The division has recently released the 1999 State and County Economic and Travel Indicator Profiles . The annual publication contains statistics on major tourism economic indicators as well as selected visitation counts for the state and Utah s 29 counties. As the economic impact of travel and tourism continues to increase around the state, elected officials and economic development planners are faced with evermore complex tourism planning issues, says division director Dean Reeder. The report is intended to serve as a resource guide for tourism planning at both the state and local levels, Reeder adds. Despite continued economic deceleration, Utah s overall economy, including its tourism economy, continued to perform well in 1998, says Jon Kemp, research coordinator for the division.
Tourism is one of the state s five most important economic activities, the report states.