2020 Utah Tourism Industry Hall of Fame Recipients

The Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Tourism Industry Association announce the 2020 Utah Tourism Hall of Fame recipients. Utah Tourism Hall of Fame recipients are selected based on their history of contributions to the state’s tourism industry through leadership, long-standing contribution to their region or to the entire state. The 2020 Hall of Fame recipients were acknowledged at this year’s Utah Tourism Conference, held virtually with a limited in-person event at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

“This is an award about recognizing leadership in one of Utah’s largest economic sectors,” said Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism. “It’s an honor to recognize this year’s recipients who have all made significant and sustaining contributions to Utah’s tourism industry, particularly during challenging times.”

Beginning in 1985, the Hall of Fame has recognized 118 recipients who have contributed toward improving the national/international recognition of the positive aspects of vacationing in Utah, improved the understanding of Utah residents regarding the attractions of their state and the economic development benefits of tourism for the state, and facilitated efforts of improving the business climate for tourism-related businesses in Utah.

2020 Utah Tourism Hall of Fame Recipients:

Val Hale, Executive Director, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development
As the Executive Director of the Utah’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Val has guided the state’s economic development efforts in business, tourism and film. Val has been a champion for tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities, helping put Utah on the map as a premier destination across the globe and helping all Utahns live “Life Elevated.” Val has been instrumental in paving a path towards recovery for Utah’s tourism industry as a resourceful, collaborative and innovative leader. 

Joyce Kelly, International Marketing Manager, Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office
As the International Marketing Manager for the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office, Joyce Kelly has proven herself an asset to Utah. She has been instrumental in putting the Greater Zion area and other destinations in Southern Utah on the international map. She has built and strengthened relationships with key tour operators across the globe and through these relationships has brought visitors from around the world to Utah’s National Parks. 

Bill Malone, President and CEO, Park City Chamber/Bureau
As the President and CEO at Park City Chamber/Bureau, Bill has been invaluable to the Park City community. Bill is a talented destination ambassador and has led one the most effective Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the country. He has an eye for talent and has attracted/retained/developed industry leaders who bring hundreds of millions in revenue to the community every year. Bill has demonstrated a flexible and adaptive aptitude to new trends, yet preserves the history and integrity of the destination.

COVID-19 Impacted Businesses Grant Programs

July 14, 2020 Shop in Utah Webinar Recording

Presentation # 1

Overview of the Utah COVID-19 Response – CARES Act Funding Opportunities

Kori Ann Edwards and Dean Ishihara, Governor’s Office of Economic Development

Presentation # 2

Create in Utah Presentation

Katherine Potter, Heritage & Arts

Presentation # 3

TravelZoo Opportunities

Becky Keeney, Utah Office of Tourism

The Utah Office of Tourism has teamed up with Travelzoo, a global deals publisher with 28 million members worldwide, to promote our state and help drive more visitors to our hotels and attractions. We will have a Partner Promotions page on their website (www.travelzoo.com) and will be promoted on their media network from September 15 – December 15.

All partners have the opportunity to submit an offer for consideration to be included on this dedicated page. Offers must be received by August 31…more

For information about GOED’s Shop in Utah grant program, qualifications, required documentation, including where and how to apply, click here.

For additional information and all COVID-19 grants, loans and programs, please visit business.utah.gov

Updated August 14, 2020

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UOT and Travelzoo to provide free marketing for your tourism promotions

Utah Office of Tourism has teamed up with Travelzoo, a global deals publisher, to promote our state and help drive more visitors to our hotels and attractions. These deals will be featured on a Partner Promotions page on Travelzoo’s website and will be promoted on their media network from September 15–December 15.

The UOT will further promote through Visit Utah social media channels and at visitutah.com. All partners have the opportunity to submit an offer for consideration to be included on the dedicated TravelZoo page. Offers must be received by August 31. Read our Travelzoo Opportunities FAQ (PDF). If you’re interested in receiving more information about this opportunity, please fill out the submission form below.

Note: Any Utah tourism business offering any discount to their visitors may be eligible for this free promotion opportunity.

Complete the form here.

State seeks additional funds for Shop In Utah

Thanks to Shop In Utah, millions of dollars of CARES Act funds are already being dispersed to hundreds of businesses and nonprofits throughout our industry.

Although Shop In Utah currently has requests exceeding the $25 million that was funded, we are working hard to secure additional CARES funding for this program. We encourage you to apply. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development will have additional information following the Utah Legislature’s special session later this month. Because all Shop In Utah applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until funding runs out, it is important to apply soon.

