By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Geofencing data comparing approximately the first 12 days of July this year with July of 2024 was shared during the Geary Convention & Visitor's Bureau Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday.
It showed visitor days decreased from 91,747 in 2024 down to 82,953 in 2025. Total trips decreased from 45,091 in 2024 to 40,982 in 2025. The average length of stay remained unchanged at two days both years.
Visitor behavior shifted with a notable increase in attendance at Freedom Fest. The share of visitor days nearly doubled from 6.46% in 2024 to 12.7% this year. Visitor lodging increased from 23.9% to 26.2%.
Visitor days at Fort Riley decreased from 0.4% down to 0%.
The most significant change in visitors involved an increase from Nebraska, up from 6.47% to 7.19%. Kansas remained the top state for visitors going from 31% to 31.2%. The lagest age group remained at 25-44 but there was a shift toward younger visitors.