Utah is hoping to entice more UK travellers by highlighting major destination developments across the state, including future Winter Olympic Games’ infrastructure, new resort investment and a growing offering of experiential tourism products.
At the recent IPW trade show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the “Mountain West” destination outlined its long-term positioning ahead of hosting the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In the mountains, Park City’s Deer Valley has completed its Expanded Excellence terrain development, doubling its skiable area. In a push to become known as a four-season destination, the resort is developing a new chapter in its mountain biking programme, including a dedicated intermediate flow trail from Bald Mountain to Silver Lake featuring berms, rollers and jumps designed for downhill riders.
Infrastructure improvements include a new connection from Silver Lake to Deer Crest via an extension of the Mid-Mountain Trail, bypassing previous climbs, alongside three new lifts — Keetley Express, Hoodoo Express and Aurora, all designed to improve access and reduce travel time across the resort.
Elsewhere in the state, there are cultural and heritage developments such as the Utah Film Trail. Utah, nicknamed “USA’s Film Set”, has been a destination for filmmaking for over 100 years, its diverse landscapes playing a starring role in some of Hollywood’s most iconic productions.
The Utah Film Trail features a series of physical markers around the state, marking sites that provided the backdrop for movies such as Frozen, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Thelma and Louise, High School Musical and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, amongst many others.
And Utah continues to strengthen its experiential tourism offering, with the launch of Paddle Moab’s Night Float, a guided four-mile route paddleboarding and kayaking experience along the Colorado River.
The experience allows visitors to drift between red rock canyon walls while viewing the Milky Way and constellations reflected on the water, offering an alternative perspective on the region’s desert landscapes.
In fact, Utah is recognised for having the highest concentration of certified International Dark Sky Places in the world.
For example, Dinosaur National Monument boasts some of the most magnificent Dark Skies in the state – perfect for stargazing and connecting with the monument’s primordial foundation.
Utah also has a rich archaeological heritage, with immersive experiences available across its 40 state parks – which stretch from the rich blue waters of Bear Lake to the hot, orange and pink sands of Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
Often, state parks offer campgrounds, staffing and other amenities to make it easy to take in scenic vistas and recreation.
Another big draw card for the state next year will be a “public open house” for the renovated Salt Lake Temple – the largest and most iconic temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Visitors from around the world will be invited to step inside one of Utah’s most celebrated landmarks from (April 2027 to October 2027). The striking building is nearing the end of a major six-year renovation project.
