Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Returns to Salt Palace Convention Center Aug. 2-5

SALT LAKE CITY, August 2012— An estimated record 27,000 manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to the outdoor industry will once again fill the Salt Palace Convention Center Aug. 2 - 5 during the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2012 expo, generating nearly $25 million in total visitor spending to Salt Lake and the state of Utah.*

“It’s so great to welcome everyone back for Outdoor Retailer. The fact that this will once again be an all-time record show is further confirmation of the strength of this industry and this trade show," said Scott Beck, president and CEO of Visit Salt Lake. “Our community recognizes the enormous financial impact of the annual Summer Market, and the year-round impact of trade shows and conventions on the economy of Salt Lake and the state of Utah. We are continually looking for ways to keep Salt Lake appealing and fresh for the Outdoor Retailer attendees, but the most important thing for us is the opportunity we have to welcome our friends back to Salt Lake."

Outdoor recreation is a substantial and critical sector of the American economy. Outdoor Industry Association recently released The Outdoor Recreation Economy, a report showing that outdoor recreation is a major economic driver in the United States — and one that has grown throughout the recession.

“Outdoor recreation is a much more significant contributor to the economy than many people realize,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA. “More than 140 million Americans make outdoor recreation a priority in their daily lives, and they prove it with their wallets. From 2005 to 2001, at a time when many sectors were contracting, our industry grew an average of 5 percent annually. The success of Outdoor Retailer is a testament to the health of our industry.”

Highlight Facts from the Recreation Economy Report
The outdoor recreation economy is responsible for:
•    6.1 million direct American jobs
•    $646 billion in direct consumer spending
•    $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue
•    $39.7 billion in state/local tax revenue

In Utah, where the Outdoor Recreation Summer and Winter Markets have been held since 1996, active outdoor recreation continues to fuel tremendous economic growth, contributing $5.8 billion annually to the state’s economy, supporting 65,000 jobs, generating nearly $300 million in annual state tax revenues, and producing nearly $4 billion annually in retail sales and services across Utah, accounting for almost five percent of the Gross State Product.  

Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. 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.

* 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 $923 while attending a convention in Salt Lake.