Australia may be the number one ski market to Utah, but it drops down to being the fifth largest in overall international visitors after Canada, UK, Germany & France.
Despite strong figures over the winter time, Aussies fall short of topping Utah’s tourism figures and it’s because they’re not visiting during the state’s summer period which, if you ask Marilyn Smith Stinson, is a big mistake.
Speaking to KARRYON at IPW in Anaheim, Stinson, who represents Utah’s Park City, said that although the destination is magical during the winter, it’s during the summer when everything comes to life.
Hiking, national parks, horseback riding and other outdoor activities are just the start of what Aussies are missing out on, particularly in Park City, in addition to an outdoor music festival and natural surrounding symphony concerts.
“It’s an educational thing and of course we’d love to see more Australians coming to our state and Park City in the summer but we’re so well known for skiing and it is your summer break.”
Marilyn Smith Stinson, Park City Representative
Aussies are missing out on an amazing summer in Utah, particularly Park City. Image: Olivia Hutcherson/Unsplash
If Stinson could reshuffle Aussie holiday plans, she’d have them fly in from Australia to Los Angeles and head the extra hour-and-a-bit (by plane) to Utah and head to Park City for a refreshing summer escape.
Three nights in the city is enough time to tick off the must-dos such as mountain biking, scenic chair rides, white water rafting, outdoor dining and catch an outdoor performance of the Utah Symphony at the Deer Valley Resort’s natural amphitheatre.
Stinson recommends visting Moab after Park City to see Dead Horse Point. Image: Logan Lambert/Unsplash
From there, she recommends picking up a car and driving south to Moab where they can catch Arches National Park, canyons and Dead Horse Point – a hiking area with stunning views.
A couple of days later, Stinson recommends driving to the city of Escalante and staying in a place called Shooting Star, a hotel where guests sleep inside refurbished old movie RVs, which are themed around actors such as John Wayne.
Then she’d send Aussies to Zion National Park and Las Vegas for a few days to see some shows before heading back to Los Angeles for a flight home.
Wrap up the trip with as top by Zion National Park before hitting up Vegas. Image: Omer Salom/Unsplash
IPW19 runs from 1-5 June at the Anaheim Convention Centre where tourism delegates from around the world will meet with hundreds of US suppliers and operators.
The leading international inbound travel trade show is expected to drive $4.7 billion in future travel to the USA.
KARRYON is in attendance, so keep an eye for live updates as well as pictures from Disneyland’s newest land – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
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