Updated May 28, 2020

As of May 27, 2020, Utah’s yellow Low-Risk Phase of its plan for health and economic recovery has been updated based on positive progress.

Travel guidelines request that the general public reconsider non-essential travel to areas with widespread community transmission of COVID-19. Within Utah adhere to the guidelines of the geographical areas through which you are traveling. Most of Utah is currently in the yellow, low-risk phase recommending reasonable precautions. There are exceptions and residents and visitors alike should be aware that areas may return to moderate or higher risk guidelines if required.

To help build and sustain consumer confidence, the guidelines encourage employers of all businesses to maintain flexible working arrangements (rotating shifts, remote work, etc.), comply with distancing guidelines and sustain increased cleaning regimen of high-touch areas while monitoring staff for symptoms and well-being. 

Residents of Utah and visitors alike can also expect businesses in low-risk areas to be available as follows:

• Dine-in service and bars are opened, with tables arranged so there is appropriate distance between diners. Increased hygiene practices for customers and staff.
• Hospitality, tourism and accommodations are opened with precautions taken for shared spaces; additional caution is taken with extra sanitation of all areas of the property. In addition, the guidelines recommend these businesses maintain signage to remind groups to follow social distancing guidelines and avoid congregating in common areas.
• As always, the guidelines also recommend that face coverings are worn in settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. 

Download the updated list of social and business Phased Guidelines. 

Arches and Canyonlands began phased opening on May 29, 2020, which means all of Utah’s Mighty 5 parks are open, though services and resources remain limited. At this time Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and Four Corners remain closed.

Visit our Traveler Information page for additional resources and links and please let us know of updates or improvements to our information.

As an industry and as a state, we continue to execute on that plan to adapt, innovate and overcome through the pandemic. Indeed, roughout it all, Utah’s tourism industry had continued to inspire through innovation and resiliency.

Headline Action

The Utah Office of Tourism continues to share inspirational messages through eight western states: California, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. We will soon be introducing new creative to build on the inspirational tone established by the Small, but Mighty spots linked below. As travelers are becoming increasingly comfortable planning ahead, we’ll be there to inspire their trip to Utah and provide the right resources to support a safe and responsible journey.

The UOT is closely monitoring the phases of reopening in Utah and neighboring states to make informed marketing decisions around which spots to show in these markets as well as when and where to transition from Immediate Phase messages to the next phase. 

The current spots (Rain and Sand) on Connected TV streaming services such as Hulu and Disney+ show empathy and tie together pillars of permanence, openness and our collective desire to stay united. The messages are meant to restore confidence and inspire in-state and regional drive-market audiences by reminding them of what Utah offers. 

We keep audiences inspired by connecting Utah’s natural landscapes to the actions people are taking to stay united. We thank those who are doing their part.

Looking for our social media best practices and online tips? See our COVID-19 Communications Tips for DMOs and Businesses (Google Doc).

PPE Resources for Utah Businesses
The state maintains a spreadsheet that lists Utah vendors for personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, sanitizer and disinfectant. If you’re a Utah organization in need of PPE for your workforce or on-site visitors, we encourage you to reach out to other Utah companies that can provide those products. View the spreadsheet here.

CARES Act Small Business Administration loans 

The CARES (Coronavirus Aid Relief & Economic Security) Act is live as of Wednesday, April 1st.

Two major loan programs include Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Loan Enhancement including pathways to loans and loan forgiveness for small travel businesses, federally backed financial assistance and tax relief to mitigate losses and keep the lights on. On May 7, the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration announced availability of funding that will be provided to state and regional organizations to develop CARES Act recovery and resilience strategies, including industry supply chain, cluster analyses, econometric analyses, diversification efforts and travel and tourism-related marketing campaigns. 

For more information, please visit the EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.

Learn more about all available business resources at https://coronavirus.utah.gov/business/ and about what the CARES Act Means for Utahns (PDF).

