Utah’s file 2023 ski season generated over $1.9B in customer spending, new evaluation finds

SALT LAKE CITY — Whereas this yr’s snow assortment ended up being higher than regular, it nonetheless pales compared to what occurred a yr in the past, showcasing simply how particular the 2022-23 season was in Utah.

Alta Ski Space, for instance, has acquired 621 inches of snow since October, which is properly above its common of practically 540 inches over the previous 4 many years, however nowhere close to the 903 inches it acquired by the tip of April 2023. Many different resorts additionally reported snow assortment data final yr, producing all types of curiosity in Utah’s 15 resorts that translated right into a file 7.1 million skier days.

Virtually a yr after the 2022-23 ski season wrapped up, new knowledge highlights the financial worth of the file snowfall.

These 7.1 million skier days led to greater than $1.94 billion in nonresident customer spending, and supported greater than 25,000 direct jobs and nearly $198 million in state and native tax income, based on an evaluation launched by the College of Utah Kem C. Gardner Coverage Institute on Wednesday.

“The 2022-23 ski season was unprecedented for Utah. The information present a number of financial measures at an all-time excessive, fueled by a historic, record-setting snowfall at practically each Utah ski space,” stated Jennifer Leaver, the institute’s senior tourism analyst.

About 56% of the 7.1 million ski and snowboard visits got here from out of state. Californians accounted for about 8% of those that hit the slopes right here final season, which topped all different states. California was adopted by New York (4%), Texas and Florida (every 3%) and Colorado (2%). Worldwide vacationers accounted for about 2%, as properly.

This led to the $1.94 billion spent by out-of-state guests, which was about $74 million above the prior yr and $443 million above the 2019-2020 season minimize quick due to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the report. There isn’t any knowledge from the 2020-2021 season as a result of RRC Associates — a key supply utilized in calculating the influence — had halted analysis on the time.

Transient room taxes collected in Salt Lake, Summit and Weber counties between December and March jumped from $619 million through the 2021-2022 season to $666 million through the 2022-23 season. This determine might have been boosted by different occasions taking place on the time, such because the NBA All-Star Sport that was held in Salt Lake Metropolis.

However it wasn’t simply nonresidents who have been having fun with the file snow. The institute stories Utah residents spent a file $694 million on the resorts, which means practically $2.64 billion was spent at resorts altogether. Final yr’s resident spending rose $261 million from the earlier yr and ended up being practically triple the quantity spent through the shortened 2019-20 season.

All of this led to 25,980 direct jobs, lots of which have been within the leisure and hospitality sector. It additionally generated $197.9 million in tax income, per the evaluation.

Nathan Rafferty, president and CEO of Ski Utah, which promotes the state’s ski trade, stated the information affirms how vital Utah’s snow is to its economic system.

“(It advantages) residents by offering enjoyable methods to recreate outdoors, glorious jobs and ample tax {dollars} from guests which can be used for group initiatives,” he stated in a press release. “These numbers mirror the exhausting work our Utah ski resorts put money into offering enjoyable, optimistic experiences for guests and residents alike to look upon fondly.”