GOED 2019 Annual Repor t
Offices
Utah Office of Tourism Mission The Utah Office of Tourism (UOT) fulfills its mission to improve the quality of life for Utah residents through revenue and tax relief by attracting quality, well-prepared domestic and international visitation and motivating tourism spending within a sustainable tourism economy. Tourism spending generates approximately $1,286 in annual tax relief for every Utah household. UOT partners with communities to develop tourism economies and storytelling consistent with their local vision. The team encourages stewardship and industry support through local engagement and ambassadorship. To advance these goals, UOT manages and runs year-round strategic marketing, industry research, media relations, cooperative marketing, in-state public relations, website and visitor experience enhancements, as well as destination management and development programs.
Initiatives Red Emerald Business Strategy — Just like the red emerald, mined only in Utah, visiting our state should be a highly valued, transformational experience that can’t be found elsewhere. This initiative creates a lasting and sustainable tourism economy by targeting visitors willing to spend more, get off the beaten path and come back often because they understand and value Utah’s unique offerings. Destination Development — This program works with local community leaders to integrate tourism development into local economic development plans, identifying key strengths and unique offerings for marketing programs, and facilitating productive dialogue among community stakeholders. Transition From Mass to Precision Marketing — UOT continues to scale-back traditional TV ad spends to expand digital and social media advertising to more effectively reach targeted visitors, or “passion tribes.” Our key target markets include families pursuing adventure with educational dimensions, achievers and explorers who place a high value on transformative experiences and places, repeat visitors seeking new favorite places alongside their cherished destinations, traditional travelers discovering Utah for the first time, baby boomers who can travel off-season and international visitors who often stay longer and spend more.
Contact Vicki Varela | Managing Director 801-538-1369 | vvarela@utah.gov
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Data-Driven Decisions — New analytics capabilities allow for improved tracking and insights to gauge the economic impact of ad spending. Building from our centralized data warehouse, we use machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize crosschannel marketing campaigns, improve customer service and model semantic data to match content to user intent. Targeted China Marketing — The international team expanded its business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing strategies in China to attract more affluent, independent travelers. With the development of a travel agent training platform, we are educating and informing all agents and tour operators, resulting in refined itineraries and a more informed travel trade community.