Resource Guides:

U.S. Travel CARES Act Summary (PDF)
U.S. Travel Eligibility Guide (PDF)

Who to Follow

• The state of Utah’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) information hub
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control Travel Health Notices and COVID 2019 Information for Travel
  American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Coronavirus Resource Page
• U.S. Travel Association’s COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response
• The Utah Office of Tourism’s COVID-19 Traveler Information on visitutah.com, which includes the latest reports of closures or restricted activities.
• The Governor’s Office of Economic Development COVID-19 information page 
• Brand USA Coronavirus Industry Impact and Updates

If you’re worried about whether you may have COVID-19, please call the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707.

The following webinars and announcements have come to our attention that may be of interest and helpful with your organization or business. Note: a few presentations may required registration to view.

June 3, 2020 – Summit Speaker Series on Camping After COVID-19
GOED’s Office of Outdoor Recreation hosts this on-going series. The COVID-19 edition of the North American Camping Report, conducted by KOA and Cairn Consulting, reveals that leisure travelers (both campers and non-campers) are seeing camping as the safest form of travel this summer as they resume travel among the current health precautions. Scott Bahr, President, Cairn Consulting Group, presents the report, which also shows that camping, glamping, and road trips will be replacing other forms of travel this year for many travelers.

May 28, 2020 – Understanding the Mindset of the Crisis Consumer
Visit Salt Lake’s social media webinar discusses learning to adapt to this new landscape and will provide valuable information on both how to market, who to market to in both organic and paid social marketing opportunities. Presenters include Jessica Chindgren, Social Media & Communications Manager, Visit Salt Lake; Martin Stoll, CEO, Sparkloft Media; and Corrine Turke, Account Supervisor, Sparkloft Media.

May 20, 2020 – Brand USA Board of Directors Meeting
John Edman, Brand USA Board of Directors chairman, conducts the May board meeting with discussion including the recent accomplishments of the organization, where Brand USA is going moving forward, and what are the responses and efforts in terms of recovery in the challenges ahead.

May 14, 2020 – Assessing Recovery: The Assurances Consumers Need
The second webinar in U.S. Travel‘s new weekly Assessing Recovery series focused on the assurances travelers need in order to feel safe traveling again. The webinar dove into the latest findings from the Back-to-Normal Barometer, a new study listening to the voice of the leisure activity customer. Participants include Roger Dow, president and CEO , U.S. Travel; Rich Thau, co-founder and president, Engagious; Jon Last, founder and president, Sports and Leisure Research Group.

May 14, 2020 – COVID-19 Research Update
Brand USA‘s Vice President, Research & Analytics Carroll Rheem hosted a research webinar to provide an update on international market conditions – the status of the pandemic, the economic outlook and consumer sentiment.

May 14, 2020 – Navigating Uncharted Territory with Chris Thompson
This week’s Adara‘s COVID-19 Insights Webinar Series is joined by Chris Thompson, President and CEO at Brand USA for an insightful conversation as he shares his thoughts, insights and perspective with Ted Sullivan, Vice President – Destination Analytics at ADARA regarding the current COVID-19 situation. Carolyn Corda, Chief Marketing Officer at ADARA also shares latest data and insights from the ADARA Traveler Trends Tracker.

May 12, 2020 – Implementing Moderate-Risk Guidelines in Your Business
The Utah Economic Task Force hosted a virtual town hall to discuss how to implement moderate-risk guidelines in your business as laid out in Utah Leads Together 2.0, as well as provide a glimpse at next steps for Utah’s tourism industry. Agenda includes Governor Gary Herbert – Welcome; President Stuart Adams – Utah Legislative COVID-19 Commission Update; Kris Cox, Utah Governor’s Office of Management and Budget – Implementation of Utah Leads Together 2.0; Jacey Skinner, Salt Lake Chamber – Moderate-Risk Business Resources and Guidelines; Vicki Varela, Utah Office of Tourism – Next Steps for Utah’s Tourism Industry.

