With so many locations highlighted on both the silver and small screens, the state’s iconic attributes are obvious and numerous. At IPW24, Visit Utah showcased the state’s current 100 Years of Utah Film & Television celebration with the Utah Film Commission along with the natural beauty that’s always on show.
It’s a big year for Visit Utah with the centennial celebrations of its film industry in full swing in 2024, plus the 75th anniversary of the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission.
Home of the esteemed annual Sundance Film Festival, Utah has doubled as the onscreen setting of countless movies and TV shows, starting with Westerns, such as 1924’s The Covered Wagon, through to Easy Rider, Thelma & Louise and High School Musical.
Starry-eyed in Utah
Utah Office of Tourism & Film Managing Director Natalie Randall, who oversees the strategy and execution of state tourism and film economies, said Utah is also focusing on dark-sky tourism and the immersive experience of ‘hozho’ ( pronounced “ho-jo”).
“Hozho is a Diné Navajo word that speaks to being one with nature. It’s hard to directly translate but it speaks about experiencing peace, balance and beauty around you,” she said. “And if there’s anything of a way to describe this hozho is through our dark skies in Utah.”
“More than 80 per cent of residents in North America can no longer see the Milky Way from their home and it’s astonishing when you consider that for thousands of years, our ancestors used the stars for navigation, inspiration and reflection.
“We are home to some of the darkest skies on Earth and currently lead the world in dark-sky preservation with 25 accredited Dark Sky places.”
Utah’s certified International Dark Sky Parks include all five national parks, 10 state parks and three towns – the most being within Springdale, just outside Zion National Park.
Visit Utah partnered with Armchair Productions and Brand USA on its Utah: Life Elevated five-part documentary podcast with a Dark Sky segment that highlights the state’s astrotourism opportunities.
“There’s nothing like the Milky Way, set against the spectacular arches and canyons and reflecting upon the Great Salt Lake,” Randall said.
“Dark Skies further diversifies the visitor product we offer and expands the visitor experience in Utah from lodging in domes where you can lay back and view the Milky Way from your bed to being able to go into an observatory and closer to that vast cosmos.
“Utah is the place to stay out a little bit longer to experience those night skies tucked away.”
For more info, head to visitutah.com
