The 2024 Utah Tourism Conference just wrapped up, and it was incredible! 

There were one-on-one meetings between DMOs and UOT staff, inspiring speeches, informative panel sessions, and perhaps best of all, endless networking opportunities! Here’s a short recap.

The conference was held at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. It began on Tuesday, September 24th, with a series of one-on-one meetings where Destination Marketing Organization leaders from around the state were able to make the rounds between Utah Office of Tourism, Utah Film Commission, and UOT international representatives teams. These meetings are so valuable for everyone involved as they foster face-to-face communication and an opportunity to focus on individual challenges. Thank you to all who participated! Following the one-on-ones, a social was held next door at Roosters, hosted by the owner Kym Buttschardt, who is also the Chair of the Board of Tourism Development. Great food, great networking, and an all-around amazing start to the conference. Thank you, Kym!

Wednesday’s activities included morning meetings for the Utah Office of Tourism and Utah Tourism Industry Association, followed by an afternoon of activities around Davis County. Some of the options for attendees included riding side-by-sides in the Wasatch Mountains, riding horses on Antelope Island, or taking a guided stroll along Bountiful’s historic Main Street. Geographically, Davis County is one of Utah’s smallest counties, but these activities highlighted the strength and diversity of their offerings. And if riding horses and side-by-sides wasn’t enough, Wednesday evening’s Opening Reception had attendees riding roller coasters! Lagoon provided conference attendees with exclusive access to the amusement park. With no wait lines, several conference-goers made repeat rides on park’s biggest attractions, including Cannibal and Primordial. This capped off a day which solidified that Davis County is indeed “Utah’s Amusement Capital”. A big thank you is in order for Julie Freed and her staff at Lagoon.

Information and inspiration abounded at Thursday’s conference sessions. Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson spoke at the General Session. She shared how her visits to Utah’s National Parks did not begin until she was in her 40’s, highlighting the need for awareness and immersion in tourism by Utah residents. Keynote Speaker Joe Veneto talked about the art of engineering immersive experiences for visitors to build emotional connections. He also elaborated on this process during one of the many breakout sessions held Thursday afternoon. Other panel topics delved into research from the Utah Office of Tourism, and capitalizing on messaging and moments through public relations and social media.

On Friday morning, four new inductees to the Utah Tourism Hall of Fame were honored, including recently retired UOT Managing Director Vicki Varela, Visit Salt Lake CEO Kaitlin Eskelson, legislative strategist Des Barker, and Temple Square Hospitality legend Neil Wilkinson. Utah Tourism Hall of Fame recipients are selected based on their history of contributions to the state’s tourism industry. Friday morning panels were well attended. Among them, a discussion about how to utilize UOT’s Cooperative Marketing Fund.

In addition to all the scheduled meetings, sessions, and panels, the entire conference buzzed with non-stop activity. Many tourism partners staffed dozens of booths, offering information on a variety of topics. The Utah Film Commission showed off a prototype of the impressive, built-to-last Utah Film Trail signs that will soon pop up around the state. Agricultural vendors from Utah’s Own sold mouthwatering goods, and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary brought adoptable kittens and puppies to the conference!

Many thanks to UTIA, Celina Sinclair and Discover Davis for pulling together such an exciting and meaningful conference, and we hope to see you all again in 2025.