For the week of June 6 - June 12, 2001

Valley nothing 
without tourism

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Remove tourism from the Wood River Valley and what would be left?

Not much.

It’s going to be important to remember this single fact as interpretations of a new study of the local economy begin to surface.

The study may be easily misinterpreted because of the fact that a significant portion of local earnings or people’s incomes are derived from investments and social security drawn from outside the area.

This fact is sure to lead some to suggest that tourism has become irrelevant and that its care and feeding can be ignored with no consequences.

Also, taken alone, the fact that construction is a huge local market sector may also mislead some to conclude that tourism has outlived its usefulness.

However, nothing in the new study, which was financed by the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber or Commerce, should be interpreted in a vacuum.

The truth is that tourism and all its accouterments—ski lifts, hotels and motels, restaurants, night clubs, golf courses, tennis courts, hot tubs—form the bedrock upon which every other sector in the Wood River Valley relies.

Without tourism and the marketing that produces it, the Wood River Valley would be just another deserted high mountain valley with a river running through it.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.