Greater Zion 2023 Annual Report

The mission of the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office is to maximize the revenue generated by visitors to Washington County in order to create a superior experience for visitors and residents alike. Through promoting visitation, securing groups and meetings, facilitating sporting events, and supporting destination development efforts, the dedicated team at the tourism office plays a pivotal role in driving the local economy forward. Tourism is a top economic driver and impacts tax revenue, jobs, and supports local business in Washington County. The Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office is funded by a 4.25% Transient Room Tax (TRT) which is collected from visitors staying in hotels and vacation rentals. TRT funds are state-allocated with at least 47% dedicated to sales and marketing efforts for the county, while 53% can be utilized for tourism and destination facilities, ensuring ongoing growth and development in the region. Over the past decade, more than $30 million in TRT funds have been invested locally to support development and infrastructure projects throughout Washington County.

ABOUT GREATER ZION

FROM THE DIRECTOR

The year 2023 marked another year of success for Greater Zion. In a land once deemed “poor and worthless,” we have not only defied that expectation, but resoundingly exceeded it. We continued to break ground on a variety of ambitious endeavors as we continue toward our bright future on the horizon.

In the spirit of transparency and sincere pride in our office’s pursuits to better our beloved area, we want to extend an invitation for you to learn about what improvement efforts we are investing in, as well as the outcomes of those investments. The work we do is work for you and the Greater good – a sentiment that everyone in the county can rally behind, from elected officials to highly engaged community members.

We hit the ground running in January by transitioning into our new office space in the Washington County Administration Building. Similar to the way our area serves as a launchpad for adventure, this building has served as an excellent base camp for our office’s operations. Here, we will continue to tirelessly pour into marketing and development efforts that draw visitors to experience the wonder that is Greater Zion.

We captured more than just visitors’ attention this year, though; our signature events, state-of-the-art conferences, high-performing campaigns, and superior trail systems consistently kindled business on an international scale.

Combined, all of these pursuits secured an impressive amount of stimulation for the Washington County economy. We are eager to continue investment in the destination and community development efforts that make Greater Zion one of the best places to simply be – regardless of whether you’re living or visiting.

I am grateful for the outpouring of support from our stakeholders, the tireless work from the Greater Zion team, and the tangible evidence of progress in the collection of communities we strive to uplift. I look forward to harnessing this positive momentum to reach new heights of success in 2024.

Brittany McMichael DIRECTOR GREATER ZION CONVENTION & TOURISM OFFICE

MEET THE TEAM

Our team is filled with talented individuals who strive to fulfill Greater Zion’s vision – both personally and professionally – every day.

Brittany McMichael DIRECTOR

M.K. Lovell CONTENT CREATION SPECIALIST

Maree Crowe SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR

Heath Hansen REGIONAL TOURISM REGULATORY AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

Joyce Kelly SALES MANAGER & FILM COMMISSION

Leslie Fonger DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Sara Otto MARKETING MANAGER

Joy Schroeder MEETINGS & CONVENTION SPECIALIST

Jamie Allen OPERATIONS MANAGER

Hailen Jackson WEB DEVELOPMENT & CONTENT SPECIALIST

Chad McWilliams SPORTS & ADVENTURE SALES MANAGER

Trista Nielson VISITOR SERVICES SPECIALIST

G UIDIN G P R IN C IP L E S

I NS PIRE G RE ATE R

Our job is to compel travelers to explore this extraordinary place and encourage discovery of “a feeling that comes from deep within.”

E XP ERIE NC E G R E ATE R

At every turn, we aim to create, deliver, and sustain an exceptional tourism product, as well as engage in, and embrace, the experiences available here.

L I VE GRE AT E R

businesses, and communities, and work to enrich those

opportunities for more vibrant and dynamic living. We enjoy the opportunities of living here. We appreciate what we have. We cultivate an optimistic future.

M I S SIO N

Our mission is to maximize the revenue generated by visitors to create a superior experience for visitors and residents.

