g n i v r Se e th
GreaterGood
Greater Zion Team Supports Locals and Visitors Alike Let’s face it: It’s been a while since anyone thought about vacation planning. And those of us who’ve lived in southern Utah for any amount of time may assume we already know the best places to explore. A quick visit to the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office will likely upend that mindset. What benefits might locals derive from an organization mainly focused on bringing “outsiders” into the area? There are plenty, as it turns out. Just ask Sara Otto, Greater Zion’s marketing manager. “As the world’s opening up again, you’ll have visitors staying with you, and you’ll be looking for ways to entertain them,” Otto noted. “We see lots of local residents coming in, picking up trail maps, restaurant guides, and other materials. Locals may not know that we have thirteen golf courses, or 600 miles of trails across the county. It can be eye-opening to be a tourist in your own backyard.”
16 www.saintgeorgewellness.com
By Marianne Hamilton
Formerly known as Visit St. George (and technically the Washington County Tourism Office), the group was rebranded as Greater Zion in 2019 to leverage the worldwide cachet enjoyed by Zion National Park. Additionally, the organization sought to promote tourism opportunities county-wide. “Visit St. George didn’t really serve Ivins, Springdale, and the other communities,” Otto said. “So the Greater Zion brand was created to represent all of the communities in the county. Obviously, we’re capitalizing on everyone’s familiarity with Zion National Park. But we’re also saying, ‘Hey, there are lots of things to see and do beyond the park you know.’” At the Greater Zion Visitors Center, located on Main Street in downtown St. George, Utah, it’s possible to find kayak rentals on Quail Creek Reservoir, canyoneering classes in Snow Canyon State Park, or e-bike rentals virtually everywhere in the county. The Greater Zion staff can offer guidance on a multitude of minutiae, from the
