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January 19, 2010, Salt lake City, UT –Over 16,000 manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to the outdoor industry will fill the Salt Palace Convention Center January 21-24, 2010, during the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010 expo, generating over $14 million  in direct economic impact to Salt Lake, and the state of Utah.*
 
This year’s Winter Market pre-registration numbers signal an optimistic outlook for our convention center’s largest user.  With more people registered than last year to date, enthusiasm about the industry and the relevance of this trade show is strong.  “It is always good to hear that our clients see the need and  relevance of the business opportunity this trade show represents for their industry," said Scott Beck President and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Trade shows are still an important marketing tool for companies that rely on face-to-face contact with their clients and their peers. When you combine the incredible natural surroundings of Salt Lake to this mix, our destination is the perfect place for this business gathering.”
 
What began primarily as an event whose impact was felt in the hotels, restaurants, local attractions, exhibit companies, sound, light and staging services, local transportation firms and shopping centers in Salt Lake, has transitioned into what the Governor’s Office of Economic Development now considers an opportunity to grow Utah’s economy with outdoor industry-related companies relocating to Utah.
 
Active Utah outdoor recreation fuels tremendous economic growth in Utah, it contributes $5.8 billion annually to Utah’s economy, supports 65,000 jobs, generates nearly $300 million in annual state tax revenues, and produces nearly $4 billion annually in retail sales and services all across Utah, accounting for almost five percent of the Gross State Product.  The outdoor recreation industry has grown from a few small businesses that started in garages and out of the back of vans in the 1960s and 1970s into a multibillion dollar industrial powerhouse.
 
In Salt Lake City and the surrounding area, there are numerous outdoor industry companies, in addition to the adventure travel, recreation, and other retail shops that contribute to the recreation economy.
 
Some noteworthy companies in the Salt Lake area contributing to the greater economy include: Black Diamond Equipment (climbing, skiing, technical equipment and soft goods), Petzl, USA (climbing equipment, technical lighting), Backcountry.com (online specialty retailer), Easton Technical Products, Rossignol Skis (skis, snowboards), Ogio (luggage, bags), Chums (sport accessories), Zeal Optics (sunglasses), Vloile (backcountry equipment), Chisco (performance sport accessories), Fezzari (bicycle manufacturer), as well as Amer Sports (whose brands include Atomic, Salomon, Suunto, Arc’teryx, etc.) and Peregrine Outfitters (wholesale distributor of more than 6,000 outdoor accessories, equipment and books) who have relocated or expanded operations in Utah. Contact information for companies is available upon request.
*All economic impact figures are based on research from the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR).  According to BEBR, a Salt Lake convention delegate in 2008 spent $889 during an average three-day stay.

The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. The SLCVB's mission is to improve the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors. Salt Lake is a unique fusion of metropolitan city and quaint mountain town; the towering Wasatch Mountains that embrace Salt Lake offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy and activities of downtown. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, go to www.VisitSaltLake.com.
 
About Outdoor Retailer:
Outdoor Retailer (OR), produced by Nielsen Business Media of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is a full service
trade show company that creates, markets and produces high-quality expos and educational conferences.
OR is the leading outdoor industry business-to-business event management company, bringing together
manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of outdoor recreation. Now
celebrating more than 25 years of successful events, Outdoor Retailer (www.outdoorretailer.com) gathers
approximately 40,000 attendees on a semi-annual basis for its Winter and Summer Market shows.
The next opportunity to preview the future of the outdoor industry will start at the All Mountain Demo Snow
Basin Ski Resort in Ogden, Utah on January 20, 2010 followed by the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market at
the Salt Palace Convention Center from January 21-24, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Karen Boe 801-484-8971 / cell: 801-230-5404 marketing1slc@aol.com
Shawn Stinson 801-534-4913 / cell: 801-245-0106 sstinson@visitsaltlake.com