LEARN MO R E A B OU T

GRE AT E R ZIO N

VISITOR ECONOMY

At Greater Zion, we use data from a variety of sources to create the most accurate report possible. This all-inclusive approach requires us to navigate various reporting timelines that sometimes differ from our own reporting schedule, as well as simplify our complex operations that span across multiple industries and verticals. These charts, graphs, and numbers are undeniably valuable, but they often fall short of communicating each and every intangible benefit that tourism creates.

VISITOR EXPENDITURES

In summary, we can’t promise perfection. But, we can promise that this report and our continuing work adheres to our guiding principles (see page 5) and includes only the most accurate and updated data available as of April 2024. We take great pride in the brief moment in time this report captures and look forward to all the positive moments that lie ahead.

TOP 10 OUT-OF-STATE MARKETS

SOURCE: VISA DESTINATION INSIGHTS

TRT HIGHEST-YIELDING MONTHS

BY THE NUMBERS

TOURISM TAX REVENUE (TRT) – YOY

$15,460,068

+1.5% from 2022

HOTEL OCCUPANCY 64.4%

+0.3% from 2022

TOURISM JOBS PRODUCED WAGES & SALARIES OVER $200 million

HOTEL’S AVERAGE DAILY RATE

$140.18

+1.2% from 2022

HOTEL REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM

$92.41 +1% from 2022

WHAT IS TRT?

When visitors spend money on hotels, motels, and other accommodations in Washington County, a 4.25% transient room tax is applied to their stay. The Utah State Tax Commission redistributes these monies back to Washington County, where Greater Zion uses TRT to invest in promotion of the visitor economy, as well as projects that create a superior experience for locals and visitors alike.

GREATER ZION PARKS

TOTAL RECREATIONAL VISITS

4,692,417

TOTAL VISITOR SPENDING

$672.4m

ECONOMIC OUTPUT

$961.3m

In uencing sectors such as camping, gas, groceries, hotels, recreation industries, restaurants, retail, transportation, and secondary e ects in a 60-mile radius of Zion National Park

SOURCE: 2022 NATIONAL PARK VISITOR SPENDING EFFECTS REPORT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SZION NATIONAL PARK

We take great pride in Zion National Park. It gives us our name, draws visitors from near and far, and continues to play a major role in the development of the communities within Greater Zion. We strive to be good stewards of Zion by providing helpful resources for visitors (such as ZionNationalPark.com) and encouraging them to employ our Land of Forever principles to preserve the park and all our lands for future generations.

STATE PARKS

tate parks across Washington County – Gunlock, Quail Creek, Sand Hollow, and Snow Canyon – continue to show strong visitation. Sand Hollow State Park was Utah’s most visited park in 2023 with Snow Canyon ranking third.

Our state parks are constant partners in our tourism economy. Together, we embody and encourage good stewardship principles, as well as support iconic events that drive visitation.

GREATER ZION IN THE MEDIA

Public relations efforts throughout the year carry the Greater Zion brand and message to all parts of the United States. Through media relations and influencer programs, our destination — along with its features, our lodging properties, outfitters, and tour guides — is introduced to extended audiences. Key messages included Zion National Park, IRONMAN, OHV, competitive sports, mountain biking, golf, general leisure travel, and the emerging wine trail.

With its otherworldly landscape of sunset-colored cliffs and narrow canyons, it’s not just one of the most starkly beautiful places in the world, it’s a place made for outdoor adventure. From hiking to canyoneering to stargazing, there are so many ways to explore.

– 7X7 MAGAZINE

PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS

RESULTED IN:

MEDIA CLIPS: 4,543

REACH: 15 billion

EARNED MEDIA VALUE: $183 million

COVERAGE IN THE FOLLOWING PUBLICATIONS

GREATER ZION BRANDING & TOOLS

WEBSITE

GreaterZion.com remains our largest branding asset, serving as many travelers’ first stop in exploring the area, and serving as a good community resource for local happenings. The ever-evolving resource sees constant improvement and new content.

VISITOR GUIDE REQUESTS

INITIATIVE

2023 WEBSITE WINS

1 Created Film.GreaterZion.com to promote Greater Zion as a film destination and provide a landing page for necessary resources for film markers, casting calls, and local services to film crews.

