SAM Magazine—Salt Lake City, Utah, April 25, 2024—Utah’s 15 ski resorts generated nearly $2 billion in nonresident visitor spending during the 2022-23 ski season, and local skiers contributed almost $700 million more—reflecting a surge in skier visits driven in part by record snowfall—according to an April 2024 report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah.

The Economic Contributions of Utah’s Ski Industry report estimated that nonresidents, who comprised 66 percent of the state’s skier visits, spent $1.94 billion on ski-related activities in the winter of 2022-23 compared to about $1.9 billion the previous season. 

Spending by in-state skiers and snowboarders rose more dramatically, from $433 million in 2021-22 to $694 million in 2022-23. 

It was the fourth season in a row that both in-state and out-of-state spending rose for Utah’s ski industry.

The impact of 2022-23’s record 7.1 million skier days on the Utah economy (up from 5.8 million the previous year) included generating about $198 million in state and local sales tax revenues and supporting 25,980 jobs. 

The average Utah skier who utilized overnight lodging—representing 29 percent of all ski area visitors—stayed an average of 6.3 nights and spent an average of $655 per night for accommodations. 

Interestingly, the record revenues came despite a year-over-year dip in hotel and short-term rental occupancy rates, the Institute reported.

“This study definitely shows how big of an impact the ski industry has on the economy here in Utah,” Alison Palmintere, Ski Utah director of communications, told SAM. “We had an extraordinary season in terms of snowfall last year, and this study also seems to reflect those snowfall numbers, as well as the longer season that many of our resorts were able to have.”

Palmintere said it’s too soon to tell whether the year-over-year growth documented in the University of Utah report will continue through the 2023-24 ski season. 

“We won't have those visitation numbers available until the last of our resorts close, and as of right now there's still an entire month or more left of skiing for some of our resorts,” she said.

Reported by Bob Curley