Utah is celebrated for its adventuring and sightseeing opportunities. It’s where some out-of-state visitors first see the stars, ride whitewater rapids or experience a sunrise hike. These opportunities provide some of the most important financial contributions to Utah’s economy. A new study from the University of Utah indicates that the state is at an all-time high for tourism spending.
Professor Jennifer Leaver, who authored the study, found that while urban areas like the Wasatch front bring in more revenue from the industry, the economies of rural counties are increasingly reliant on tourism.
“Smaller areas that are maybe off the beaten path with smaller populations and they’re less diverse—they’re not able to have what you might have in SLC, or Ogden or Provo," Leaver said.
One in 10 jobs in Utah can be attributed to tourism, whether through dining and shopping, travel or sightseeing.
Leaver said the Utah Office of Tourism has brought a lot of attention to the state’s national parks through the Mighty 5 campaign.
The office’s managing director, Vicki Varela, said the campaign has seen “blockbuster results.” Last summer, tourism spending increased by 16 percent, and again by 30 percent in December.
“Our Mighty 5 national parks are starting to become year-round destinations,” she said. “So you’ve got people that are now saying, ‘I will come to Utah any season of the year to experience the Mighty 5 national parks.’”
Varela said Utah is becoming a “bucket list destination” for world tourists.
“We like to say that Mother Nature played favorites with our national parks,” Varela added. “One of the ways that a friend of mine characterized it is that if Arizona and Colorado had a love child, they would name it Utah.”
Public interest in the outdoors has increased steadily since 1903, and especially in the last 20 years. As the population of the U.S. continues to grow, both Leaver and Varela believe that tourists will continue to seek the outdoors with increasing eagerness.