Park City Chamber forum hears report of strong tourism for Summit County

The numbers have rolled in and show that Summit County tourism remains strong.

Statistics cited at the recent Tourism Fall Forum in Park City show that summer occupancy rates and room rates at Summit County lodging destinations were up, as was international spending and a variety of tax collections related to tourism. The winter lodging occupancy and daily rates also are up. And all of those are on the heels of a strong 2023.

The forum was presented by the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau at Stein Eriksen Lodge. Founded in 1963, the chamber/bureau represents over 1,000 businesses in Summit County.

“With winter being our busiest season, it’s essential for our community to collaborate and discuss ways to encourage responsible visitation and promote sustainable tourism,” said Jennifer Wesselhoff, the chamber/bureau’s president and CEO. “This year’s Tourism Fall Forum was extra-special, marking the launch of our winter marketing campaign under our new brand, ‘Mountainkind,’ and celebrating our culture.”

Hospitality summer occupancy was up 2 percent, to 35 percent, this year, compared with 2023, and the average daily rate of $350 rose 6 percent from a year earlier. As of Sept. 30, winter lodging occupancy was 3 percent ahead of pace and the average daily rate was up 4 percent. Meanwhile, international tourist spending was up 18 percent in August, compared to the prior year.

Summit County sales tax collections for the first nine months of 2024 were up 3 percent, compared to the same period in 2023. Transient room tax collections and restaurant tax collections both saw a 5 percent rise. The recreation, arts and parks (RAP) taxes also saw an increase, climbing 4 percent.

The chamber/bureau has been focused on continuing to improve on those numbers by distributing new winter advertisements to target markets, including New York, California, Florida and Texas.

The Tourism Fall Forum also featured numbers from a 2023 tourism economic impact study. It showed a 7 percent increase in visitor spending and a 4 percent increase in visitor volume, compared to numbers from 2022. Visitor spending in 2023 totaled $1.6 billion, while the number of overnight visitors grew to 3.7 million.

The overall economic impact of tourism in the county totaled $2.2 billion in 2023. Tourism also generated $247 million in state and local taxes and 14,798 jobs paying a total of $818 million in wages.

The Tourism Fall Forum also featured presentations about winter marketing, 2034 Olympic insights and an Olympic athlete fireside chat to celebrate community culture. Updates were provided by resort, tourism and recreation partners, including Park City Mountain, Deer Valley, Ski Utah, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, Woodward Park City and the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games.

As part of its “Mountainkind” effort, the chamber/bureau has debuted the Mountainkind Card, a local gift card that can be redeemed exclusively at Park City partner businesses. In partnership with Yiftee and powered by Mastercard, the Mountainkind Card will provide purchasers of cards valued between $25 and $200 to receive an additional 50 percent bonus on their original amount. Businesses can purchase Mountainkind Cards for no fee.