It's still early, but Visit Cheyenne President Darren Rudloff says he is expecting a banner season for the tourist industry in southeast Wyoming in 2015.

The last few years have all been strong for visitation and Rudloff says low gas prices (about $1.20 per gallon lower than last year) can only help. He says another hopeful sign is an improving national economy, leaving people more confident and with more money for travel.

Another positive is the addition of two major hotels in 2014. Rudloff says even with the increase in hotel rooms, the county's hotel room occupancy rate continued to climb through the year, indication a gradual increase in visitation.

He says another major hotel--the Staybridge Suites near the Frontier Mall--will open this year, and two additional hotels are slated to open in 2016 as well.

Rudloff says the new hotels are especially helpful to the local economy because people who can stay in town for Cheyenne Frontier Days and other events spend more money locally when they don't have to rent a room out of town

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