Greatest snow on earth.

• Author: Smith, Cheryl
• Position: Ski industry's economic impact on Utah

Greatest Snow on Earth

Skiing's impact on Utah's economy is nothing to shake a ski pole at. Last season out-of-state skiers spent $400 million for their Utah ski vacations, including airfare, lodging, meals lift tickets and ground transportation. Salt Lake's highest hotel occupancy levels run from January through March, during the peak of the ski season.

Sixty percent of Utah's winter adventure seekers came from out-of-state last season. California alone supplied 30 percent of them. About 5 percent came from foreign countries. Non-resident skiers have a mean household income of $82,000.

These findings are the result of the 1990-91 Utah Skier Survey prepared for the Utah Ski Association by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR). The Utah Ski Association is a non-profit organization whose membership includes alpine and cross-country ski areas, hotels, transportation companies, and retail services affiliated with Utah's ski industry. Ski Utah, operated with the same staff and office, is the agency charged with promoting Utah's ski product.

"The most startling discovery is the large sums of money being spent by out-of-state skiers," said Thayne Robson, director, BEBR. Skiers to Utah spend an average of $145 per day. "It's remarkable to me that skiing is still growing in Utah, at the same time it is relatively flat nationally."

Utah Has the Edge

While skiing in other regions of the country has hit the ice in recent years, Utah last year experienced its best ski season ever, an increase of 10.4 percent over the previous year. Utah's 14 ski areas set a combined record during the 1990-91 season for total number of lift tickets sold (2,751,551), a measurement known as "skier days" (one person skiing part or all of one day).

Five factors point to steady growth for Utah's ski industry, according to Randy Montgomery, executive director of Ski Utah: (1) Opportunities for increased marketshare because of easy access to Utah's slopes and Delta's hub presence and expansion of routes; (2) Even though Denver will soon have a new airport, it will be 30 minutes farther away from Colorado's major ski areas; (3) Utah's snow (manmade and natural) is consistently drier and lighter than that found in other places; (4) Utah's ski areas are accessible from wherever the skier chooses to stay; (5) Skiers can ski less expensively here.

"Utah's mountain ranges sit in the most ideal spot on the globe," exclaimed Chris Allaire, director of public relations, Solitude. "Our mountains suck in storms from three directions, making Utah's ski product second to none. We have ski options to meet all pocketbooks."

Utah's success is also due to the resorts' increased snowmaking capabilities, faster and higher-capacity lifts, and the positive media exposure resulting from Salt Lake's bid for the Winter Olympics and Park City's hosting of America's Opening, the year's first World Cup event.

"During America's Opening the weekend before Thanksgiving, Utah receives two days of live coverage on ESPN and 10 to 12 European television networks, plus coverage in New Zealand and Japan," said Mark Menlove, communications director at Park City Ski Area. "Utah is reaching millions of people when they are deciding where to...