tourism

Utah is stepping in to keep parks open while Congress hashes out the funding gap. Local businesses say that support has been a lifeline during a tricky year for park visitation.

La cantidad de visitantes ha disminuido en todos los parques de Utah, impulsada por una baja en el turismo internacional. La incertidumbre económica y la retórica política podrían estar alejándolos, con grandes implicaciones para las economías locales que dependen de ellos.

Visitation is down at all of Utah’s parks, driven by a decline in international visitors. Economic uncertainty and political rhetoric may be keeping them away, with big implications for local economies that depend on them.

An executive order from President Donald Trump calls on the National Park Service to increase entry fees for visitors from abroad. In Utah, international tourism is big business, but local officials believe higher fees are unlikely to keep people away.

Zion National Park’s staff numbers haven’t kept up with rising visitation, and the Trump administration’s federal hiring freeze hasn’t helped. Park officials say visitors should help prevent search and rescue operations by planning ahead.

The iconic Ironman triathlon introduced southwest Utah to the world of endurance athletes. But population growth, high costs and “Ironman fatigue” led local leaders to cut ties with the race after 2025.

Unlike other Utah cities, St. George’s growth isn’t driven by people moving from abroad. That could create future problems for filling local jobs.

Landslides triggered by 2023’s wet winter damaged the original bridge. The relocated bridge will better accommodate shifts in the Virgin River.

Park City Mayor Nann Worel doesn’t know why Sundance passed on the joint Salt Lake City and Park City bid but acknowledged politics could have inadvertently injected itself into the discussion.

Colorado, like Outdoor Retailer before, has lured away another Utah institution. The film festival has called Utah home since 1978.

The new signs reduce speeds by up to 15 mph as drivers enter Moab on State Route 191 in southeast Utah. Advocates hope it’s a first step toward curbing dangerous crashes between vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

All but one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks had an increase in visitors from the previous year. At the same time, concerns linger about how federal job cuts might impact park crowds.