Utah's 2023-24 ski season marks second-best year ever with 6.7 million visits, showcasing strong five-year growth trend

Ski Utah's President and CEO Nathan Rafferty speaks at the Tourism Fall Forum at the Stein Erickson Lodge on November 1, 2024. Photo: TownLift // Randi Sidman-Moore

UTAH — The 2023-24 winter ski season numbers are in, and they show that Utah had its second strongest season ever with just over 6.7 million skier visits, according to Ski Utah, the state’s marketing and membership organization representing the ski and snowboard industry. Speaking at the Park City Chamber of Commerce’s annual fall tourism forum, Ski Utah’s CEO, Nathan Rafferty, said the figure represents a five percent decline from the year prior, a legendary snow year when over 7 million skier visits were recorded, and new snowfall records were set at resorts statewide.

Rafferty also reported that there has been a strong five-year trend in Utah’s ski and snowboard industry, which has significant economic benefits, especially in places like Park City, where tourism dollars generate billions. The 2018-19 season was the first season to crest the five million-skier-visit mark, and despite the dip in numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic, skier visits have steadily increased. This year’s five percent decline doesn’t worry ski industry leaders at Ski Utah since the 2022-23 season was a snowfall record-breaker. The overall average increase in the last five years is 15%.

Looking at how Utah stacks up in the competition for tourism dollars within the Rocky Mountain region, Ski Utah’s numbers also show a steady increase in market share within the region, up five percent in the last five years. The 2023-24 season represented an all-time high of 25%.