Colorado announces digital passport as part of state’s 150th anniversary

Colorado has announced the launch of a digital passport as part of the state’s “America 250-Colorado 150” commemoration, allowing residents to access exclusive discounts and offers from a variety of local businesses, parks and landmarks.

The digital passport will soft-launch this summer with a full rollout planned for 2026, according to a news release from the America 250-Colorado 150 Commission. The passport will feature destinations in all 64 counties, featuring challenges that reward participants with points, discounts and badges, according to Tim Wolfe, commission co-chair and director of the Colorado Tourism Office.

“This is a broad-based experience for everybody to look at all four corners of our state,” Wolfe said.

The program is launching as part of the celebration of 250 years of American independence and 150 years of Colorado statehood in 2026, according to the news release.

The passport will be free and accessible through the myColorado app or Colorado.com, Wolfe said. The goal is to motivate residents and visitors to explore parts of the state they haven’t found the time for.

“I think we probably all have a couple of places on our list that we’ve always intended to go, but haven’t quite made it to yet,” said Jason Hanson, chief creative officer at History Colorado and a member of the America 250-Colorado 150 Commission. “We thought this was a great opportunity to encourage people to get out and see those places, to actually get there.”

The passport is one of 12 signature initiatives the commission is rolling out. Other initiatives include Stories in the Sky, a series of more than 40 drone shows across the state, and Colorado Heritage for All, an initiative dedicated to historic preservation, with a final goal of adding 150 historic sites by 2026, according to Wolfe and Hanson.

“The passport is all about connecting Coloradans to this place we live, connecting us to each other, knitting together the state because the more we get out and see it, the more we all appreciate the chance to call it home,” Hanson said.

The program will include several different passports, including a music-based passport and a Colorado parks passport, each with different businesses and destinations attached with their own incentives.

Wolfe also announced the Do Colorado Right passport, which will launch later this year. The passport will encourage environmental efforts, such as using public transportation.

“It’s also about making sure that we take care of Colorado and what makes Colorado special,” Wolfe said.

United Airlines is also involved in the program, serving as the passport’s primary sponsor.

“United Airlines is proud to support Colorado’s digital passport in celebration of our state’s upcoming landmark anniversary,” said BJ Youngerman, managing director of global market
strategy and community impact for United Airlines, in the news release. “We are thrilled to join the commission in this initiative and celebrate our state’s historic anniversary together.”

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