The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic brought travel to a near standstill virtually overnight. But in February, domestic bookings and revenue surpassed 2019 levels for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Vivek Pandya, lead analyst for Adobe Digital Insights.

Wells Fargo managing director and senior economist Mark Vitner said it looks like demand for travel will win out over higher prices.

Why? According to Vitner:

• "People have been putting off travel for two years and are looking to get out."
• Receding pandemic conditions mean a return to in-person meetings and conventions.
• People have record-high levels of personal savings.

State relief at the gas pump? It’s 'complicated,' Utah governor says

Gas prices are up to $4.35 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline and nearly $5 for diesel.

Here are some of the possible ways Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and top legislative leaders are considering giving Utahns relief from high gas prices:

Pausing the state fuel tax

This option is complicated because there are constitutional restrictions on shifting funds in the state budget, and the fuel tax pays the salaries of Utah Department of Transportation employees.

"If I were to unilaterally remove the gas tax, I would also have to lay off all of UDOT’s employees, which is not great. That’s a really bad idea," Cox said.

Refunding the fuel tax

Other states are considering a fuel tax refund, which Cox said is an "interesting proposal."

"I don’t know if that’s something (gas tax refund) the Legislature would be open to, but it’s certainly worth discussing," he said.

Increasing production

"We need long-term, not temporary, solutions," said Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, in a statement. "I agree with the letter Gov. Cox sent to President Biden urging him to eliminate any barriers to increasing U.S. domestic oil and gas production."

Read more about Utah leaders' efforts to address rising fuel prices.

More in Politics

• Salt Lake City won’t host 2024 GOP National Convention, but what about 2028? (Deseret News)
• Median single-family home price is nearing $600K in these Utah counties. Is a ‘market correction’ coming? (Deseret News)
• Groups sue Utah Legislature, alleging unconstitutional gerrymandering (Deseret News)
• Opinion: Tick tock, ditch the time change now, Speaker Pelosi (Deseret News)
  

Introducing the Deseret News Midweek Edition

The Deseret News midweek edition features local stories from the combined newsrooms of the Deseret News, KSL TV, KSL Radio and KSL.com. Subscribe to the Utah Bundle today to receive your copy of the midweek edition delivered to your mailbox each Wednesday, starting March 23.

COVID

• White House warns COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines could run out without more money from Congress. Will Utah have what’s needed? (Deseret News)
• How China’s COVID-19 outbreak led to a dip in oil prices (Deseret News)
• Dr. Fauci explains why COVID-19 is spreading rapidly through Europe right now (Deseret News)
• Fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot may protect against symptoms, but not infection (Deseret News)
  

Faith

• ‘Everyone belongs and we are all different’: Relief Society celebrates 180th anniversary of women ministering, serving (Church News)
• BYU Jerusalem Center will reopen this spring after sitting empty for almost 2 years (Deseret News)
• How many people can attend each session of April 2022 general conference? (Deseret News)
  

Police/Courts

• Ex-Sandy fire captain faces 21 charges in child porn, voyeurism case (KSL.com)
• Video shows Spanish Fork fire truck hitting several cars on way to incident on I-15 (KSL.com)
• Draper police issue strong warning about latest fake guns TikTok trend (KSL.com)
  

Entertainment

• What big shows are coming up in Utah? (Deseret News)

The Nation

• Police: Disney employees among 108 arrested in Florida during human trafficking sting (Deseret News)
• Nine people died in a horrific auto crash in Texas. A 13-year-old was behind the wheel (Deseret News)
• How politics and geography shaped responses to COVID-19 (Deseret News)

The World

• Refugees are streaming out of Ukraine. Should the U.S. do more to help? (Deseret News)
• Survivors emerge from bombed Mariupol theater (Deseret News)
• President Biden to speak with President Xi Jinping. Here’s why it matters (Deseret News)
  

Before March Madness, there was the 'All-Church' basketball tournament

It began in 1922, a full 17 years before the first NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, and the “All-Church” tournament soon grew to include annual volleyball and softball competitions, too.

The number of young men competing, by church estimates, reached 10,000 by the mid-1930s. For comparison, today’s NCAA features almost 19,000 men’s basketball players. But at the Division I level — that is, the teams eligible for March Madness — there are only 5,510 by the most recent count, meaning that the young men competing for a spot in the All-Church tournament back then nearly doubled the amount seeking March Madness glory today.

Read more about the All-Church tournament.

New With:

• BYU Cougars: Why BYU women’s basketball team is embracing the ‘underdog mindset’
  
• Utah Jazz: Depth on display with Juancho Hernangomez and Nickeil Alexander-Walker stepping up
  
• Utah Utes: ‘We are here to make a statement’: Utah women want more than just a cameo appearance in Big Dance