Utah's tourism generated $13.7 billion in visitor spending

The intrigue: Visitor spending grew slightly despite dips in national and state parks visitation, air travel and skier days, per a report by the University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

• Utah's unusually warm winter contributed to a 26.5% decline in skier days.

By the numbers: The tourism industry last year supported 107,500 jobs and $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue.

The bottom line: "These trends may reflect a transition from ongoing post-pandemic growth to a more stable and normalized tourism environment," the report states.

What we're watching: Early forecasts predict a historic El Niño could bring plentiful snow to Utah's ski resorts for the 2026-27 season.