Ski Utah President and CEO Nathan Rafferty was inducted into the Utah Tourism Hall of Fame during the annual Utah Tourism Conference at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley.
Rafferty was one of three people honored by the Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Tourism Industry Association, TownLift reported. State Sen. Evan Vickers and Shayne Wittwer, CEO of Wittwer Hospitality, also received the recognition.
The conference ran Oct. 13–16, according to the Utah Office of Tourism. The Grand Hyatt was the first hotel to open in Deer Valley East Village. It sits in Wasatch County but carries a Park City mailing address.
Rafferty joined Ski Utah as an intern in 1994 and became president and CEO in 2005. He leads the organization’s marketing, strategic planning and government relations, representing Utah’s 15 ski resorts.
The industry he represents carries substantial economic weight. Skier and snowboarder spending in Utah totaled $2.51 billion during the 2024–25 season, according to a Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute fact sheet. The report also attributed 31,800 direct jobs and $342.6 million in state and local tax revenue to the industry. Spending figures are expressed in 2025 dollars.
Ten of Utah’s 15 resorts sit less than an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, the institute reported.
Natalie Randall, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism, said the inductees “understand that a thriving tourism industry begins with the people and communities who welcome visitors every day,” according to TownLift.
Established in 1985, the Utah Tourism Hall of Fame recognizes contributions to tourism at the state, regional and local levels. Recipients are nominated by their peers and selected annually.
