How to Support Local On Your Utah Road Trip Travel with a renewed sense of awareness and an eye for community impact. ADAPTED FROM THE UTAH OFFICE OF TOURISM STORY AT VISITUTAH.COM WRITTEN BY: ELAINNA CIARAMELLA FOR THE UTAH OFFICE OF TOURISM
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n light of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever, small businesses need support from travelers near and far. After all, it’s the one-of-a-kind shops, galleries and eateries that give Utah’s cherished communities their unique flavor.
Why Your Trip Matters
Camille Johnson Taylor, the executive director of the Kane County Office of Tourism says tourists are the lifeblood of their communities, including the charming town of Kanab, home to nationally-recognized Best Friends If small businesses can’t survive an economic Animal Sanctuary. “We are one of the most downturn, they’ll be replaced by large chains tourism-dependent economies in the state so and communities will lose what makes them the COVID-19 restrictions disproportionately special. And, I don’t know about you, but hit Kanab/Kane County’s economy. By when I go vacationing, I don’t want things to supporting our local businesses, customers are look exactly the same from town to town, and protecting the heritage of many local families I’m certainly not seeking a “chain experience” and the community. Helping these towns when I hit the road. Supporting smaller recover through visitation in the short-term establishments on road trips does more than secures the future of amenities and services, provide memorable experiences, it helps these like Kanab’s vegan-friendly pizzeria, Peekaboo communities survive economic ebbs and Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen; Zagat-rated flows. But what about locals? Even though restaurant, Zego; artisanal bakery, Kanab many small businesses and restaurants serve Creek Bakery; and pet-friendly hotels perfect locals year-round and during the “off season,” for visitors adopting a new family member there isn’t always enough mom and pop during their visit. support to sustain them, so they rely heavily on visitors to keep their doors open. As such, Steve Kennedy is the owner of GearHeads in Moab where the big draws include Arches it’s common for smaller hotels and Main Street services in Utah to function because of and Canyonlands national parks. Kennedy said that while they have a great following tourism spending. of locals, about 90 to 95% of his business 58
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comes from tourists, who are vital to Moab’s economy. Kennedy said that as much as you like to go on a vacation or adventure well-equipped, there’s probably an upgrade or interesting item you can buy at your destination to make your trip more memorable, whether it’s from a local gift or gear shop. Plus, stopping in a local shop gives you a perfect chance to pick-up some insider tips. “Interact with the people who live in the place you’re visiting,” says Kennedy. “You can always ask for advice on where to go, what to do, how to avoid crowds and how to be prepared for desert conditions.”
Why Support Local Tourism?
There are many reasons to support local — just ask Jennifer Leaver, a tourism research analyst at the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. She explained how a greater reliance on local supply chains raises the overall economic activity in a community. This means you’re helping local families put food on the table and do things like pay for dance classes and buy soccer or football gear.
