Denver has been all over the news recently with the grand opening of its first marijuana-friendly hotel — NATIV Hotel. Ever since Colorado and Washington voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2012, the two states have witnessed a rise in pot tourism. With Oregon and Alaska also passing recreational marijuana laws, pot tourism is becoming a rapidly growing travel segment in the U.S.

Even existing hotels have been quick to see the potential, and have jumped onto the bandwagon. Some are rebranding themselves as weed-friendly, while others offer unique weed experiences, like "bud and breakfast."

NATIV Hotel in downtown Denver is a far cry from the seedy corners one would look for pot in the days of yore. Aimed at an upscale pot crowd, this sophisticated and stylish hotel is the epitome of what a modern-day cannabis-friendly hotel should look like. There are hip lounges, original artwork and a coffee bar specializing in cannabis-infused lattes.

With rooms that start at $300 a night, it offers a plush, comfortable environment for tourists to relax in, has all the amenities to make them comfortable and throws in the extra pot-friendly balconies as icing on the cake. Designated smoking rooms have been built for weed users in compliance with Colorado's Clean Air Act.

In the past, hotels that allowed guests to use pot had the usual marijuana stigma attached to their names — a big reason why the better brands stayed away. But NATIV seems to have already broken through that barrier with the kind of buzz they have been generating.

And cannabis won't be only reason for their popularity. Smart plans like the above-mentioned cannabis-infused coffee, drinks flavored and sweetened with cannabidiol and more than 20 local brews on tap promise to make things interesting. This cross-fusion between two emerging travel trends — craft beer and pot tourism — will influence their revenues big time.

The cannabis tourism movement is being heralded as the next big thing in travel. Various travel industry studies have reported that demand for hotels in pot-friendly locations is skyrocketing.

Image: Governing.com

The tourists are starting to flock to Colorado, Oregon and Washington. Recent reports from Hotels.com show these states have witnessed an upsurge in hotel searches in the past year. Hotel searches for Colorado have doubled, while Washington has seen a 61 percent rise. About 60 percent of these searches were conducted around the national pot-smoking holiday 4/20 (April 20).

Oregon, which is slated to legalize recreational pot this year, has already witnesses a 64 percent rise in Portland hotel searches. Anticipating the rush, hotels are now training their staff to deal with stoned guests and respond to weed-oriented hotel-booking queries.

Cannabis-friendly hotel-booking websites are also coming up as more hotels are setting up to embrace the next big thing in tourism. At Bud and Breakfast, nicknamed "the Airbnb of marijuana," visitors can choose from an array of great places to stay, domestic as well as international. They include places like Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, California and Hawaii, along with more exotic lures like Jamaica or Uruguay and, of course, Amsterdam.

The growing marijuana tourism industry has also drawn a new generation of entrepreneurs. Some, like Michael Gordon, co-founder of Seattle's Kush Tours, are modeling their businesses on Napa Valley wineries. Gordon hopes to develop connoisseurs with his unique tours where he can show off the growers and give people a direct connection with the weed they want to consume.

These tours include a visit to a marijuana-growing nursery, a glass pipe blower, testing facility and a cannabis retailer. Others are offering spa treatments and cannabis cooking classes as well as pot-smoking airport layovers.

Marijuana legalization has witnessed a rise in affluent and educated users who don't want to skulk around the corners while smoking pot. Instead, they want to relax in elegant setting and enjoy cannabis in style, something a cannabis-friendly hotel can offer them right away.