May 13, 2020 – Summit Speaker Series on Programming Post-Pandemic
GOED’s Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation series discusses as summer approaches and many things remain unknown, how does an organization plan summer programming? Should your organization plan summer programming at all, or postpone it? Modified summer programming may be the lift everyone needs, but how do you balance expectations, plan when much is unknown, and ensure your users and staff stay safe and healthy? This recorded webinar discusses the guidance the American Camp Association has put out based on CDC recommendations. The discussion includes health screening, food management, cleaning, transportation, what programming might look like, and more.

May 7, 2020 – Opening Guidelines for Businesses
Visit Salt Lake’s Town Hall in partnership with Dennis Keith of Respro Health and Safety provided clarification and best practices for reopening your business. As this is an ever-changing landscape, VSL is planning on following up this town hall with weekly Question and Answer seminars. Accompanying handbook document.

May 5, 2020 – Clarity in a Time of Crisis: COVID-19 Webinar Series, Edition 5
Presented by Miles Partnership Marketing, this fifth edition of the Clarity in a Time of Crisis webinar series, Amir Eylon, President & CEO of Longwoods International, shared findings from the first two months of the COVID-19 Travel Sentiment Study, discussing new trends and insights on U.S. travelers’ outlook on COVID-19, the economy, future travel plans and more. Laura Aalto, CEO of Helsinki Marketing in Finland, then gave an update on Helsinki and its continued remarkable engagement with locals and visitors around the world. She also discussed the broader response to COVID-19 in Finland and its neighboring Scandinavian nations.

April 30, 2020 – Connect with Domestic Tour Operators
Connect Travel‘s virtual roundtable with domestic tour operators across the U.S. discuss the latest on the current climate. Hear from Julie Gagnon, General Manager, Jolly Tours and Travel and Dennis Lyons, Assistant Vice President / Coach & Tour Group, DATTCO.

April 30, 2020 – Navigating Uncharted Territory with Alex Dichter
Adara presents Alex Dichter, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company as he shares his perspective on the current COVID-19 impact on the industry and how the market may evolve in a post-pandemic world. Alex will be joined by Carolyn Corda, CMO at ADARA who will share their latest data and insights with a focus on travel around the upcoming holiday periods over the next few months.

April 29, 2020 – The Role of DMOs in the COVID-19 Crisis
Join Expedia Group Media Solutions and Tourism New Zealand in this webinar discussion to learn about: -The vital role of DMOs during a crisis -How DMOs are servicing their communities and local businesses/tourism partners -How DMOs are planning for future recovery and inspiring potential visitors Audience: Travel advertising professionals across the Asia Pacific region

April 29, 2020 – Weekly Coronavirus Industry Update Webinar
Destinations International presents speakers Beth Potter, President and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Moderator and Tom Garzilli, CMO, Brand USA -Eduardo Chaillo, President, Global Meetings and Tourism Specialists

April 28, 2020 – Economic Task Force Town Hall – Reactivating Your Business: Testing and Taxes
The Utah Economic Task Force hosted a virtual town hall to discuss reactivating businesses and the Utah economy with a focus on testing and taxes. Issues discussed include a State Update, Update from Washington, D.C., COVID-19 Testing in Utah, Impact of COVID-19 on Taxes, and How to Navigate PPP and Unemployment Insurance as People Start Returning to Work.

April 28, 2020 – Visit Salt Lake Town Hall
This meeting with Love Communications addressed the impact COVID-19 is having on the tourism industry so that Visit Salt Lake and their partners can steer their marketing strategies in the appropriate direction.

April 28, 2020 – Mountain Travel Crisis & Recovery: How to Re-Emerge and Build Trust in a COVID-Conscious World
As the Mountain Travel Symposium looks toward the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, mountain resorts have a fortunate “great outdoors” advantage following months of inside fatigue. Brands that deliver on this consumer desire while balancing the need for health and safety precautions will re-emerge successfully and build trust.

April 28, 2020 – DMO Relief Now and What’s Next
From U.S. Travel Association, the coronavirus public health crisis has taken a devastating toll on the travel industry and economic relief packages must be top of mind. Tori Emerson Barnes, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Policy, and Treon Glenn, Senior Director Government Relations, both with the U. S. Travel Association and Alejandro Contreras, Director of Preparedness, Communication and Coordination with SBA Office of Disaster Assistance discuss recovery resources, including the CARES Act, tax relief and grants.