2 Installed a new calendar system to better track and market the area’s upcoming events. The move included porting over hundreds of events to the new platform.

3 Updated our accommodation page templates and made updates to property content as provided by partners.

4 Revived the Greater Zion blog, publishing 12 new original blogs with strong SEO, as well as consistently updating website content to improve relevancy.

WEBSITE VIEWS

ZIONNATIONALPARK.COM

Throughout 2023, the Greater Zion staff planned the rebuild and relaunch of the recently acquired website ZionNationalPark.com, building it out to be another travel planning resource for those visiting our beloved park.

PEOPLE ARE TALKING

TOP GREATER ZION-RELATED INSTAGRAM HASHTAGS

SOCIAL MEDIA

Greater Zion social media stepped up this year with more inclusion of videos, wider variety of content offerings, and some top-performing posts. Social media continues to be a strong, organic way to reach travel intenders, and to have visitors share their experiences.

Topics that elicited the most reaction and reach included announcements of parks, facilities, and new events; imagery and scenery that provoked memories of trips; and activities like trails and hikes.

Never truly seeking to rack up likes or plays, Greater Zion social media seeks to be an inspirational space and resource for travel planning.

#ZionNationalPark

#StGeorgeUtah

#ZionNPS

#GreaterZion

#ZionNarrows

#SnowCanyonStatePark

#Tuacahn

#SpringdaleUtah

REELS WITH REACH:

PAID MEDIA

The Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office works hand-in-hand with LOVE Communications, a paid advertising agency. In cooperation with our team, LOVE strategically places advertisements across digital channels to attract ideal visitors, encourage guests to stay longer, and to care for the area while they visit. Ad performance is continually monitored and optimized for maximum return on investment.

We conducted two back-to-back campaigns in 2023, which drove visitation to the GreaterZion.com website, pointed guests to lodging accommodations, and encouraged flight bookings to St. George Regional Airport. This was done by targeting specific geographic areas and by showcasing inspiring images and messages to audiences.

Confirmed, booked travelers are served up stewardship messages, prompting visitors to plan ahead for the desert environment, learn about local businesses in the area, and to discover something new – maybe off the beaten path.

OTHER ADVERTISING-RELATED INITIATIVES

• Paid search campaign

• Search engine optimization audit

• Audience research study

PAID IMPRESSIONS

PAID ADVERTISING DROVE

50,919,789 IMPRESSIONS

PAID SEARCH DROVE

815,436 IMPRESSIONS

TARGET GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

Phoenix, Arizona

Los Angeles, California San Diego, California

‘23 INITIATIVE

Las Vegas, Nevada Dallas, Texas Washington State

ENDEMIC ADVERTISING AND PAID SEARCH EFFORTS TARGET A WIDER, NATIONWIDE AUDIENCE TOO.

LAND OF FOREVER STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES

Developed Land of Forever, a stewardship campaign and messaging toolkit (QR code), containing eight core points and supporting messages. Stewardship principles are distributed through paid ads to booked travelers, and will continue to be built in as a secondary message in all our adventure and visitation communication.

FILM GREATER ZION

Film is an essential, yet often overlooked, part of tourism. Cast, crew members, and set workers have dining and lodging needs to fulfill like any visitor, so they dine and stay locally. However, film crews go above and beyond the average visitor as they buy materials for sets, costumes, props, and gear; working with local contractors and calling on a wide variety of service industry businesses; and staying more nights than average due to the in-depth nature of their craft. It spurs significant contributions to the local economy, as well as subtle, yet effective, promotion of Greater Zion.

On April 14, Chapter 2 of Kevin Costner’s “Horizon” series began filming with over 400 cast and crew, marking the largest motion picture to ever be filmed in Utah, and the first time TRT

monies have been used to successfully attract a motion picture. An estimated $50 million economic impact was generated in Washington County as a direct result of the production’s presence. Parts three and four are slated to begin filming in 2024.

