In the ultra-competitive battle to secure the hearts, minds (and wallets) of Aussie travellers, it pays to have an edge.
Describing yourself as “Aussie-nice” may just be the best tactic of all.
The U.S. state of Utah sent its largest ever delegation of representatives to Australia recently – some 88 people, including Governor Spencer J. Cox – to promote various industries and build lasting relationships.
Encouraging more Aussie tourists was top of the agenda.
“We see this great correlation between how Aussies like to live and how Utahans like to live,” says Natalie Randall, Managing Director of Tourism & Film at Utah Office of Tourism (UOT), as she chats to Traveltalk about the mission.
“Our governor continues to say we’re ‘Aussie nice’ in Utah – very friendly and welcoming.”
Clearly Australians are feeling the love. More than 23,000 of us ventured to the state this year, spending an impressive $US50 million (approx. $AU76 million) in the process. Average spend per Australian visitor has us ranked second behind China and slightly ahead of Belgium.
Equally impressive is that Australia was the eighth highest market in terms of visitation and the sixth in terms of spending, with the country forecasted to jump to fifth in terms of spending by 2029-2030.
Little wonder the delegation travelled Down Under in numbers, keen to increase what the UOT’s grand tourism plan calls ‘Quality Visitation’.
“Aussies love Utah and this market is critical to Utah. Aussies are our number one spenders during the winter when they come to ski at one of our 15 resorts,” adds Natalie.
“But we also want them to know that just as important as the ski resorts is to spend some time in southern Utah too, so they can experience that diversity of snow and red rock as well.”
The state boasts five national parks – Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion – all easily accessible from the newly renovated Salt Lake City airport which is also a Delta Airlines hub.
These parks offer great road trip experiences with a wide variety of accommodation options, glamping opportunities, dark sky viewing and a range of adventure activities from paddleboarding through to mountain biking and climbing.
“Aussies come primarily for the skiing but they’re starting to explore a bit more now,” comments Natalie. “So we’ve really leaned in to building tourism products that offer a little bit more.
“We offer high adventure, but it’s not just about the adventure. It’s also for people who are maybe new to nature and new to the outdoors. All our parks are accessible for these visitors as well.”
One of the new products launched this year that has been a big hit with visitors is the Utah Film Trail. The state has been a movie-makers dream for more than a century, from John Wayne westerns all the way up to Thelma & Louise, High School Musical and Forrest Gump.
“30% of travellers make destination decisions based on movies they’ve seen,” Natalie explains.
“We have a film trail that has 29 markers across the state and we should have 31 by the time we’re finished. It’s been huge for us as it allows visitors to come visit our national parks and ski, but then also extend a little bit longer and see where a film was made.”
Indigenous tourism is also a big drawcard, with the state home to eight distinct Native Nations, each with their own unique heritage, traditions and cuisine. Natalie recommends the Navajo taco, made with local bread and crammed full of meat.
“We have incredible operator guides or outfitters that will take Aussies out for an amazing experience,” she adds.
“You can go out with a Navajo guide and walk through canyons, experience petroglyphs or pictograph artwork and understand through his eyes what it looked like both from his ancestors and current day as well.
“There are also guides who will take you down into Monument Valley for amazing experiences where you can stay in a traditional hogan and experience the dark skies through their interpretation.”
Learning from the lessons of the past, the UOT is keen to make sure the future is both safe and secure.
“For all of our communities, sustainability is critical. We just launched what we’re calling ‘Utah Forever’, which is all about how we ensure that Utah lasts for both residents and visitors.
“It’s important that we continue to invite guests and visitors into our state so that they can enjoy our heritage, our culture and enjoy the public lands and open spaces that we have.
“All of that plays into the ‘Utah Forever’ idea and it’s a unified vision for us across the state and across all of the various platforms, not just tourism.”
Encouragingly for Aussie travel agents, they remain a crucial piece of the Utah tourism jigsaw.
“We have a special agent training program that we would encourage everyone in the trade to participate in as it’s a great way to learn more about our product.
“We know how important travel agents are, so we need them to know our product well and to continue to prioritise it.”
As our time comes to an end, I ask Natalie if UOT has set any goals in terms of increased visitor numbers from Australia.
“What we are looking to do is extend the length of visitor stay by diversifying our visitor offerings and experiences,” she says.
“If I’ve learned anything being here in the Australian market is that experiences drive visitors. Visitors want in-depth experiences of communities and culture and that’s the type of experiences that we have.”
When asked about her personal motivation in the travel space, Natalie’s response reveals a deeper purpose.
“Tourism is the way to tell Utah’s story,” she reflects. “It allows us to create opportunities for our children to stay in Utah, find jobs and prevent brain drain by showcasing our strong tourism industry and economic potential.
“We’re not just selling a destination; we’re sharing an experience.”
For Australians, it’s almost guaranteed to be a ‘nice’ experience.
