SALT LAKE CITY (August 1, 2016) — Celebrating its 20th year in Salt Lake, Outdoor Retailer Summer Market brings an estimated 29,000 outdoor industry manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to the Salt Palace Convention Center August 3-6, generating more than $25 million in direct delegate spending to Salt Lake and the state of Utah.*
Over the course of its 20 years in Salt Lake, the biannual show, Outdoor Retailer Summer and Winter Markets, has generated more than $565 million in direct delegate spending, accounting for more than $52 million in city, county and state taxes, thus substantially relieving the tax burden of citizens in every community throughout Utah.
The 2016 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market kicks off Tuesday, August 2, with the Open Air Demo at Pineview Reservoir in the picturesque Ogden Valley, followed by four days at the Salt Palace. Both the demo day event and the show are business-to-business events and closed to the public.
“After 20 years, the excitement and enthusiasm in welcoming back OR to Salt Lake and the Salt Palace Convention Center are greater than ever,” commented Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. “The show’s presence highlights the important economic impact of the recreation industry to our county and the entire state of Utah. What started two decades ago with 5,000 attendees and 100,000 square feet of exhibits has become our largest annual trade show, with more than 29,000 attendees. The Outdoor Industry has become an important job growth sector as well, as businesses locate here, creating and providing jobs throughout the state.”
"Salt Lake City is a wonderful place to convene the outdoor industry. Each Summer and Winter Market the outdoor community is welcomed so warmly--Salt Lake is a gracious host, making us feel at home while we are here,” said Marisa Nicholson, V.P. and Outdoor Retailer show director. "The community shares our passion for the outdoors, and the outdoor lifestyle making it a wonderful place to conduct business.”
Outdoor recreation is a substantial and critical sector of the American economy. Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on outdoor recreation — on gear, vehicles, trips, travel- related expenses and more. This creates jobs, supports communities, generates tax revenue and helps drive the economy.
“Outdoor recreation can grow jobs and drive the economy if we manage and invest in national, state and local parks, waters and trails as an interconnected system designed to sustain economic dividends, said Amy Roberts, Outdoor Industry Association executive director. “The industry’s power has been further demonstrated by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s announcement earlier this year that the federal government will formally calculate the outdoor industry’s economic impact and finally put our influence on equal footing with oil and gas, health care and high tech.”
OIA produces the Outdoor Recreation Economy Report. In 2017, OIA will issue an updated report. Highlights from the current Outdoor Recreation Economy Report, the OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Report and the Outdoor Foundation Participation Study
- The outdoor recreation economy is responsible for 6.1 million direct American jobs and $646 billion in direct consumer spending, $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $39.7 billion in state/local tax revenue. (OIA Recreation Economy Report)
- In Utah, the outdoor recreation economy is responsible for 122,400 jobs, $12 billion in consumer spending, 856 million in state and local tax revenue (OIA Recreation Economy Report)
- In 2015, nearly half of all Americans - 48.4% - participated in at least one outdoor activity in 2015. That equates to 142.4 million participants, who went on a collective 11.7 billion outdoor outings. (Outdoor Foundation’s Outdoor Participation Study)
- In the United States, there are 198M adults between the ages of 18-65 and of those, 60% qualify themselves as outdoor consumers. (OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Report)
- Outdoor enthusiasts are willing to pay more money for outdoor equipment that is durable, high quality and comfortable, and spend an average of $458 per year on outdoor-related merchandise (OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Study)
* Total visitor spending figures are based on surveys of convention delegates conducted by the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR). Surveys conducted by BEBR over the last five years indicate the average delegate spends $933 while attending a convention in Salt Lake.
Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake’s mission is to improve the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors while being a leader in environmental responsibility. 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.
