Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS — While Utah’s ski resorts offer a fun, recreational getaway for many locals, they also offer a variety of seasonal jobs during ski season.
Utah is home to 14 resorts, 10 of which are within an hour of the Salt Lake City Airport. It also boasts “The Greatest Snow on Earth,” which helps provide an economic boost for local areas.
A study released in May 2016 said tourism in Utah grew despite a down year in the ski and snowboard industry due to a mild winter with a below-average snowfall. Spending at winter resorts totaled $1.1 billion in 2014, the study said. In 2013, local ski resorts, national parks and other attractions brought in $1 billion in tax revenue for Utah, according to the Utah Tourism Industry Association — an increase from $890 million in 2012.
Along with a large boost in tourist spending, the local ski resorts also provide hundreds of jobs for local residents, according to Ski Utah director of communications Paul Marshall. While most of the resorts’ job opportunities increase during the ski season, some resorts saw a 600 percent increase in jobs:
- Solitude: Grows from 75 year-round employees to 500 winter employees
- Snowbasin: Grows from 250 summer-time employees to 750 winter employees
- Brighton: Grows from 35 year-round employees to over 600 winter-time employees
- Snowbird: Grows from 800 year-round employees to 400 seasonal summer staff and 1,100 winter season staff “Those numbers alone are big for our state employment numbers, but also proves the value of the $1.3 billion winter sports industry in the state,” Marshall said.
Marshall said during the winter, Snowbasin Resort offers a variety of new positions including administration, accounting, snow-sports school, food and beverage, mountain operations, guest services and in the rental and repair shop. Some of the positions are seasonal full time or seasonal part time, and the work schedules can vary.
While Marshall didn’t provide numbers for Park City Mountain Resort’s job opportunities, he said they also hire for seasonal jobs.
“Many employees work for a season and stay for a career,” according to the Vail Resorts website. “Employees often start at one resort and then transfer to another for the summer, and return for winter at most Vail Resorts properties or resorts.”
