Salt Lake City Hospitality Market Report

Multiple demand drivers trending upward. Salt Lake City is the only major Mountain metro to avoid an occupancy decline during 2026, thanks to a trio of factors stabilizing its hotel sector. After adding more than 10,000 traditional office-using jobs in 2025, the metro entered this year with a record count of white-collar professionals. Fueled in part by fintech expansion, this tally increases by nearly 2 percent in 2026, a growth that bodes well for future corporate- and convention-driven hotel demand. Recreational tourism is also reaching new heights. Utah’s 15 mountain resorts logged over 6.5 million skier visits during the 2024-2025 season, the third-highest tally on record. These resorts also expect to bring 13 new lifts online over the next two years, potentially boosting seasonal attendance. Elsewhere, hotels in areas of notable population growth should be well positioned. Provo-Orem properties may see some of the strongest performance, as the submarket posted its highest-ever annual occupancy rate last year.