The Utah Office of Tourism Awards Over $5 Million to Local Tourism Organizations
SALT LAKE CITY, UT –– The Utah Board of Tourism Development has approved more than $5 million in CARES cooperative marketing grants for 72 travel-related nonprofits in 25 counties throughout the state. The goal of the co-op program is to leverage state and partner dollars to attract visitors and expand the tourism economy.
The Utah State Legislature granted a one-time coronavirus relief package for Utah’s tourism industry, which provides $12 million of CARES Act funding to COVID-related tourism marketing and safe travel messaging. The CARES funding will be used to support key recovery initiatives, including co-op marketing opportunities, with the intent of reducing the COVID-19 impact on local economies.
“The CARES investment allows our industry to engage with Utah and out of state travelers to encourage COVID safe road trips,” said Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism. “These grants will help ensure that many small tourism businesses survive this pandemic.”
To help jumpstart the state’s tourism economy following the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Utah CARES co-op grants allow 15% of the total project costs or up to $35,000 to be used for in-state marketing. Traditionally, the Office of Tourism has focused virtually all of its marketing on out-of-state visitors.
“Our industry has been challenged to innovate new ways to serve customers in order to survive. I was inspired by the optimism and creativity of this year’s applicants,” said Kym Buttschardt, UOT Co-op Marketing Committee Chair. “I am excited to see how Utah’s destinations implement their plans to welcome visitors to our remarkable places.”
The Utah Cooperative Marketing Program was established in 2005 and has since successfully funded 803 applications totaling $43,562,974 to local non-profit tourism organizations, extending the state’s brand to $87,125,948 in out-of-state marketing dollars. The Co-op fund creates a partnership between the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT) and Utah’s local destination marketing organizations, including convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, events, festivals, and regional tourism organizations, to increase visitor spending in the state through marketing.
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About the Utah Office of Tourism
The Utah Office of Tourism's (UOT) mission is to elevate life in Utah through responsible tourism stewardship. We do this through marketing, stewardship and development. Marketing: UOT curates messaging that inspires visitation, supports local businesses and builds the Utah economy. Stewardship: UOT manages visitation statewide and supports the responsible discovery of Utah. Development: UOT partners with local communities to enhance and develop their visitor economies to benefit residents and visitors. Learn more at visitutah.com and travel.utah.gov.
“The CARES investment allows our industry to engage with Utah and out of state travelers to encourage COVID safe experiences,” said Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism. “We look forward to partnering with USANS to enhance their marketing efforts to bring more individuals to Utah to see these exciting events right in our backyard.”
