News ReleaseUtah tourism generated a record $13.7 billion in visitor spending and supported 167,200 jobs in 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Nick Thiriot, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, 801-842-9150, nick.thiriot@utah.edu
Anna Loughridge, Utah Office of Tourism, 801-556-8288, aloughridge@utah.gov
August 20, 2026 (Salt Lake City) – Utah’s travel and tourism industry showed its staying power in 2025, with visitors spending a record $13.7 billion, according to a new report from the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The report also notes that roughly 1 in 10 jobs statewide were supported by the industry in 2025, and that it generated $1.6 billion in direct state and local tax revenue. This is despite softening in visitation, air travel, and other indicators following the sizable growth of the post-pandemic years.
“Utah’s tourism economy demonstrated considerable resilience in 2025,” said Jennifer Leaver, Senior Tourism Analyst at the Gardner Institute. “While some of the headline visitation measures declined, visitor spending, employment, and tax generation remained strong, suggesting that Utah’s tourism industry is moving into a more normalized environment rather than a broad-based downturn.”
“Visitor spending directly funds essential quality-of-life investments for Utahns, from our local education systems to our roads and world-class trails,” said Natalie Randall, Managing Director of the Utah Office of Tourism. “Our record economic impact is a testament to the staying power of Utah’s tourism industry. Consistency, strong partnerships, and statewide collaboration are key to navigating challenges and ensuring the visitor economy continues to serve every Utahn.”
Key findings from the report include the following:
Spending – Visitor spending increased 0.6% from 2024 after adjusting for inflation, while leisure travel accounted for more than 92% of total visitor spending. Nonresident visitors continued to dominate Utah’s tourism economy, with domestic and international nonresident spending exceeding resident visitor spending by more than four-to-one.
Jobs – The travel and tourism industry directly generated approximately 107,500 jobs in 2025 and supported another 59,700 jobs through indirect and induced economic effects. Together, these jobs represent approximately one in every 10 Utah jobs.
Tax Revenue – Visitors generated $1.6 billion in direct state and local tax revenue in 2025. When indirect and induced economic effects are included, the total estimated tax impact rises to $2.7 billion. The figures underscore that tourism’s impact extends well beyond hotels, restaurants, and attractions to communities and businesses throughout the state.
Accommodations – Nominal transient room tax revenue increased 2.8% statewide in 2025, although it remained relatively flat (+0.2%) after adjusting for inflation. Statewide hotel occupancy declined to 64.0%, and inflation-adjusted average daily rates fell 0.8%. Short-term rental supply continued to expand even as occupancy weakened during the middle of the year.
National and State Parks – Utah’s national parks recorded 10.6 million visits in 2025, down 4.5%, while state parks recorded 12.2 million visits, down 5.8%.
Skier Days – A historic low-snow ski season drove a sharp decline in skier days. Utah recorded 4.8 million skier days during the 2025/26 season, a 26.5% year-over drop. Skier spending also fell 17.8% to $2.1 billion. Despite fewer visits, spending per skier reached a record $392, indicating that visitors to Utah spent more per trip.
The full report is now available online.
