Utah’s hospitality industry and the state’s reputation as a mecca for outdoor recreation have helped to deliver more than $1 billion in tourist-generated tax revenue last year, according to the state tourism director.
“It’s booming,” Vicki Varela, the managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism, told The Associated Press. “It’s like Utah is being discovered.”
Utah’s natural treasures mix the Rocky Mountains and deserts of the Southwest, making it an attractive place for visitors and outdoor enthusiasts, Vicki Varela, the managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism said.
At the Utah Tourism Conference in Ogden, Varela told representatives of the tourism and hospitality industry that the recovering economy has boosted the number of visitors to the state.
The biggest attractions remain Utah’s ski resorts, five national parks and 43 state parks, Varela said. About 4.2 million visitors came to ski in Utah last year, according to the state tourism office.
Utah’s five national parks attracted 6.3 million visitors, while national monuments, recreation areas and historical sites attracted 5.2 million visitors. State parks saw about 4.1 million visitors. The Enterprise