April 28, 2020 – Clarity in a Time of Crisis: COVID-19 Webinar Series, Edition 4
In the fourth edition of Miles Partnership Marketing, Clarity in a Time of Crisis webinar series, Madeline List, Research Analyst with Phocuswright, shared insights and key takeaways from their new research of international and U.S. markets. Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan, will share practical steps the state is taking in planning for recovery as well as a broad perspective on how states are approaching the situation gained through his role as Vice Chair of the National Council of State Tourism Directors.

April 23, 2020 – Navigating Uncharted Territory Week 5
Adara hosts Jan Freitag, Senior Vice President at STR for an insightful conversation as he shares his thoughts, insights and perspective with David Morrow, VP, Global Communications regarding the current COVID-19 situation. Then Christopher Brown, Chief Data Scientist at ADARA presents on navigating COVID19: a look at health policy, economic forces and consumer behavior that affect business decisions and outcomes.

April 22, 2020 – Leadership During a Pandemic
International Inbound Travel Association hosts Dr. Bryan Williams with key points including how to stay present and mindful, what things can we be working on now to set ourselves up for success upon return, how to keep team members motivated and aligned as they work virtually, and how best to respond when people reach out in fear and anxiety.

April 22, 2020 – Creating a Safe and Healthy Work Environment Plan
The Salt Lake Chamber, University of Utah Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational & Environmental Health and WCF Insurance hosted a webinar to help you create a safe and healthy work environment plan. Speakers include: –Dr. Kurt Hegmann, MD MPH, Director, University of Utah Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational & Environmental Health (RMCOEH) –Dr. Matthew Thiese, PHD, MSPH, Associate Professor, University of Utah RMCOEH –Kathryn H. Clark, CIH, CSP, ARM-E, Sr. Vice President & CRO, WCF Insurance –Linda Wardell, GM, City Creek Center – The Taubman Center.

April 22, 2020 – Coronavirus Industry Update
Findings from Destinations International and Miles’ COVID-19 Leisure Marketing survey will be shared. The research is to identify best practices and tactics that will help the industry prevail during the height of the crisis and set your teams up for continued success when we’re in recovery.

April 22, 2020 – Travel’s Path Forward Destination and Marketing
As the coronavirus is dealing a serious blow to the travel industry overall, destinations are working to quickly chart the best way forward. They face a conundrum: letting the awareness of a destination fall to zero during a crisis is a huge risk, but launching a tourism campaign can easily seem tone-deaf. Please join Skift editors and research analysts, along with leaders in tourism, including DMOs, advisors, suppliers, and research companies, for this dive into the state of destinations today.

April 21, 2020 – The Roads to Recovery for Travel and Tourism
Tourism strategy advisors Resonance Consultancy discuss the new normal, steps to recovery, quicker recovery, key variables for speed and strength in the travel and tourism recovery, and near-term and long-term trends.

April 21, 2020 – Clarity in a Time of Crisis: COVID-19 Webinar Series, Special Edition Earth Day Webinar
In honor of Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, Miles Partnership Marketing hosted this webinar focused on how destinations and tourism partners can renew their focus on sustainability and destination stewardship coming out of the COVID-19 crisis. Erin Francis Cummings, President & CEO of Destination Analysts, shared a few highlights from the Destination Management edition of The State of the American Traveler, focusing on how U.S. travelers see sustainability. Cathy Ritter, Director of the Colorado Tourism Office, and Kristin Dahl, VP of Destination Development at Travel Oregon, discussed how Colorado and Oregon, two leaders in destination development, are thinking about sustainability during the COVID-19 crisis and throughout recovery. Chris Seek, CEO of Solimar International, a global leader in destination development, highlighted three specific next-step opportunities for destinations, highlighting international examples.

