Utah’s travel and tourism industry reached a record $13.7 billion in visitor spending in 2025, supporting over 167,000 direct jobs and generating $1.6 billion in direct state and local tax revenue, according to the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
Despite a decline in some visitation measures following the post-pandemic growth period, the sector demonstrated resilience. Jennifer Leaver, Senior Tourism Analyst at the Gardner Institute, stated, “Utah’s tourism economy demonstrated considerable resilience in 2025.” She added, “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.”
National Park Attendance Drops While Skier Spending Sets Record
National Park attendance in Utah declined by 5.8% to 12.2 million visits in 2025. Conversely, individual skier spending reached a record $392 per person despite total skier days dropping significantly that year.
Tourism Employment and Economic Impact
The tourism industry directly supported over 167,000 jobs in 2025. Indirect and induced tourism-related jobs added another 59,700 positions, accounting for roughly one in every ten jobs statewide. Visitors generated an estimated $2.7 billion in total tax revenue, reflecting the broad economic impact of tourism within Utah.
Local Community Effects
The 9th West Farmers Market in Salt Lake City had
its final season in 2025 after 20 years of operation, marking a shift in Salt Lake City’s local community events amid tourism sector changes. Brighton Resort continued to host events such as Foodie Wars during the year.
