ENCOURAGED by soaring Chinese arrival numbers in the last few years, the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT) has organised an annual sales mission to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to raise awareness of the US state.
“It’s vital to increase awareness so the Chinese will include Utah in their next trip,” said Utah’s governor, Gary Herbert. “There are 43 state parks as well as other diverse recreations like hiking, camping, four-wheel drive and even golf. I’ve a special department solely taking care of outdoor recreation and they work hand in hand with the trade.”
“Statistics showed Chinese visitor spending grew by 27 per cent,” said Becky Johnson, global specialist for tourism, film and global branding at UOT. “There is also a growing trend for FITs who opt for adventures like hiking and horse riding. Apart from five national parks, we are starting to push downhill skiing in North Utah as demand from Beijing is big.
However, the challenge lies in getting Chinese travellers out of their coaches and walk in the parks in order for them to experience the vastness of Utah, she pointed out.
Johnson added: “We target Chinese travellers aged over 50 for group tours as well as multi-generation families. In order to drive more awareness, fam tours will be organised for the trade in October and November.”
In Utah’s San Juan County, attractive hotel rates (US$89 per night) will be available from November 2015 to March 2016 to entice Chinese visitors to the Monument Valley area.
Meanwhile, St George city has its eyes set on the Chinese high-end leisure traffic. Said Joyce Kelly, international marketing manager at St George Convention & Tourism Office: “We are just two hours from Las Vegas and hope to let the market know the easy access from San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as our diverse activities like winter golf, marathons and even mountain biking. FITs from China want versatile experiences.”
