Idahoans’ paychecks depend on tourism

One of every nine Idaho residents earns a paycheck from the tourism industry, according to a new state study commissioned by Idaho’s Commerce & Labor Department. And in some rural counties, one in four jobs is tourism-related.

The study sheds light on the rapid growth of the travel industry, said Carl Wilgus, head of the state’s tourism division.

More than 47,000 Idaho residents worked in tourism jobs last year, taking home $728 million in wages, according to the study done by Global Insight, a San Francisco firm. Tourism jobs doubled over the last six years, and the annual payroll has tripled.

“We’ve gotten past that Rodney Dangerfield complex,” said Wilgus, who used to mimic the comedian’s “no respect” line in interviews. “Tourism is now considered part of the fabric of the state and national economy.”

In 2004, tourism accounted for 5 percent of the Idaho’s gross state product – which is the value of goods and services produced in the state.

In Kootenai County, 13 percent of jobs are linked to tourism, the study said. In rural Shoshone County, once dominated by the mining industry, 22 percent of employment in the county is tourism related.

Lincoln County, next door to Sun Valley, had the highest percentage of tourism jobs – 58 percent. The figure reflects the large number of service workers who are employed in the state’s best-known resort community, Wilgus said.

Jobs in restaurants, hotels, casinos, amusement parks and golf courses are counted as tourism employment. Some retail and transportation jobs are also included.

According to the study, 29 cents of every tourist dollar is devoted to shopping and 14 cents is spent on entertainment. Twenty-two cents goes for transportation, 18 cents is spent on food and 16 cents is spent on lodging.

Despite the growth in payroll, many tourism industry jobs remain low-paid or offer part-time employment. Last year, hospitality jobs in Kootenai County paid an average of $13,773.