Of all the things Southern Utah is known for, tourism and travel may be at the top of the list. Every year millions of people from every corner of the globe set the beautiful red rock landscape of Southern Utah in their sights for vacations filled with outdoor recreation of the highest quality. Mingle that with the State’s reputation for first-class hospitality and it isn’t any wonder that the tourist numbers for Utah’s lower half see a significant and steady increase every year.
As Utah’s notoriety in the field of tourism continues to grow, those involved in this impressive industry have decided to come together and formally combine their efforts in an attempt to zero in on the region’s direction, capabilities, and overall needs. The event is the first ever Southern Utah Tourism Summit being held in St. George, UT on Feb 22. Conceived and executed by zionnationalpark.com’s managing team and co-hosted by Washington County, the birth of this annual event represents a milestone in Utah tourism as many different industry associations and organizations come together to join forces for the first time. Bridge-building and newfound cooperation are the aims of the game for this special event that will be held inside St. George’s historic Electric Theater. Some in the local industry have stated that they feel something the Southern Utah tourism industry has been lacking for some time is a feeling of collaboration, which is a void this landmark undertaking intends to rectify.
A trip to the official Southern Utah Tourism Summit website will show visitors the following statement: “We are propelled to offer and promote a space for collective engagement and learning in order to gain like-mindedness and spark best-case scenarios for visitors experiences, our economy, and our way of life in Southern Utah. Our intended efforts contribute toward elevating and supporting regional perspectives and practices. By refining our vision, increasing communication channels, and following through with improved implementations, we can offer a significant addition to the overall bigger tourism picture for Utah.” Unifying large organizations such as the Utah Tourism Industry Association as well as the Utah Office of Tourism with the private tourism sector is also one of the main goals of the Summit.
The region of Southern Utah has an unusually large amount of incredible destination locations when considering its size. Cities like Springdale (home to Zion National Park), Kanab, Cedar City, Moab, St. George, and many others are brimming with natural wonders, history, and endless adventures provided foundationally by Mother Nature and then enhanced by the local governments, business owners, and residents. Organizers and advocates for each individual area are encouraged to attend the Southern Utah Tourism Summit to not only show their support and represent their area of interest but to come intending to shake hands, share ideas, and learn themselves how they can more effectively promote Southern Utah in the modern age of tourism.
The Summit will feature a group of carefully selected, high-profile key speakers specializing in various fields such as advertising, marketing, and tourism, in addition to hearing from local legislative representatives. And remember, you don’t have to be a “person of interest” to attend. Any are welcome who consider themselves advocates of Southern Utah on any personal or professional level, such as community theater directors, restaurateurs, real estate agents, outfitters, outdoor influencers, or even just “regular” people who feel a keen interest in the tourism of the area.
Visit the official site today to register and learn more. We hope to see many of you there!
Originally posted on ZionNationalPark.com