“We’re here for the long haul”: Utah looks ahead as it doubles down on Canada

“We know there's a lot of geopolitical uncertainty in the world, but we’re here for the long haul for Canada,” said Tera Atwood, global markets manager at the Utah Office of Tourism.

Her comment comes as Air Canada announced this week it will pause its Salt Lake City route from June 2026 to May 2027 due to rising fuel prices.

“We still have optimism for that [flight],” said Atwood. “We’re hopeful for 2027.”

Canada remains Utah’s number one market for visitation and visitor spend, more than double its second market, China. 

According to Atwood, Canadian visitation has seen an 11 per cent decline.

“But regardless of what’s happening in the media, we know demand [for Utah] exists,” she said. 

“We’re still remaining strong and weathering better than other states.”

Utah will remain accessible from Canada through non-stop flights from Vancouver (Delta), Calgary (Delta) and Edmonton (WestJet, seasonal), with additional connectivity via Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Travellers arriving at the 2020-built Salt Lake City International Airport can expect streamlined immigration processes and quick access to downtown in under an hour. 

Transit costs $2.50 USD, and the UTA TRAX light rail offers free transportation in designated zones.

Strategic shifts

Utah’s tourism office is shifting its promotional focus, placing greater emphasis on travel trade over media.

“Media is still incredibly important to us, and we are active on those channels, but we’re really developing relationships with travel trade partners, allowing visitors to have more options,” said Atwood.

The newly launched Utah Specialist Academy 2.0 supports this strategy while preparing for increased visitation ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“As new products come online, we need to make sure people know how to sell them,” said Atwood. 

“Our 2.0 version not only includes new information, but also makes it more accessible with two new languages, Dutch and Korean.”

Positioning Utah as an experience

“Working closely with trade partners helps them realize that Utah is an experience, not just a state in the U.S.,” said Atwood.

“Rather than saying, ‘I’m going to the States,’ we hear visitors saying, ‘I want to visit Arches National Park or Zion.’ People are definitely still coming.”

The state is known for its Mighty 5 national parks—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef—along with desert canyons, hoodoos, expansive vistas, immersive cultural experiences and 28 dark sky parks, the most in the country.

Luxury camping is also gaining traction. 

Properties like Ulum, a two-key Michelin-rated resort outside Moab, and Clear Sky Resorts, located 10 minutes from Bryce Canyon, offer glass-dome accommodations with amenities such as climate control, indoor plumbing and premium bedding, paired with expansive night-sky views.

“Michelin has been surveying the state in recent months, and we feel very confident that we’ll be featured in their southwestern guide this fall,” said Atwood. 

“Zion National Park already has its designation from the guide.”

Utah has also introduced the Utah Film Trail, allowing visitors to explore filming locations from the past century. 

The trail features 32 markers along a self-drive itinerary, with options to explore northern or southern Utah, or complete the full route over approximately two weeks.

Salt Lake City developments

Salt Lake City continues to serve as a hub for outdoor adventure, while also offering cultural and religious landmarks, including the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

From April to October 2027, the Temple Square complex will open to the public for the first time since the 1800s following a multimillion-dollar renovation. 

Approximately 30 million visitors are expected, with reservations opening in September 2026.

The anticipated demand, along with the upcoming Olympics, has driven renovations across major hotels, including the Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Salt Lake Marriott at City Creek, Radisson Hotel, DoubleTree Suites and the Asher Adams, Autograph Collection, located in the former Union Pacific train station.

Salt Lake City is also within a 30- to 45-minute drive of four major ski resorts—Snowbird, Alta, Brighton and Solitude—known for some of the driest snow conditions in the world, with humidity levels around 8 per cent.

A pathway home

Utah has built a reputation for farm-to-table dining, adventure tourism and immersive nature experiences, creating what Atwood describes as “a pathway to yourself.”

“In this world of digital everything, I think we’re all craving more authentic and real experiences, and that’s something that Utah definitely provides.”

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.