REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Abra Kanabra The Magic of the West
Camille Johnson Taylor is a seventh-generation Kane County resident, and she could not be more proud. As director of the Kane County Office of Tourism, Taylor works tirelessly to promote the area’s attractions to tourists and locals while preserving the magic of an authentic, western community. Taylor grew up in Kanab, graduated from Kanab High School, and then left town. She lived primarily on the Wasatch Front for nearly 18 years before moving back home to Kanab in 2011. “This place has a gravitational pull. I think it’s the iron in the soil. It must be magnetic and pulls its own back home,” Taylor said jokingly. Things fell into place for Taylor professionally, and she considers herself fortunate to be Kanab and Kane County’s number one paid cheerleader.
According to Taylor, the tagline ‘Abra Kanabra’ resurfaced every few years for several generations until the Kane County Office of Tourism made it one of its official taglines after she joined the tourism office. “The brand is ‘Kanab—Magically Unspoiled,’ but the ‘Abra Kanabra’ tagline has almost trumped our brand,” said Taylor. “It’s catchy, memorable, and no one else can use it.” Since joining the office over six years ago, Taylor has focused on attracting quality visitors who stay longer, spend more money, and
are more culturally connected. Recent advertising campaigns center around culture as well as promoting the county’s jawdropping landscape. “Kanab and Kane County offer an authentic, connective traveler experience. It may be the scenery that brings visitors here initially, but it’s our people and our culture that bring them back,” Taylor said. “As people explore areas closer to home since the COVID-19 pandemic, Kane County is wellpositioned because of its central location.”
BUSINESS IN UTAH | 2021
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