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West Jordan Journal

Outdoor Retailer Returns to Salt Palace Convention Center

Jan 04, 2016 11:59PM ● By Rachel Hall

SALT LAKE CITY — An estimated 22,000 manufacturers, retailers, suppliers and media integral to the outdoor industry will return to Utah, generating more than $20 million in direct delegate spending to Salt Lake and the state of Utah.*

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2016 is being housed in the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center. It kicks off on Wednesday, Jan. 6 with the All Mountain Demo at Solitude Mountain Resort in beautiful Big Cottonwood Canyon. With a focus on backcountry safety, this unique event gives retailers, reps and the media first look at the season’s latest gear, equipment, accessories and technology. Both the demo day event and the show are business to business events and closed to the public.

“Salt Lake County and the Salt Palace Convention Center enthusiastically welcome the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market back to Utah. In some cases, former visitors to the Market have become business owners here. The outdoor recreation industry is a strong and growing part of our local economy and a great ambassador for our outdoor lifestyle,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams.

"We are so pleased to be returning to Salt Lake City for Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. The community shares our passion for the outdoors and is always so supportive and welcoming when we are in town,” said Marisa Nicholson, Emerald Expositions V.P. and show director. "It is great to see the signs in the windows and the buttons welcoming everyone. We truly appreciate the hospitality, it makes Salt Lake a wonderful place to convene and conduct the business of the industry.”

Outdoor recreation is a substantial and critical sector of the American economy. Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on outdoor recreation — on gear, accessories, trips, travel-related expenses and more. This creates jobs, supports communities, generates tax revenue and helps drive the economy.

“Outdoor recreation is essential to the American economy with over $646 billion in spending on gear, vehicles, trips, travel-related expenses and more,” said Amy Roberts, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) executive director. “2016 marks the National Park Centennial celebrating 100 years of getting Americans outdoors in iconic parks like Utah’s Arches National Park and Zion National Park that bring in dollars from residents and out-of-state visitors. Recreation in the state of Utah attracts and sustains families and businesses, creates healthy communities and fosters a high quality of life making it critical to manage, protect and invest in the state’s national, state and local parks, waters and trails.”

Outdoor Industry facts from the most current Recreation Economy Report, the OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Report and the Outdoor Foundation Participation Study. An update to this report will be out in 2016.

·      The outdoor recreation economy is responsible for 6.1 million direct American jobs and $646 billion in direct consumer spending, $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $39.7 billion in state/local tax revenue. (OIA Recreation Economy Report)

·      In the United States, there are 198M adults between the ages of 18-65 and of those, 60 percent qualify themselves as outdoor consumers. (OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Report)

·      Americans went on a total of 11.8 billion outdoor outings in 2014. (Outdoor Foundation’s Outdoor Participation Study)

·      Outdoor enthusiasts are willing to pay more money for outdoor equipment that is durable, high quality and comfortable, and spend an average of $458 per year on outdoor-related merchandise (OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Study)

* Total visitor spending figures are based on surveys of convention delegates conducted by the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR). Surveys conducted by BEBR over the last five years indicate the average delegate spends $930 while attending a convention in Salt Lake.

Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake’s mission is to improve the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors while being a leader in environmental responsibility. Salt Lake is a unique fusion of metropolitan city and quaint mountain town; the towering Wasatch Mountains that embrace Salt Lake offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy and activities of downtown. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, go to www.VisitSaltLake.com.