April 16, 2020 – COVID-19 webinar: U.S. & Canada Hotel Weekly Performance Analysis
STR‘s takeaways for the week ending 4/11, presented by Jan Freitag, Senior Vice President, Lodging Insights include: US is down -83.6% RevPAR compared YoY, people are still staying in hotels with 7.5 Million rooms occupied last week in US with travelers, and New Historical high for pipeline rooms.

April 16, 2020 – What is Hospitality’s New Normal?
Forbes Travel Guide created a panel discussion with renowned health and hospitality experts to provide perspective how hospitality leaders are managing through the COVID-19 crisis—including a high-level overview of efforts to secure relief for the industry; what’s in store for the future of travel; and how and when the industry can best position itself for recovery. Roger Dow, President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association; Jeff Arnold, Chairman, Forbes Travel Guide & CEO, Sharecare; Dr. Mehmet Oz, Medical Leader, Author, Emmy Award Winner; Filip Boyen, CEO, Forbes Travel Guide; Jerry Inzerillo, Vice Chairman, Forbes Travel Guide & CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority.

April 16, 2020 – Navigating Uncharted Territory with Roger Dow
Adara hosts Roger Dow, President & CEO at U.S.Travel Association, as he shares his thoughts, insights and perspective with David Morrow, VP, Global Marketing regarding the current COVID-19 situation. Also, Piyush Shrivastava, Director, Product Management – Analytics at ADARA, will share the latest insights and updates from the latest ADARA Tourism Dashboard. 

April 15, 2020 – COVID-19 Webinar Series — Part II: Preparing for What Comes Next
From TripAdvisor – While uncertainty remains and there’s no consensus when the world will turn the corner on COVID-19 (Coronavirus), that time will come and travel businesses must be prepared for what comes next. Join us for Part II of our strategy session for destinations, hoteliers, attractions, and others in the travel industry. You’ll hear perspectives from Adam Sacks, Founder and President, Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company; Damien Cook, CEO, E-Tourism Frontiers; Greg Klassen, Partner, Twenty31 Consulting, along with insights from Tripadvisor’s own travelers.

April 14, 2020 – Utah Leads Together Small Business Bridge Loan – Round Two
GOED Executive Director Val Hale summarizes Round One of the state’s bridge loan program and announces Round Two funding, this time for small businesses and nonprofits (50 or fewer employees), with applications accepted from April 13 to April 16 at noon. Learn more at https://utahgoed.info/loan.

April 14, 2020 – Clarity in a Time of Crisis: COVID-19 Webinar Series, Edition 2
In the second Miles Partnership Marketing edition of their Clarity in a Time of Crisis webinar series, Evan Saunders, Vice President of Tourism and Hospitality at UberMedia, joined to share the latest analysis of mobile location data from destinations around the world. Chattanooga Tourism Co.’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dave Santucci, showcased some of their most impactful projects and shared practical advice for the COVID-19 situation.

April 8, 2020 – Clarity in a Time of Crisis
Guest speakers for Miles Partnership Marketing first webinar in the series were Amir Eylon of Longwoods International, who shared the latest findings from the COVID-19 Traveler Sentiment Study, and Niall Tracey of Fáilte Ireland, who offered insights and examples of how the Emerald Island is responding to the crisis.

April 3, 2020 – Navigation COVID-19: How to Save Your Business
Experts from the Marriner S. Eccles Institute at the David Eccles School of Business are joined by Mike Leavitt, former US Health and Human Services Secretary and former Utah Governor, to provide actionable insights for businesses of every size throughout Utah. Sen. Mitt Romney and Gov. Gary Herbert also will took part in the forum.

April 1, 2020 – Summit Speaker Series: Surviving COVID-19 Crisis Support for Outdoor Businesses
The Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation‘s series features Theresa Foxley, Economic Development Corporation of Utah; Ryan Starks, Governor’s Office of Economic Development; and Alex Adema, President & CEO of DPS Skis. Panelists discussed: What is going on with COVID-19? What are the State and other entities doing? What help exists for your business? How to capitalize on how active everyone is on social media right now. How to use this time to show the community how committed you are them, and how they can support you. How can Utah’s outdoor businesses come together to share best practices and support each other as we face these uncertain times?

