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Industry Partners,
Congratulations to the many destinations across Utah that successfully hosted America 250 celebrations this month. These events were years in the making and required tremendous collaboration, bringing communities and visitors together to celebrate our nation’s history. Congratulations as well to the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement (CCE) and the Utah Office of Tourism & Film for being named Best in Show at the Great American State Fair in Washington D.C.
At the same time, Utah is experiencing a heightened wildfire season across the state. We want to recognize the unwavering efforts of firefighters, emergency personnel, destination leaders, and local communities that we have seen across the state. We will continue to welcome visitors this summer, while encouraging them to prioritize safety and responsible travel practices.
Many of you are busy with your own summer travel season, but now is the perfect time to plan ahead for the Utah Tourism Conference. Join us October 13–16 in the Heber Valley at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley. We look forward to seeing you there! |
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| Join your colleagues from across the state in beautiful Heber Valley, October 13–16, 2026, as we come together to shape the future of Utah’s tourism industry.
Hosted at the stunning new Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, this year’s conference offers the perfect opportunity to step away from day-to-day operations, connect with industry peers, and gain fresh insights for the year ahead. |
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One Utah Summit August 4-6, 2026 Cedar City, UT
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Utah Outdoor Recreation Summit September 8-9, 2026 Cedar City, UT |
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| Utah Tourism Conference October 13-16, 2026 Grand Hyatt Deer Valley
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| UOT Going Global Training August 19th, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM MDT |
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Join the Utah Office of Tourism for an essential training initiative structured to advance your business's international visitation strategy. This training is open to all tourism businesses throughout the state of Utah.
Scan to Register 
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UTAH’S NEXT GENERATION OF HOSPITALITY LEADERS SHINE AT DECA The future of Utah’s hospitality and tourism industry is in exceptionally talented hands. Recently, high school students from across the state stepped up to compete in the highly competitive Hospitality and Tourism events at DECA. Facing rigorous real-world case studies, role-play scenarios, and industry exams, several of our Utah students showcased incredible business acumen, placing them among the top competitors. They are as follows:
First Place National Winner Principles of Hospitality and Tourism - Corner Canyon - Grace Christensen
Top 10 Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research - JATC - Johnathan Harwood, Isabella Noyes, Ellie Stark
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2025 TRAVEL & TOURISM ECONOMIC IMPACT INFORMATION The Utah Office of Tourism released new 2025 economic impact data for the industry. How does the process work? Tourism Economics inputs Utah tourism data into their proprietary model to deliver preliminary high-level state economic impacts (direct visitor spending). The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute (GPI) picks up the work from there, inputting the direct visitor spending into their economic modeling software (IMPLAN) to estimate visitor-generated state and local tax revenue. GPI also calculates indirect and induced impacts from this direct visitor spending, and analyzes the quantity of jobs supported by the spending. Then they begin the work to produce county profile reports reflecting county-level numbers. This information becomes available in late summer.
In 2025, travel and tourism generated $13.7 billion in direct visitor spending. This spending supported 167,200 Utah jobs and led to $2.7 billion in state and local tax revenue. In addition, this direct visitor spending spurred additional indirect and induced visitor-related spending effects of $12.1 billion, totaling $25.8 billion.
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UTAH NAMED BEST IN SHOW AT GREAT AMERICAN STATE FAIR Utah was recognized as a "Best in Show" state at the inaugural Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., where its exhibit showcased the state's iconic landscapes, outdoor recreation, and travel experiences. The award highlights Utah's successful efforts to promote its diverse destinations and inspire future visitation through engaging, interactive tourism displays. |
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UTAH WILDFIRE SAFETY TIPS Partners across the state are reminding all travelers to practice responsible recreation by adhering to fire safety rules. As an industry, we are heartbroken to see the devastation caused by these wildfires and extend our deep gratitude to the emergency personnel actively working to protect our communities. |
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SALT LAKE CITY ADOPTS NEW LICENSING RULES FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS Beginning July 1, Salt Lake City will require all short-term rental operators to obtain a business license. The new rules include a two-night minimum stay, a 200-night annual rental cap, at least one off-street parking space per property, compliance with occupancy and safety standards, and the designation of a local emergency contact. Violations may result in fines or the suspension or revocation of a rental license. |
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NEW! OUTDOOR RECREATION MITIGATION GRANT (ORMG) NOW OPEN The Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Grant Program helps eligible Utah counties manage visitor-related impacts from outdoor recreation, tourism and visitation. ORMG funds may support documented needs such as search and rescue, emergency medical response, law enforcement, waste management, road repair and safety improvements. |
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OHV RECREATION GRANT SUMMER CYCLE NOW OPEN The Summer OHV Recreation Grant cycle opens July 15 and supports projects that enhance motorized recreation across Utah. Funding is available for trail work, access protection, education, search and rescue, snowmobile projects, OHV tourism, and year-round land acquisition. |
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OUTDOOR RECREATION INITIATIVE NOW OPEN The Outdoor Recreation Initiative (ORI) opens July 15 to support large-scale outdoor recreation infrastructure projects across Utah. Funding helps partners improve access, expand recreation opportunities, and invest in projects that support long-term stewardship of public lands. |
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UTAH PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS Here are all of the results for Utah’s 2026 congressional and state primary elections. |
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HOUSE PASSES BILL TO MAKE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT The US House passed a bill to make daylight saving time permanent on a 308-117 vote. In 2024, Rep. Celeste Maloy reintroduced the Daylight Act that would have allowed states to observe permanent daylight saving time if they chose. That bill never became law. In 2020, the Utah Legislature passed S.B. 59 that would have Utah remain on year-round daylight saving time. However, this state legislation cannot take effect unless Congress changes federal law. |
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LABOR + EMPLOYEE RESOURCES |
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As a business owner, you may encounter many challenges. But health insurance does not have to be one of them. UnitedHealthcare designs health plans that help make benefits simpler to use and understand, complete with support for every step of the journey.
Explore plan options that are tailor-made for your business through UTIA’s partnership.
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