Utah is one of the most alluring off-the-beaten-track destinations in the United States, with some of nature’s most incredible beauty, wide-open spaces, and jaw-dropping landscapes. Zach Fyne, Global Markets Specialist, Utah Office of Tourism, summarises the year 2023 as they continue building on their assets that increase their overall exposure to international visitors, including Indians.
– Prashant Nayak
The state of Utah in the USA has its niche as an outdoor and adventure destination and benefits from its growing popularity, which attracts both young and well-travelled tourists looking for a unique experience. The Rocky Mountaineer train completed its third year of operations connecting Moab to Colorado, and Utah Tourism finds this to be an attractive experience for the MICE and retired traveller groups. Utah is leading the world in designated Dark Sky parks and is witnessing new tour operators and resorts opening new Dark Sky viewing tours across the state to take in their Astro tourism offerings. Both of these attractions have gained prominence for the destination in 2023.
Confronting the biggest challenge
Leading the way for Utah tourism, the major challenge in 2023 was visa interview openings across top markets such as India, China, and Mexico as the U.S. Consulate looks to restaff their organisations post-pandemic. Given the substantial importance of the Chinese market for their overall international visitor impact, the sluggish recovery in the market has noticeably affected the state’s tourism, particularly in destinations well-equipped for charter bus tours.
Navigating Hurdles
Utah Tourism has been hedging its Asia efforts by investing more marketing dollars into the Indian market as China slowly returns to its typical international travel patterns. Their office has worked closely with the U.S. Consulate to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the market and has been targeting consumers who already have a visa and have travelled to the US, looking to explore more destinations off-the-beaten-track.
Leveraging Influencer Content
After hosting rising star content creators Aakash Malhotra and Larissa D’Sa, Utah Tourism spent the early part of 2023 reutilising their content across a wide range of actions to show Indian travellers how best to explore the state, especially in the winter months. From social media campaigns to video presentations, one-sheeter fliers, and media pitching, they have been successful in repurposing this content across a variety of mediums to get more exposure for the destination.
Diversifying into new horizons
The office has expanded its efforts in the Mexico market for the first time in 2023 and has doubled its marketing budget to be able to attend the Brand USA Sales Mission, collaborate on co-op marketing activities with tour operators, and host a FAM from this market for the first time. Given the abundance of direct flights from Mexico to their international airport, their close proximity to Las Vegas (a highly desired destination for many Mexicans), and a market study revealing substantial interest and investments from their western neighbours, 2023 presented an opportune time for increased involvement in the Mexico market.
Changing visitor dynamics
The tourism office has noticed that consumers are much more open to renting vehicles and exploring the US on their own versus a traditional bus tour through the state. More Gen Z and millennial leisure travellers are increasingly drawn to the autonomy of planning their vacations, fuelled by their comfort with social media and willingness to explore novel travel methods.
Optimistic about the future
Utah Tourism has seen a positive recovery across each of its international markets. While total international spending still remained below pre-pandemic levels at $586 million and overnight visits totalled 587,000 for 2023, they are projecting 34 per cent forecasted growth in spending and 16 per cent growth in total visits by 2026. They registered a 36 per cent growth for India in spending in 2022 compared to 2019, so despite less time in the market, they are witnessing positive signs and remain optimistic about the future.
