Last week’s snow marks a passage from one season to another, a good time close the books on summer 2024 and forecast highlights for the coming winter.Summer brought many positives this year. DestiMetrics data covers about 60% of our lodging inventory, and they report average daily rates (ADR) in August were up 14% (to $394) compared to August 2023, though occupancy dipped 5% (to 40%). Short-term rental listings showed robust growth, up 9% (4,366 listings). Their $467 ADR is a modest 1.5% increase.From May through September, Park City’s reporting properties showed a 2% increase in occupancy to average 35%, with a 6% increase in average daily rates to $350.Visitors also opened their wallets a bit wider this summer. Visa says spending by domestic guests rose 6.2% vs. August 2023, while international spending was up an impressive 18.3%. Reinforcing this data, Park City Municipal recently reported record-setting July sales tax revenue. The $288,067 local businesses collected in July was up 12% compared to 2023.Meanwhile, advance bookings for the post-holiday ski season show more travelers are counting on a Park City experience in the new year, with average advance bookings for winter (November-March), ahead of last year by 3 percent. Rates for the same period are up 4 percent.  February and March reservations are looking strong, up 21% and 14%, respectively. November and December bookings are coming in slower (down 5% and 7%) which may reflect consumer hesitancy as we approach the upcoming election and wait for significant snow.All this news prefigures our Tourism Fall Forum on Nov. 1, which will be one of our most exciting. Keynoter Catherine Raney-Norman, chair of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games and a four-time Olympian, will share her goals and vision for the 2034 Games. I will reveal preliminary data from our Tourism Economic Impact Survey, the first quantitative measure of how our visitor-based economy propels regional prosperity.  Leaders from Ski Utah, Park City Mountain, Deer Valley, the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and Woodward Park City will offer their takes on the upcoming season. Moderator Tom Kelly will also host a delightful fireside chat with 2024 Summer Olympics Silver Medalists Haley Batten.Another highlight will be a preview of the Mountainkind winter campaign in major markets from Seattle to Miami and Los Angeles to Chicago, all coming on the heels of a just-finished chamber media tour of New York, Washington, Chicago and, for the first time, Toronto, where our staff introduced Mountainkind to local reporters.Speaking of major markets, I want to congratulate Ginger Wicks of the Park City Area Restaurant Association for recently securing spots for six Park City establishments at the James Beard PLATFORM event in New York City. Chefs and distillers from Chamber partners High West Distillery, River Horse on Main, Alpine Distillery, Tupelo, Courchevel Bistro and Stein Eriksen demonstrated the increasing sophistication of Park City’s food and spirits to a discriminating New York audience. In a competitive travel industry, nothing beats (literally) having a seat at the table and building relationships in the cities so crucial to our success.Like you, I can feel the winter energy building! Get ready to strap on your skis and boards and hold on tight for a busy 2024-25 season in Winter’s Favorite Town.Jennifer Wesselhoff is the president and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.The post Park City Pulse: Visitor spending way up in summer appeared first on Park Record.