SLC launches new advertising campaign to pull in Colorado skiers

Nick · Sep 17, 2014

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory/salt-lake-city-launches-campaign-lure-skiers-25561908

Utah officials launched a $1.8 million campaign Tuesday to market Salt Lake City as "Ski City USA" in an effort to lure skiers away from top destination spots like Colorado and earn a bigger chunk of the lucrative winter sports market.

I didn't realize Colorado had 3x the skier traffic that Utah has.

Last season, Utah had 4.1 million day visits from skiers and snowboarders — compared to 12.6 million in Colorado.

Also funny:

Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism, said her office's research has shown that more than half of people who are shown a picture of Salt Lake City's skyline with the mountains behind think it is Denver.

Edd · Sep 17, 2014

I understand the liquor laws have gotten more reasonable since I was there about 6 years ago but I think they should just get on the same page as everyone else. They want tourists? Don't have dumb booze laws; people are on vacation.

thetrailboss · Sep 17, 2014

Yes, the pecking order for skier visits normally is: (1) Colorado; (2) California; (3) Utah and/or Vermont

burski · Sep 17, 2014

Surprisingly, typically Vermont is higher than Utah but with Vail now there I think that may change for good...

Nick · Sep 17, 2014

I knew it was bigger but not 3:1. Also I didn't know California was #2?

thetrailboss · Sep 17, 2014

burski said:
Surprisingly, typically Vermont is higher than Utah but with Vail now there I think that may change for good...

Vermont and Utah are pretty close. Depending on the season it switches back and forth.

BenedictGomez · Sep 17, 2014

burski said:
Surprisingly, typically Vermont is higher than Utah but with Vail now there I think that may change for good...

Doesnt surprise me.

Nick said:
I didn't know California was #2?

That one I find surprising. And I would have assumed NY would have been in the top 3 or 4.

thetrailboss · Sep 17, 2014

Nick said:
I knew it was bigger but not 3:1. Also I didn't know California was #2?

I'm pretty sure it is.....

I can't seem to find anything to confirm it because I would imagine that NY would be up there too. Here's one image from EpicSki:

deadheadskier · Sep 17, 2014

Those Quebec numbers are quite startling. I know they have a ton of ski areas, but most are very small. I would not have expected Quebec to average as many skier visits if not more than California or BC for that matter.

darent · Sep 17, 2014

Edd said:
I understand the liquor laws have gotten more reasonable since I was there about 6 years ago but I think they should just get on the same page as everyone else. They want tourists? Don't have dumb booze laws; people are on vacation.

skied Utah last winter and found no problems with booze laws, not much of a drinker but had what I wanted to drink after skiing and at dinner. Didn't have to join a club like before.

AdironRider · Sep 17, 2014

Well considering you aren't much of a drinker, your opinion probably isn't going to sway many.

For folks like me and others, vacation usually involves a bit more booze than normal, and compared to Colorado, Wyoming, Vermont, or California, its like pulling teeth comparatively in UT.

We have drive up liqour windows here in Wyoming, meanwhile in UT I get 3.2 beer, I cant buy a double, you can't even have a bartender pour a drink in front of you at a lot of places.

Now I'm not saying that people travel to the other states just to drink booze (well maybe VT and their kickass microbrew scene), but for most intermediates, Park City and Colorado are one and the same, and it would be enough to sway a decision.

benski · Sep 17, 2014

deadheadskier said:
Those Quebec numbers are quite startling. I know they have a ton of ski areas, but most are very small. I would not have expected Quebec to average as many skier visits if not more than California or BC for that matter.

My guess would be the colder climate means more a longer season and therefore more visits.

darent · Sep 17, 2014

AdironRider said:
Well considering you aren't much of a drinker, your opinion probably isn't going to sway many.

For folks like me and others, vacation usually involves a bit more booze than normal, and compared to Colorado, Wyoming, Vermont, or California, its like pulling teeth comparatively in UT.

We have drive up liqour windows here in Wyoming, meanwhile in UT I get 3.2 beer, I cant buy a double, you can't even have a bartender pour a drink in front of you at a lot of places.