Creating a film industry in Greater Zion has been in the works for years, but truly took off in 2023, as we facilitated the production of a major motion picture project filmed throughout Washington County, and worked to update film incentive legislation in the state.

Costner, along with local developer Brett Burgess, announced the creation of a film studio in St. George, which will further attract film makers from throughout the world, further economic development, and provide a path for film students seeking a career in the industry. ‘23 INITIATIVE

FILM

SPORTS & EVENTS MARKETING

GOLF

With 14 golf courses in a 20-mile radius, it is no surprise that golf in Greater Zion attracts everyone from beginner-level players to full-blown aficionados. Regardless of skill-level, golfers are excellent visitors; they typically travel in groups, explore stay-and-play packages, dine out after a day spent playing, and explore other athletic/adventurous endeavors when they need a break from the greens.

“ The most intriguing new stop (Greater Zion) in pro golf. – FORBES.COM

VISITORS

446,986 ROUNDS

742,657

ECONOMIC IMPACT

$150,857,775

Black Desert, a Tom Weiskopf creation that debuted in May 2023, is the type of bucket-list course that can elevate a good regional golf destination (Greater Zion) into a must-play national one.

– GOLFPASS.COM

PGA AND LPGA ANNOUNCEMENTS

In 2023, Black Desert Resort announced the return of the PGA and LPGA Tours to Utah for the first time in over 60 years. A press conference on May 30 declared an LPGA tournament stop in May of 2025. A month later, on June 30, the PGA announced their event slated for October 2024. Black Desert Resort will be one of only three courses in the United States to host both a PGA and LPGA event on the same property.

EVENTS

Iconic sporting events continue to choose Greater Zion again and again. They’re drawn by the spirit of the community, the welcoming volunteers, and the surge of energy that competitors feel from being surrounded by towering monoliths, brilliant blue skies, and sunshine.

The Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office annually tracks 75 sporting events that take place throughout the year. This offers a small glimpse into the countless happenings of sports and events that call Greater Zion home.

KEY EVENTS

• Huntsman World Senior Games

• IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship

• Trail Hero

• Vacation Races Zion Half Marathon & Ultras

• PPA Red Rock Open Professional Pickleball

• Senior Spring World Championship Softball

PARTICIPANTS

75,913

67.6% from out of area

OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS

124,118

ECONOMIC IMPACT: KEY EVENTS

$145,598,256

IRONMAN ACCOLADES

The St. George IRONMAN 70.3 event earned third place in the Most Recommended Race category in the annual Global Athletes’ Choice Awards. That’s third out of 120 series events across the world. It also finished second in North America in the same category.

St. George race day is like no other. In a land sculpted by persistence and determination, athletes looking for an epic challenge will navigate a path through two iconic state parks, basalt lava fields, and a fragile desert reserve as they rise to conquer one of the most prestigious and striking events in the world. Greater Zion’s breathtaking scenery and views of the surrounding red rock canyons have made the region an ideal destination for athletes for years.

– IRONMAN

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

LOOKING AHEAD

The Dixie Convention Center has few dates available for 2024 and is already contracting conference dates for 2025 and 2026.

Conference attendees are excellent visitors. They rent space in which to hold their events. They stay in town for three nights on average. And when they are not in business settings, they are exploring local leisure, dining, and recreation offerings. All of these activities contribute greatly to the local economy across multiple verticals, totaling an impressive $68 million in economic impact for 2023.

NON-LOCAL ATTENDEES

102,719

NON-LOCAL EVENTS

325

INITIATIVE

ECONOMIC IMPACT

$69,335,325

CONVENTION/ASSOCIATION RETURN RATE +90%

CONFERENCE HOSTING

In May, Greater Zion and Washington County played host to the National Association of Counties Western Interstate Region and hosted the Utah Tourism Industry Conference in September. Both events returned to the area after 15 and 10 years, respectively.

In addition to the convention center, Greater Zion conference hotels and unique venues welcome guests to their inspiring spaces throughout the year.

