BOISE, Idaho — Idaho had a record year for tourism in 2021, this industry ranks third in the Gem State behind only agriculture and technology and it generates billions of dollars.
Every two years the Idaho Department of Commerce gets their tourism numbers, the department gets their statistics from lodging tax collections throughout the fiscal year, but it is no surprise the industry is growing in Idaho.
"We are blessed with rich assets across the state and we have a very defined marketing program that helps reach visitors in the west," said Diane Norton, the manager of Idaho Tourism. "We were also discovered during COVID."
Here are the numbers, in 2019 Idaho had 35 million visitors generating $3.4 billion, that amount grew by 11 percent from 2017.
In 2021, the numbers were at an all-time high with 37 million visitors with $3.7 billion spent by those travelers and in 2020 during the height of the pandemic Idaho the lodging collections were down four percent.
84 percent of the tourist spending generated comes from out of state visitors, the top three reasons people come to Idaho is to visit family and friends, tour the region and experience the outdoors.
"The industry is doing really well and it is healthy," said Norton. "What makes Idaho really unique is its people."
Vacation is more than just scenery; it’s about making lifelong memories. #visitidaho
— Visit Idaho (@visitidaho) January 6, 2023
Quench your thirst for adventure and start planning your unforgettable getaway with the help of the Official 2023 Idaho Travel Guide.https://t.co/fESmdfzqh1 pic.twitter.com/h2EyXAmEi4
That's where the marketing aspect comes in with a new travel guide to showcase the people, the communities, the history and when I read it I discovered things about Idaho that I did not know.
The travel guide is part of the Visit Idaho umbrella, Andrea Rayburn spearheads this effort and as technology has changed the way we live our lives, this team decided to rebrand their tourism publication for 2019.
"The trend across the country has been inspirational strong editorials," said Rayburn. "That’s what everybody wanted to see because everything when it comes to booking is now online, so you no longer needed our travel guide to decide where to stay while you were driving through the state."
The travel guide showcases storytelling and what makes Idaho special from the wine and the cuisine, to the outdoor adventures, to the history and remembering the Minidoka where Japanese Americans where held during World War II.
"One of my favorite pieces in there is the story about Minidoka because so many people don’t realize it is there," said Rayburn. "I’ve been here my whole life and there are things that still surprise me like the Mackey mine hill tour and you think it just can’t get better and it does."
Visit Idaho has also moved to a digital focus with video and pictures to showcase different areas of the state, but they still work all year on a travel guide that goes to print in the beginning of December, click here to download a copy or receive one in the mail.
"We wanted to have something people can take with them, it's a fun way to engage," said Rayburn. "You read a piece differently when you hold it in your hands looking at the pictures as opposed to scrolling through something and in remote areas there's no guarantee of having cell service."
The marketing also focuses on helping rural communities in Idaho generate revenue with a program called beyond known destinations, and they also focus on responsible recreation with a program called travel with care asking people to care for themselves, others and Idaho.
"Care for Idaho is all about if you are out camping please pick up after yourself, if you are hiking be aware of all the hiking rules and regulations, if you are with your dog pick up after your dog and really just respect the local culture," said Norton.
