ST. GEORGE — From snowy ski slopes to meandering red desert trails, Utah is lauded for its landscapes and outdoor recreation opportunities.
This Friday, interested Utahns and tourists can gather in Salt Lake City to learn more about the industry’s impact on the state’s economy and its residents’ quality of life.
The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation is partnering with local outdoor organizations and brands to host Outdoor Recreation Day for the public on the Hill at the Utah State Capitol.
The free event will begin on Friday, Feb. 10, at 8 a.m., according to a news release from the division.
Attendees will learn about Utah’s $6.1 million outdoor recreation economy and its impacts on residents, “as well as the industry’s depth, uniqueness and innovation,” the release reads.
Additionally, the event will allow attendees to “put their message out there” so that “legislators and other interested folks can see them and hear from them,” Jason Curry, the division’s director, told St. George News.
“It gives us a kind of collective voice in terms of outdoor recreation and what it means to Utah’s economy and Utah’s quality of life,” he said.
In addition to breakfast and booths, Curry said multiple nonprofits, outdoor businesses and manufacturers, and groups or individuals that work in tourism will be in attendance, such as the Utah Outdoor Association.
Visitors can enjoy e-bike and fly-casting demonstrations, meet search and rescue dogs and tour a large RV on the capitol building’s front steps,said Curry, adding that a rappelling wall and archery will be available.
“Pretty much anything to do with outdoor recreation,” he said.
Utahns have “amazing opportunities before us in terms of getting out and recreating,” Curry said. Tourists from across the globe visit the state, which has allowed for “some really great amenities,” such as ski resorts and national parks.
“Most of the visitors to those places are from outside the state and so we get the benefit of what those venues have been able to build,” he said. “And that’s billions of dollars that come to the Utah economy because of outdoor recreation.
“That might be because of the manufacturing, or the guides and outfitters, the hotel industry that supports out-of-state travelers as they come to experience outdoor recreation in Utah – so it’s significant. It’s probably in the top three of economic contributors of the various sectors in Utah. Tourism is huge.”
Outdoor recreation represents 2.7% of Utah’s gross domestic product and created 66,736 jobs in 2021, St. George News reported. St. George was the state’s second-most visited city after Salt Lake City for both in-state and out-of-state visitors, and five of the top eight destinations for out-of-state tourists were in Southern Utah.
Utah outdoor recreation generated $3.1 billion in wages and salaries and $737 million in state and local tax revenue, according to the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation. Over 2.5 million Utahns partake in outdoor activities.
Washington County’s total 2021 tax revenue was $15.3 million, with the bulk of visitor spending occurring in St. George, Springdale and Zion National Park, according to the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office’s 2021 Tourism Report.
Zion was the most visited state or national park in Southern Utah, with more than 5 million visitors, followed by Sand Hollow State Park, with more than 1.5 million visitors, and Snow Canyon State Park, with approximately 858,748, the report reads.
In 2021, Iron County boasted $2.9 million in tourism revenue, with its top draws including Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument and Bryce Canyon National Park, according to Visit Cedar City — Brian Head’s most recent annual report.
Outdoor industries that “add the most value to Utah’s outdoor recreation economy” include snow activities, RVing, boating and fishing, hunting and off-road vehicle use.
Curry said he hopes attendees of the event “gain an understanding of what outdoor recreation can mean” for their quality of life and ability to escape the rigors of work, school and other demands.
Additionally, time outdoors can be beneficial to a person’s physical, mental and emotional health whether they’re bird watching, hiking or adventure racing, Curry said.
The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation offers a variety of programs and resources, Curry said. For instance, an off-highway vehicle education course, which the division began overseeing at the beginning of 2023 as new OHV requirements from 2022’s House Bill 180 kicked in.
The bill gained near-unanimous support in both chambers of the Utah Legislature. It requires that OHV operators take the online course and obtain a license plate for their vehicles, St. George News reported.
To learn more about the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, click here.
Event details
- What: Outdoor Recreation Day
- When: Friday, Feb. 10, 8-9:30 a.m.
- Where: The Utah State Capitol rotunda, 350 State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
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