Visit Cheyenne President Darren Rudloff says he expects 2015 Summer visitation to the area to increase over the past two years, both of which were strong tourism seasons.

Rudloff says a combination of still-low gas prices and increased economic optimism should add up to a lot of visitors to both Laramie County and the entire state. Rudloff says both inquiries to his office as well as ticket sales for CFD events are running ahead of the last few years.

He says another positive factor is the addition of two new hotels in Cheyenne, meaning more visitors can stay in town for Frontier days. That translates to increased business for local gas stations, restaurants and bars compared to when people are forced to book rooms in Laramie or Ft. Collins.

Finally, Rudloff says he's hopeful the new Cowboy Triangle shuttle service, announced yesterday, will funnel more visitors to downtown Cheyenne.

Rudloff says in terms of the statewide tourist season he's hearing good things about Summer travel from his counterparts around the state, with lower gas prices and optimism about the economy once again boosting expectations.

More From KGAB