Learn more about the progress of Shop in Utah then click the link on the COVID-19 Impacted Businesses Grant Program link

Senator Romney’s Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Town Hall

In partnership with Utah’s Office of Tourism and Office of Outdoor Recreation, Senator Mitt Romney hosted a virtual town hall with Utah businesses on Wednesday, August 12.

During this town hall, Senator Romney provided a brief update on discussions in Washington surrounding the next COVID-19 relief package, and fielded questions from participants. Representatives of Utah’s outdoor recreation and tourism industry shared how COVID-19 is impacting their operations.

Latest Travel Guidance

Last month, the state of Utah’s coronavirus team recently published an important article for our industry. The travel guidance page offers recommendations for those looking at travel during COVID-19. While it acknowledges that travel can increase your exposure to the coronavirus, it provides useful information for how to visit safely. These guidelines will help protect visitors and residents alike. The Utah Office of Tourism also provided this guidance for safe and responsible visitation. 

Utah Leads Together

Utah’s Economic Response Task Force released Volume 4 of the Utah Leads Together plan based on three core pillars: follow public health guidelines, stay engaged with the economy and assist those in need. Version 4.9 (PDF) provides guidance for restaurants operating 24 hours per day and restaurants with buffet service, among other updates. Utah’s health guidance system tracks counties and localities by color code to inform residents and visitors of area health guidelines.

Color-Coded Risk Phases

In close consultation with local health authorities and with the Utah Department of Health, Gov. multiple counties remain in the green “New Normal” phase.

As restrictions are lifted in the New Normal phase, the likelihood of COVID-19 spread is increased. Because of this, the general public are strongly encouraged to follow current federal and local public health precautions, including hygiene measures, physical distancing, face coverings, and symptom monitoring at group gatherings. Symptomatic individuals should not attend social gatherings.

Travelers should try to limit non-essential travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and are asked to use appropriate precautions when traveling. Some areas have imposed self-quarantine for travelers from Utah.

Yellow Low-Risk travel guidelines likewise 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 or green, New Normal phase (with the exception of orange, Moderate Risk Salt Lake City as of 6/19) each recommending reasonable precautions and personal responsibility. 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
• Screen daily when engaged with high-risk populations 
• Sustain increased cleaning regimen of high-touch areas while monitoring staff for symptoms and well-being.

Additional best practices for employers include educating their workforce about the threat of COVID-19 and what they should do to safe including posting signage at entrances.

Residents and visitors alike can expect businesses in green “new normal” areas to be available as follows:

• Businesses open and operating under enhanced hygiene and cleaning regimen with monitoring of workforce and customers.

Residents of Utah and visitors alike can also expect businesses in yellow “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. 

All of Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks as well as our national monuments, recreation areas and state parks are open, though some indoor services and resources may remain limited and visitors are advised to check official park pages and social media channels for current travel alerts and closures. 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.

For the latest information, sign up for the Utah Office of Tourism partner newsletter.

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-19 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 or membership login to view.

August 12, 2020 – Senator Romney’s Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Town Hall
In partnership with Utah’s Office of Tourism and Office of Outdoor Recreation, Senator Mitt Romney hosted a virtual town hall with Utah businesses and provided a brief update on discussions in Washington surrounding the next COVID-19 relief package, and fielded questions from participants. Representatives of Utah’s outdoor recreation and tourism industry shared how COVID-19 is impacting their operations.

August 6, 2020 – The Practice of Resilience: Preparing for the Unexpected
In this webinar hosted by ESTO and presented by Coraggio Group, Matthew Landkamer of Coraggio Group explores four key practices of resilience and how they apply at both the organizational and individual levels for destination leaders. He also explains how to integrate this thinking into your planning process, setting you and your organization up to be both strong and flexible in the face of future challenges.

June 24, 2020 – Health & Safety Updates with ResPro
The Visit Salt Lake Town Hall meeting briefly discussed information on the recent legislative session grants update and then Dennis Keith with ResPro joined the meeting to cover the latest health recommendations for Utah businesses.

June 18, 2020 – The Ugly, The Bad and The Good: Using Data to Determine Travelers’ Next Steps
U.S.Travel Association‘s ESTO Webinar Series, presented by ADARA. Tourism transactions are improving across the U.S., but there is great variance by region, city and state. What cities can expect an increase? Where is it not looking good? Who could gain or lose market share? The ADARA team of Adam Johnson, Vivian Mur and Bill Obreiter takes a look at the data from 10 U.S. destinations and compares and contrasts flight and hotel booking trends. Sure, we all know there are some UGLY outlooks out there… but it’s not all that BAD. This webinar highlights the GOOD insights we’re seeing across our country and when our industry should act! Please note: U.S. Travel members must log in above to view all webinar slides and videos.

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 Association‘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.