadian outdoor recreation market, as well as participate in one-on-one matchmaking with potential buyers and partners.

On Thursday, May 20, the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) was signed into statute by Governor Jared Polis. While the OREC office has been in existence since 2015, the bill signing ensures there will always be people to steward Colorado’s outdoor economy and protect its finite resources. 

The Wright Collegiate Challenge is a hands-on, semester-long program for college students, designed to spark out-of-the-box ideas and entrepreneurial thinking in addressing current-day challenges within the outdoor recreation industry. Working in teams, students are paired with leading outdoor businesses and nonprofit organizations to tackle complex issues facing the outdoor recreation industry.

DENVER -- Colorado’s western slope offers limitless outdoor adventure opportunities, and a new partnership among national, state and local entities, including the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) is addressing accessibility barriers. The Glenwood Springs Gear Library provides free outdoor gear and additional information to help remove barriers to participation. 

The #ShopLocalColorado campaign this April celebrates Earth Day by highlighting sustainable products and initiatives by outdoor recreation and renewable energy businesses throughout Colorado. We invite business owners and community partners to utilize the #ShopLocalColorado toolkit to share the shop local message and encourage all Coloradans to shop locally, support our small businesses and boost our economy.