A record-setting number of people visited Temple Square during 1987, according to Joseph H. Horne, director of the 10-acre complex in downtown Salt Lake City.
Horne reported the official figure of visitors for the year at 3,408,881. The number surpassed by 800,000 the previous high established in 1986.The year's 3-millionth visitor, Walter Schweiger of Salzburg, Austria, was hosted Dec. 3. (See Church News, Dec. 12.) The total number of visitors in December 1987 was 429,931.
Figures for the final quarter of the year were also considerably higher than for the previous year - 864,338 compared to 657,329.
The number of scheduled bus tours that took visitors to Temple Square during 1987 was 891; the number of bus tours in 1986 was 389.
Among attractions on Temple Square are the multi-spired Salt Lake Temple; the Tabernacle, home of the Mormon Taberbacle Choir; two visitors centers featuring paintings, exhibits and movies; the Assembly Hall, site of weekly free concerts; and several monuments and statues.
Temple Square's public relations manager, Quig Nielsen, credits the increased visits to more comercial tours and groups, and tourists from other countries who stop in Salt Lake City.