SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - The Utah ski and snowboard industry closed the 2015-16 winter season with a total of 4,457,575 million skier days, up nearly 5 percent from the previous record of 4,249,190 during the 2007-08 season. This year’s number represents a 10.4 percent increase vs. Utah’s 5-year average of 4,037,349.
Nationally, skier days were up from 53.6 million to 53.9 million, a 0.5 percent increase from the previous season. According to NSAA’s Kottke Survey, the Rocky Mountain Region tallied a record-setting season with an overall 8 percent increase in skier visits this season over last. Utah alone was up 13 percent over last season.
On Memorial Day, May 30, 2016, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort finally stopped spinning lifts for the winter season, finishing off with an impressive 181-day season. While season-ending snow totals were not record-setting, conveniently timed, early-season storms attributed to the success of the season. Other important contributions toward this accomplishment can be credited to Utah Office of Tourism’s overwhelming support and the significant resort capital improvements statewide, totaling over one hundred million dollars. As a result, nearly half of Utah’s resorts reported individual record-breaking skier visits.
“This was a big year for Utah’s wintersports industry and we could not have asked for a better result,” says Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty. “Credit can evenly be distributed to the collaboration of Utah’s 14 resorts, the tremendous support from the Utah Office of Tourism and the private investment in resort infrastructure.”
Total Utah statewide skier days for the past 10 years are as follows:
|
Season |
Skier Days* |
Rank (Last 10 yrs.) |
|
2015 – 16 |
4,457,575 |
1 |
|
2014 – 15 |
3,946,762 |
9 |
|
2013 - 14 |
4,148,573 |
4 |
|
2012 - 13 |
4,018,812 |
7 |
|
2011 - 12 |
3,825,090 |
10 |
|
2010 - 11 |
4,247,510 |
3 |
|
2009 - 10 |
4,070,822 |
6 |
|
2008 - 09 |
3,972,984 |
8 |
|
2007 – 08 |
4,249,190 |
2 |
|
2006 – 07 |
4,082,094 |
5 |
*The National Ski Areas Association defines ‘skier days’ as one person visiting a ski area for all or any part of a day or night for the purpose of skiing/snowboarding.
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Ski Utah is a membership association representing Utah’s $1.3 billion dollar wintersports industry, including 14 alpine ski resorts and a membership of over 250 industry partners. The organization has been creating brand awareness of and demand for the Utah wintersports product since its inception in 1978. Ski Utah’s primary functions are concentrated in marketing, public policy and public relations. Information about Ski Utah and its members can be found at skiutah.com, on Twitter @SkiUtah and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/skiutahyeti.
