Business & Industry

Cannabis Tourism: How Legal Marijuana Is Becoming Part of the Travel Economy

September 7, 2026

From Amsterdam to Colorado and Las Vegas, legal cannabis has become part of the visitor experience in some destinations — while generating significant tax revenue and creating new questions about tourism, regulation and local communities.

For decades, travelers have visited destinations for experiences they cannot easily find at home — food, nightlife, entertainment, gambling, wine, music and culture.

In some destinations, legal access to cannabis has become another part of that equation.

Amsterdam has long been internationally associated with its coffeeshop culture. In the United States, states including Colorado and Nevada have developed regulated adult-use cannabis markets that operate alongside major tourism economies.

The result is an emerging form of cannabis tourism: travelers who may consider legal cannabis access one part of their decision to visit a destination.

But the economic story goes well beyond dispensaries.

Visitors also spend money on hotels, restaurants, transportation, entertainment and other local businesses. At the same time, regulated cannabis markets themselves can generate substantial sales and tax revenue.

It is important, however, not to assume that all tourism spending in these destinations is caused by cannabis. Tourism economies are complex, and cannabis is only one potential component of the visitor experience.

Colorado: Billions in Legal Cannabis Sales

Colorado became one of the first U.S. states to establish a regulated adult-use marijuana market.

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, medical and retail marijuana stores reported approximately $1.316 billion in combined marijuana sales during calendar year 2025.

Colorado also collected approximately $236.4 million in state marijuana tax and fee revenue during 2025.

Since marijuana tax collections began in February 2014, Colorado reported more than $3.2 billion in cumulative state marijuana tax and fee revenue through May 2026.

Those numbers demonstrate the scale that a regulated cannabis market can reach over time.

Colorado is also a major tourism destination for reasons that have nothing to do with cannabis, including its mountains, skiing, outdoor recreation, cities, restaurants and entertainment.

Cannabis should therefore be viewed as one component of a much larger visitor economy rather than the sole reason people travel to the state.

Las Vegas and Nevada: Cannabis Within a Massive Tourism Market

Nevada presents another interesting example.

Las Vegas already had one of the world’s largest tourism economies before recreational cannabis became legal.

According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, approximately 38.5 million people visited Las Vegas in 2025.

The LVCVA estimates the overall economic impact of Las Vegas tourism at approximately $80.9 billion.

Those figures represent the entire Las Vegas tourism economy — not cannabis tourism specifically.

Cannabis, however, now operates within that much larger visitor marketplace.

Nevada imposes a 10% retail cannabis excise tax on adult-use retail cannabis sales.

According to the Nevada Department of Taxation, that retail cannabis excise tax generated approximately $74.5 million during fiscal year 2024-25.

The state reports that revenue from this particular retail cannabis excise tax is distributed to Nevada’s State Education Fund.

This creates an important distinction: while it would be inaccurate to attribute Las Vegas’ enormous tourism economy to cannabis, legal cannabis has become another regulated commercial activity within a destination already attracting tens of millions of visitors.

Amsterdam: The Older Cannabis-Tourism Model

Long before recreational cannabis became legal in parts of the United States, Amsterdam developed an international reputation associated in part with its coffeeshop culture.

For many international visitors, that culture became one of numerous experiences associated with visiting the city.

But Amsterdam also illustrates the challenges that can accompany cannabis-related tourism.

The City of Amsterdam has increasingly emphasized responsible tourism and reducing nuisance associated with overtourism.

The city prohibits smoking cannabis in public in parts of the city center and advises people who choose to smoke cannabis to do so inside coffeeshops.

Amsterdam’s experience demonstrates that attracting visitors and protecting quality of life for local residents can require an ongoing balancing act.

The Economic Effect Goes Beyond Cannabis Sales

When people travel, their spending rarely stops at a single business.

A visitor may also purchase:

• hotel accommodations
• restaurant meals
• transportation
• entertainment
• event tickets
• retail goods
• local services

That is why the broader discussion surrounding cannabis tourism is about more than cannabis sales alone.

However, accurately measuring how much of a destination’s total tourism economy is directly attributable to cannabis can be difficult.

Unless reliable research establishes that connection, large tourism figures should not be presented as cannabis-generated revenue.

What can be measured more directly are regulated cannabis sales and cannabis-specific taxes.

What Can Georgia Learn From These Markets?

Georgia is very different from Colorado, Nevada and Amsterdam.

Georgia does not have a recreational adult-use cannabis market.

The state’s current program concerns regulated medical cannabis access for registered patients and caregivers.

For that reason, these destinations should not be presented as models of what Georgia currently allows.

They can, however, provide useful case studies.

Their experiences show that cannabis policy can intersect with taxation, tourism, business development, regulation, education funding, public-space management and local economic activity.

As Georgia’s medical cannabis program continues to evolve, policymakers, businesses and residents can look at established markets to understand both the potential economic opportunities and the regulatory challenges that have emerged elsewhere.

Conclusion

Cannabis tourism is no longer limited to Amsterdam’s famous coffeeshop culture.

Legal adult-use markets in places such as Colorado and Nevada have added cannabis to an already diverse collection of travel experiences.

The financial numbers are substantial: Colorado has collected billions of dollars in marijuana taxes and fees since legalization, while Nevada continues to collect tens of millions of dollars annually through its retail cannabis excise tax.

But the experience of these destinations also demonstrates that cannabis tourism requires regulation, responsible visitor behavior and consideration for local communities.

The larger story is not simply about marijuana.

It is about how changing cannabis laws can intersect with tourism, taxation, local businesses and the broader economy.