March 30, 2020 – Utah Leads Together Small Loans Bridge Program
Val Hale, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), announced the Utah Leads Together Small Business Bridge Loan program. Thanks to the Governor’s Office, Utah Department of Workforce Services, Utah House of Representatives, and Utah Senate for helping GOED get Utahns back to work. During round two, loan applications will be accepted from Utah for-profit and 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, from April 13 at 8 a.m. to April 16 at noon (MDT).

View the updated UOT org chart to understand our organizational structure and relationships of the positions within.

Early-bird registration is now open for the annual Utah Tourism Conference, to be held September 22-24, 2020, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.

This gathering brings together the tourism industry, state leaders, agencies and travel experts to explore the latest trends and opportunities for the industry. Attendees leave with actionable takeaways, feeling connected, inspired and ready to implement new strategies in their work.

See UTIA’s website for more information and to register.

The 2020 General Session of the Utah State Legislature will be held January 27 – March 12, 2020.

For information about the 2020 Legislative Session, the Utah Tourism Industry Association’s website has information that includes a weekly bill tracker, list of Utah’s elected officials, and legislative toolkit.

You can also access a significant session dates and weekly schedules, audio and video of meetings and debates, committee memberships, and more on the Utah State Legislature’s website.

Help your community become viable, welcoming, and high-quality destinations for tourism through the Destination Development Grant Program. The application period is NOW OPEN with application deadline date as February 7, 2020, by 5:00 pm MT. Applications can only be submitted online at https://travel.utah.gov/opportunities/destination-development​.

Participant communities will progress sequentially through three (3) planning programs designed to assist participants in becoming viable, welcoming, and high-quality destinations for tourism. The Utah Office of Tourism (UOT), with contracted consulting firms, will work with participants to ensure that destination development deliverables are actionable, relevant, and specific to each participant.

For more information, please view the Destination Development web page, guidelines and application webinar.

The Sundance Film Festival, held January 23-February 2, 2020, is one of the largest independent film festivals in the world and a showcase for new work from American and international filmmakers. For more than 30 years, filmmakers and audiences have been traveling to Park City, Utah, and surrounding venues to see some of the most innovative storytelling in cinema today. Here is some great advice from Utah Film Commission director Virginia Pearce on How to Sundance:

We are incredibly lucky to have a world-class Festival in our backyard and the following tips will help you take advantage of all the Festival action and navigate the fun. With screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Sundance Resort, we hope you can get out there and see something!

There are some amazing films from all over the world being shown this year. Check out the full line up HERE. We are thrilled that there are two films “made-in-Utah” at the Festival this year.

• Nine Days This film received a motion picture incentive and shot in and around Salt Lake and Tooele in August with an all-star cast including Winston Duke (Black Panther) and Benedict Wong (Avengers).
• The Killing of Two Lovers This film was written and directed by BYU professor Robert Machoian and was shot entirely in Kanosh earlier this year.

If a film you want to see appears to be “sold-out”, you can still join the electronic eWaitlist two hours before a screening’s start time and just show up directly at the theatre. The Waitlist is a Sundance Film Festival tradition!

In addition to film screenings, the Festival offers a variety of panels, art, concerts and new media installations, as well as some great people watching on Park City’s Main Street. So be sure to make some time to wander around the Festival. Find out more about how to experience the the Festival offscreen HERE.

We hope to see you around the Fest!

In this newsletter:

• Director’s Message highlights from UOT’s strategic planning process, focusing our momentum around our Red Emerald Business Initiative.
• Recently published videos include Permit of Solitude, Go With a guide, Harnessing passion, and Insider’s Guide to Park City. Plus, reach the stories from our latest Utah’s Explorer’s Guide.
• Latest tourism numbers from 2018 are in and include Utah visitors spent $9.75 billion in the Utah economy.
• Destination Development has a new co-operative planning grant opportunity.
• Meet our new public relations manager and new marketing analyst and research manager at UOT.
• Learn more about UOT’s urban marketing survey results and urban strategy.
• Upcoming events include board meetings and committee meetings.