The Utah Office of Tourism promotes Utah to out-of-state visitors to grow the state’s tourism economy. The tourism office generates significant state and local tax revenues, while continually improving Utah’s outdoor recreation and urban brand, and its offerings for both visitors and locals.
In 2017, annual traveler spending topped $9.15 billion and generated annual tax relief of $1,375 per Utah household.
Utah’s tourism office works to attract visitors who stay longer, spend more and engage with local communities. This business strategy is known as the Red Emerald initiative.
Visitation is distributed throughout the state, consistent with community aspirations for local tourism economies. Utah’s growing urban food and culture offerings, spectacular landscapes and The Greatest Snow on Earth are all part of Utah’s Life Elevated brand promise.
“The Red Emerald business strategy is key to ensuring our efforts contribute to a high quality of life for residents, high-quality experience for visitors and long-term growth in Utah’s tourism industry,” said Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism within the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
The tourism team promotes Red Emerald trips by targeting repeat customers who hire local guides and outfitters and get off the beaten path. By attracting the right customers, the office aims to minimize the impact on local communities.
Other key priorities in the Red Emerald initiative are destination development and management. The Utah Office of Tourism works closely with the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, Utah State Parks, the National Park Service, Utah Department of Heritage and Arts, Utah Department of Transportation, local communities and other land managers and stakeholders to ensure that local communities and visitors have the best possible destinations to support quality experiences.
Highlights:
- Visitors to Utah spend more than $9.1 billion annually.
- Tourism spending generates $1.3 billion annually in state and local tax revenues.
- Tax relief per Utah household from tourism is $1,375 annually.
- The Red Emerald business initiative focuses on quality experiences, not the number of visitors.
Learn more by visiting the Utah Office of Tourism’s industry site at travel.utah.gov and see the agency’s latest campaign at visitutah.com.