TOP 10

FOREIGN

VISITOR MARKETS

BASED ON SPENDING

MARKET YOY CHANGE

Canada ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+15%

Germany ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+12%

France ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– +4%

Netherlands –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– +20%

United Kingdom ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– -18%

Switzerland –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+19%

Australia ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– +24%

Mexico ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+12%

China ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– +30%

Italy –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+21%

SOURCE: VISA DESTINATION INSIGHTS

Greater Zion attracts visitors from near and far – even from opposite corners of the world. For approximately 20 years, Greater Zion has targeted international travel markets. During this timeline, we have observed remarkable consistency among international travelers in addition to the impressive economic impacts they create. International markets are full of excellent visitors who prioritize travel and are willing to invest in it. They perceive Greater Zion as not only an essential destination to visit in the state of Utah, but an essential part of experiencing an authentically American adventure. Through our extensive marketing efforts and partnership with the Utah Office of Tourism, we have secured:

84

17

147

Familiarization tours; 229 total participants, hailing from 16 different countries

Placements in international travel guides and publications

Sales appointments across four countries, two trade shows, and two virtual trade missions

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS

Greater Zion efforts in France, Germany and the UK alone, generated $71M in economic impact in 2023.

SOURCE: IN-COUNTRY REPS

INTERNATIONAL TARGET MARKETS

PRIMARY MARKETS SECONDARY MARKETS

DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT

Greater Zion is filled with inspiring landscapes, boundless opportunities for adventure, and countless trails and outdoor spaces. In order to preserve these beloved resources, we must invest in upkeep, improvements, and plans for the future. Doing so fulfills the tourism office’s mission to use the funds generated from visitors to create a superior experience for visitors and residents alike.

Over the past decade, these efforts have poured more than $35 million of tourismgenerated funds into projects throughout the county. This investment continues as illustrated here highlighting some of the recent and ongoing projects.

In 2023 alone, over $4 million dollars in visitor-generated funding contributed to tourism-related projects in Washington County. Projects included various construction, expansion, and maintenance undertakings – as specified in the following graphics:

2023

PROJECT AREAS

Project funding benefits both the visitors and the residents by building new facilities, parks and trails or improving existing tourism related infrastructure.

$4,032,501

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT FUNDING PROGRAM

‘23 INITIATIVE TRAIL DEVELOPMENT

Outdoor infrastructure is a crucial piece of Greater Zion’s DNA. Investing in infrastructure that supports outdoor recreation offerings is essential for keeping our trail systems healthy and ensuring our offerings continue to thrive.

2023 PROJECTS INCLUDE:

• Zion Corridor Trail

• NICA Course

• Spring Hollow Trail System

• Maintaining Zone 6

• Veyo to Central Multi-Use Trail

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Greater Zion’s reputation precedes itself, but don’t just take our word for it. Our story has been shouted from rooftops even taller than Angels Landing — covering multiple subjects and across our marketing verticals.

Our very own Open Sky made the cover of Denver’s 5280 magazine and was featured, along with other local attractions and eateries, in their story titled “7 Western Destinations Where You Can Glamp This Summer.”

GREATER ZION VISITOR CENTER

+ RED CLIFFS DESERT RESERVE DISCOVERY CENTER

Just as ecosystems converge in this region, so too do the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office and the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, creating this new center to celebrate and protect all this region offers.

The facility encourages visitors and locals to get out and explore, but first use this space to learn about our boundless adventures, meet the animals that call this place home, and be inspired by a slice of history that continues to shape our existence here in Southwest Utah.

Ask questions. Be curious. And be in awe.

HOURS OF OPERATION

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday LOCATION

111 E. Tabernacle Street St. George, UT (1st floor of the Washington County Administration Building) 435-301-7400

FEATURES OF THE CENTER:

GREATER ZION CRITTERS

Live creatures of the desert, including colorful slithering snakes, shy salamanders, lumbering desert tortoises, a hairy tarantula, a glowing scorpion and Utah’s official reptile, the Gila Monster.

DISPLAYS

Beautiful floor-to-ceiling graphic wall displays that showcase the stunning landscapes and unique recreational opportunities of Greater Zion, including the towering sandstone cliffs, sweeping vistas, and winding canyons.

