Business at Park City’s Black Tie Ski & Bike Rentals took a hit this winter, according to Haley Roberts, marketing manager and partnership coordinator. This year’s record-low snowpack drove long-distance visitation down in Park City.
However, Roberts said things are evening out in the summer months.
“We've definitely seen quite a decline in tourism from other places,” Roberts said. “But a lot of that slack has been picked up from people locally.”
Other U.S. small businesses are seeing travelers sticking closer to home this summer through ongoing economic uncertainty, as reported by the Associated Press. Utah business owners say that’s helping keep business steady with changing tourism demands.
A July 2026 report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association found 69% of adults say it’s still important to travel this summer, but they’re finding ways to cut costs. They’re opting for destinations close by, and they’re driving rather than flying. Gas prices have driven airline fares up 26.5% and motor fuel up 27.2% from June 2025 to June 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index. While fuel prices rose year-over-year, they did drop nearly 10% from May to June.
“Most of the clientele we're getting this summer are actually coming up from Salt Lake, Provo, Orem, kind of nearby, just looking for a local place to go on vacation or just for a day trip,” Roberts said.
Business is evenly split between long-distance and regional visitors most years, Roberts explained. While demand is down overall from what Black Tie normally sees in the summer, she said, the numbers are getting closer to normal and stabilizing.
Further south in the state, Joshua Surkes has seen a similar trend at his outdoor adventure business, Paddle Moab. He said an influx of travelers from Utah, Colorado and Arizona visited in April and March. Tourism from nearby states typically peaks in the spring, according to Surkes, while international tourists bolster summer business.
“The last couple years we've lost a ridiculous amount of European travelers. July used to be our busiest month,” Surkes said. “Now July is kind of like a little crater.”
Local visitation, he added, has remained consistent throughout the summer.
Despite the difficult season this year, Surkes said things seem to be keeping on track for his small business.
“And as far as the big picture goes, by the end of the year, I'd like to hit a certain number in sales, and I think I'm going to do that.”
