The Utah way

Of all the natural beauty that bejewels the United States, few states can compete with the riches of the state of Utah. It is home to some of the nation’s best-loved national parks, with millions visiting every year to camp, hike, ski, stargaze and feel truly at one with nature.

But it’s not just its physical beauty that Natalie Randall, Managing Director of the Utah Office of Tourism, believes makes the state unique. She also celebrates the spirit of its inhabitants.

“We have all these different accolades as a state: we’re the happiest state, we lead the nation in service; in volunteering and in charitable giving. I say all of that because it tells you who Utahns are – they care deeply about the community.

“It’s not an ‘us versus them’ mentality, it’s all of us in it together. That’s the Utah way.”

And it is in this spirit of community that Randall and Utah want to keep sharing Utah with the world, but in a way that is sustainable for generations to come.

A global destination

The work of the Utah Office of Tourism helps keep Utah as a destination that is revered the world over.

“We’ve built a strong brand that’s known across the world,” Randall says. “We are known for having the ‘Greatest Snow on Earth^®’ for skiing.

“‘The Mighty Five^®’ is a key brand that highlights our red rock national parks, and is a differentiator that we have from other competitors in the west and in the United States.”

Utah is also one of the best places in the world for stargazing. Aided by its Dark Sky initiative, both national and state parks along with other areas have become a global hub for astrotourists, who come to marvel at its enchanting, crystal-clear night skies.

“We have 27 Dark Sky-certified places throughout our state. Natural Bridges National Monument was actually the first International Dark Sky-certified place in the world,” Randall says.

A dynamic offering

Although the national parks of Utah are its most iconic attractions, Randall is keen to stress that they are by no means the state’s only offering.

“Tourism in Utah is often only thought about as outdoor recreation,” she says. “But it’s a US$12.7 billion industry in direct visitor spend that brings in US$2.35 billion in state and local tax revenue and supports 159,800 jobs.

“We’re thinking about how tourism fits into leisure, business groups, meetings and conventions, sporting events and the film industry. It all creates our dynamic visitor economy and ultimately contributes to making Utah a great place to live. It’s why we have such a strong economy in our state.”

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Part of this dynamic visitor economy is a unique value proposition for businesses.

“A workforce here can be exploring on a bike or a trail just 10 minutes from the front door of their office or home,” Randall says. “Even if you’re not looking to relocate your business, you could take the chance to hold a critical convention in our state, as we have the space and capacity.”

The recent expansion of Salt Lake City Airport is also a major drawing card.

“Investments have been made in our international airport, which has been rebuilt and expanded upon,” she says. “We continue to see expanded domestic and international access coming into the state.”

Community-centered investment

At the heart of the Utah Office of Tourism is a holistic approach that considers all of its stakeholders to ensure that tourism has the best possible impact in the long-term.

Randall explains that since 2019, the office has adopted the Red Emerald Strategic Plan, which aims to attract high-quality visitation and embraces a community-led vision.

“Our strategic thinking isn’t only about attracting visitors, it’s also about ensuring that Utah continues to be a place where visitors can have a good experience,” she says. “We also want to maintain the quality of the community for the residents as well.

“If the community isn’t engaged, if they’re not a part of that initial conversation, then we really can’t move the needle together. We want to empower communities – not just geographical cities and counties, but our private sector communities as well – to plan and decide their future for themselves.

“Our goal at the end of the day is to create a visitor economy that will stand the test of time.”