INTERACTIVE MAP

A 16’ X 9’ interactive, 3D-printed map showcasing the deep canyons of Zion National Park, as well as the soaring heights of the Pine Valley Mountains, along with projected and video animations.

PRINTED INFORMATION AND MAPS

Guests can pick up printed information, including trail maps, brochures, dining guides, and other materials. All information is complimentary.

FRIENDLY AND INFORMATIVE STAFF

Staffed by local experts who are passionate about sharing their love of the area, answering questions, providing recommendations and offering guidance on how to make the most of your time in Greater Zion.

MOVE AND OPEN

In January 2023, Greater Zion staff moved into their offices in the new Washington County Administration Building and opened the new interactive visitor information center in April.

WHAT’S NEXT? 2024 KEY INITIATIVES

Every year, we compose several initiatives to direct our operations and provide milestones and goals as we progress through our various ongoing projects. These incorporate our guiding principles – Inspire Greater, Experience Greater, Live Greater – to ensure we are being good stewards of the monies entrusted to us and properly cultivating an optimistic future for visitors and locals in Greater Zion.

LOVING OUR LOCALS

FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS

• Ensuring that local interests are formally addressed by an in-house representative

• Encouraging two-way communication between our office and local residents

• Promoting the local Greater Zion story – past, present, and anticipated future

• Facilitating education through Visitor Center offerings

ZION NATIONAL PARK

EXPANDING RESOURCES

• Developing comprehensive, informative resources about our flagship destination

• Creating initiatives to assist with the Visitor Use Management Plan

GOLF

HOSTING AND SHOWCASING

Welcoming several new golf tournaments — PGA and Senior LPGA — that will showcase our courses and the adventure that lies beyond the greens to the world

EVENTS

NEW AND RETURNING

Hosting several events in 2024, including signature events and events that are new to Greater Zion

TRAIL DEVELOPMENT

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Working to develop, maintain, and improve our recreation offerings

• Completing new additions that will expand and complement our robust network of hiking, biking, and OHV trail systems

DIXIE CONVENTION CENTER

GROWING AND EVOLVING

Establishing a leadership team and exploring an expansion plan for the convention center

NEW INDUSTRY BUILT ON STRONG HISTORY

Supporting film industry development in hopes of attracting creative film pursuits, developing robust film facilities, generating economic impact, showcasing Utah’s film-rich history, and investing in the film industry for future generations

LEADERSHIP

JOININGTOGETHER FOR SOMETHING

JOINING TOGETHER FOR SOMETHING GREATER

Strengthening the bonds between our team and integrating our departments so we can operate at our highest potential

SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

PREMIERE PICKS

Streamlining our sponsorship selection process to ensure we invest in pursuits that will generate maximum results

PR SERVICES

UPDATING

Refreshing our public relations agency to strengthen efforts to make Greater Zion’s story known and loved on a local, state, and national scale

COMMISSION BOARD & STAFF

WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Gil Almquist

Victor Iverson

Adam Snow

WASHINGTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR

Nicholle Felshaw

TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD

Brett Burgess

CRS DEVELOPMENT, INC.

Dorothy Heers

INN ON THE CLIFF

Kenny Nielson

MEMBER AT LARGE

Kevin Smith

TUACAHN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Richard Stehmeier

ST. GEORGE REGIONAL AIRPORT

Nathan Wells

ZION CANYON VILLAGE

Tracey Welsh

RED MOUNTAIN RESORT

If you had suggested to early explorers that one day tourism would be one of the largest industries in Greater Zion, they would have laughed you off the expedition trail. Today, Greater Zion is a Land of Groundbreakers, the generations of people who have churned this place into a Land of Opportunity. Let these standout tourism groundbreakers inspire you with their legacies, their feats of pioneering spirit, and the new ground they’re breaking as we continue to grow and flourish. Tourism makes groundbreakers of all of us — both physically and metaphorically.

WATCH THE GROUNDBREAKERS SHORT STORY HERE