Building Utah

This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift and the weather warms up, people want to get outside and safely enjoy Utah. Kaitlin Eskelson, president and CEO of Visit Salt Lake, is here to tell us about Utah’s travel and tourism industry. KAITLIN ESKELSON As Utah’s 8th largest industry, the travel and tourism industry is a key economic driver that provides jobs and income for Utah residents. Travel and tourism businesses support one in 11 Utah jobs. Salt Lake’s annual $4.5 billion visitor economy equates to $1,166 in tax relief for each household within Salt Lake County. The new Salt Lake City airport is now fully operational, which will bring more visitors to Utah. Additionally, we are ensuring the safety of travelers and locals for staycations by sponsoring Salt Lake hotels, venues and attractions with Global Biorisk Facility Accreditation. Although the conference meeting industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors by COVID-19, we are on our way to recovery! We r