Pandemic Hits Utah Tourism Industry Hard

In what is typically the coldest of Utah’s five national parks, warming weather usually blossoms with opportunities for adventure and exponential economic growth as people flock to the world-renown red rock hoodoos and dense wood of Bryce Canyon.  But not this year. The Spectrum newspaper reports the pandemic devastated Utah’s tourism industry. International tourism in particular has nosedived, with the number of international passengers down 86% from March to September. That’s tough on businesses because those visitors tend to stay longer and spend more money. At one business, Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City, revenue is down 46% this year.