Driving the Tourism Economy

1. Utah Alliance for
Economic Development
July 2019
Driving the Tourism Economy
Kaitlin Eskelson, UTIA
Flint Timmins, UOT
Nan Anderson, GOED

5. Pro & Con
Pro:
• Tax revenue generator
• Employment – direct and
indirect
• New $$ into communities
• Diversification of
economy
• Amenity development
• Social & Environmental
advantages
Con:
• Low wage-paying jobs
• Seasonality
• Changes in community:
new people moving in
without same values,
culture
• Overcrowding at popular
venues, lack of access to
attractions for residents
• Insufficient infrastructure

6. Challenges & Opportunities
• Maximize the tourism economy, extract maximum
benefit
• Define “infrastructure” and “tourism infrastructure”
• Plan for tourism – currently rely on private sector to
anticipate and fill demand
• Address “Tourism Development” what are the
opportunities? What role does each county want
tourism to play in their economy?
• Expand roles of DMO’s to “Destination Management
Organizations”
• Expand uses of tax $$