Now I'm not saying that people travel to the other states just to drink booze (well maybe VT and their kickass microbrew scene), but for most intermediates, Park City and Colorado are one and the same, and it would be enough to sway a decision.

the place we stayed had a bar/resturant and they served craft beers on tap{not 3.2} also had a nice variety of vodkas. also found craft brews in other locations.true, I don't go on vacation to drink and would not need a drive up, but found no difference between Colorado skiing and Utah Skiing as far as drinks were concerned.

skiNEwhere · Sep 17, 2014

AdironRider said:
We have drive up liqour windows here in Wyoming, meanwhile in UT I get 3.2 beer, I cant buy a double, you can't even have a bartender pour a drink in front of you at a lot of places.

and no pitchers of beer, no double shots, no happy hour, blue laws on Sunday.....O wait that's Massachusetts.

drjeff · Sep 17, 2014

darent said:
skied Utah last winter and found no problems with booze laws, not much of a drinker but had what I wanted to drink after skiing and at dinner. Didn't have to join a club like before.

Exactly! I was drinking pints of 5-8% ABV beers and also had a bomber bottle or 2 of beers approaching 10% ABV apres ski and at dinner the week I was out there last March. I think that the notion that Utah has archaic alcohol laws is more of a myth nowadays likely perpetuated by other states tourism departments ;-)

Also, as far fetched as it may seem to some on AZ ;-) ,it wouldn't surprise me if Ski Utah decides to play up a bit of a family friendly angle more so than they have in the past, as I'm sure the legal pot law in Colorado WILL effect some families choices about where to take a ski vacation and spend their $$.

Personally in the battle for my families ski vacation dollars, Colorado wins this coming season, and then Utah in 2016. I LOVE the convenience of the majority of the major Utah ski areas to the airport in Salt Lake vs. the Colorado ski areas to Denver International, let alone the sh$t show that I-80 up to and through the Eisenhower Tunnel can be, but Colorado, especially in a GOOD snow year can go toe to toe with Utah terrain quality wise!

Let the tourism departments for each of them battle it out, especially if it helps bring more improvements and better deals!

dlague · Sep 17, 2014

Edd said:
I understand the liquor laws have gotten more reasonable since I was there about 6 years ago but I think they should just get on the same page as everyone else. They want tourists? Don't have dumb booze laws; people are on vacation.

Well they better legalize MJ or else they may lose some of the 4.1 M skiers they already get.

.......

skiNEwhere · Sep 17, 2014

dlague said:
Well they better legalize MJ or else they may lose some of the 4.1 M skiers they already get.

.......

I wouldn't go that far.....Utah consistently gets better snow than Colorado. The proximity of the resorts to SLC is a major draw, and PCMR on the Epic pass now should only increase visits as well.

Edd · Sep 17, 2014

dlague said:
Well they better legalize MJ or else they may lose some of the 4.1 M skiers they already get.

.......

Your lips to God's ears.

BenedictGomez · Sep 17, 2014

AdironRider said:
Well considering you aren't much of a drinker, your opinion probably isn't going to sway many.

For folks like me and others, vacation usually involves a bit more booze than normal, and compared to Colorado, Wyoming, Vermont, or California, its like pulling teeth comparatively in UT. Now I'm not saying that people travel to the other states just to drink booze (well maybe VT and their kickass microbrew scene), but for most intermediates, Park City and Colorado are one and the same, and it would be enough to sway a decision.

Vermont has some absolutely moronic alcohol rules too.

No (real) pitchers, cant have 2 drinks in front of you, no drop-shot drinks (carbombs etc..), alcohol per vessel rules means you cant even GET a full pint of the "kickass microbrews" you're talking about, instead you get this dainty 10 ounce glass = LAME.

And given the explosion of the microbrew scene, I personally dont think VT is anything special in that regard any longer, but that's another discussion I suppose.

deadheadskier · Sep 17, 2014

BenedictGomez said:
cant have 2 drinks in front of you ....................... alcohol per vessel rules means you cant even GET a full pint of the "kickass microbrews" you're talking about, instead you get this dainty 10 ounce glass = LAME.

two drink rule went away almost 15 years ago. I have no idea what you're talking about regarding alcohol per vessel rules. There are plenty of bars that sell full pints of 8% and above brews. If that's a law, it isn't enforced.

SLC launches new advertising campaign to pull in Colorado skiers

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