On Friday, the Utah County Government released its findings from a resident perception survey, which it said garnered responses from 2,589 residents between December and January.

Though the majority of the survey included broad inquiries of the county’s well-being, the question of what tourism tax dollars should be spent on provided more specific insight.

Of five available options, county parks received 34% of the vote, while the Provo Airport received 30% and art (music, theater, art museums) gained 21%. The Utah County fairgrounds received 9% and the Utah Valley Convention Center had 6%.

For people who supported county parks, the county further asked which areas they prioritized. River trails improvements (Jordan River, Salem Canal, Murdock Canal) received 26% of the vote, while Bridal Veil Falls improvement garnered 23% and Dry Creek Reservoir development had 18%.

Additionally, Vivian Park improvements had 15% of votes, Vineyard Beach creation and improvements had 14% and North County Equestrian Park improvements got 4%.

Richard Piatt, the communications manager for Utah County, said the results aligned well with what the county has chosen to invest its tourism tax revenue in.

“The survey kind of reconfirms what anecdotally people believe, which is that the parks are something people really, really value,” Piatt said. “Also, the Provo Airport stands out. I think a lot of people are utilizing the Provo Airport and are recognizing it’s going to be a bigger and bigger factor.”

Last month, the Utah County Commission approved a measure to pledge $78 million from tourism tax revenue to help expand the Provo Airport to 10 gates. The funds include $19.5 million up front and a $3.9 million annual contribution for the next 15 years.

The county also is working on a project that would improve the congestion at Bridal Veil Falls.

“We’re moving forward on the Bridal Veil project and laying the groundwork,” Piatt said. “We don’t have details yet; we need to acquire rights to develop the land first.”

Tourism tax revenue comes primarily from two sources: transient room tax, or TRT, which is the tax imposed on temporary lodging, such as hotels; and the tourism, recreation, cultural convention tax, or TRCC, which is a restaurant tax on prepared foods and beverages.

In 2023, Utah County received approximately $15 million in TRCC tax and $6 million in TRT collections, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Other survey results

The county survey found 88% of people believe the county is moving in the right direction, though 69% of them added they have some concerns.

Piatt said many respondents mentioned the rapid growth of the county, lamenting the road congestion, particularly in the north and west parts of the county.

“Some of the sentiments in the comments indicate people are pleased with the direction the county is going, and they’re pleased with their quality of life, but I think there’s still concern about the way the county is growing, because it is growing so fast,” he said.

Similar questions also received positive responses, including 85% of people who felt the quality of life in Utah County was good or excellent, and 92% of people who said they agreed or strongly agreed they feel safe in Utah County.

The survey said 81% of people agreed the county had “businesses I need” and 73% of people agreed the county provided necessary services.

The county’s three commissioners received a 30% approval rating, while 13% of respondents disapproved and 57% said they were unsure.

Two-thirds of respondents came from the north or central parts of the county, the survey said, while 23% came from the south part of the county and 11% were from the west. The vast majority of the respondents had lived in Utah County for at least 10 years.