Utah expects tourism boost thanks to National Geographic article


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SALT LAKE CITY — Last year, tourists visiting Utah spent about $7.4 billion while visiting our scenic attractions, such as Utah’s national parks and recreation areas. But the state is hoping to see a spike in both visitors and money, with a little help from National Geographic magazine.

Utah’s tourism industry will likely get a big boost, thanks in part to the article “Digging Utah’s Dinosaurs” in the May issue of the magazine. Though dinosaurs have long been documented in Utah, the article has sparked a new buzz, creating a new marketing opportunity for the state.

“The world knows about our “Mighty 5” national parks and now National Geographic is helping call attention to the fact that this is the place to come and discover dinosaurs,” said Vicki Varela, managing director of tourism, film and global branding for the state.

For nearly 15 years, scientists and researchers with the Natural History Museum of Utah and other agencies have been working in the Grand Staircase National Monument region and have made some incredible discoveries. And the digs continue.

But some are in very remote areas, and getting to them is extremely difficult.

“Last fall we were supported by the National Geographic Society to do remote camps that get us into the most hard to reach areas by helicopters,” said Randall Irmis, curator of paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Some of the bones brought out by those helicopters were on display Thursday at the Natural History Museum of Utah. They date back 75 million to 80 million years, when this area of Utah was wet and lush with vegetation.

With the increased publicity from National Geographic, Utah’s Office of Tourism is ready to take advantage of a renewed interest in dinosaurs. The website was updated Thursday with a new page that highlights Utah’s dinosaur history. New maps are displayed to help visitors plan their “dinosaur tourism” experience.

Utah expects tourism boost thanks to National Geographic article
Photo: KSL TV

The logical “trailhead” for such a vacation is the Natural History Museum of Utah, where there’s a large display of the various creatures unearthed in Utah.

“We invite visitors to look face to face with dinosaurs, learn more about the time in which they lived, “ says Sarah George, executive director of the Natural History Museum. “And then go out across the state and see the sights where these animals came from.”

“I think this National Geographic story really gives us a chance to boast not just to the nation but to the world the amazing dinosaurs that we have and other ancient life that we have in the state,” Irmis said.

Who knows what’s still out there, buried and waiting to be discovered?

“Utah has the best fossil record in all of North America. So this is the epicenter, the bull's-eye so to speak of coming to see dinosaurs and where they're found,” Irmis said.

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Keith McCord

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