The office's Web site, www.utah.travel, has a new "splash page" with interactivity and links to specific information about tourism activities and resources. "It's really a rich, rich Web site," von der Esch said.

One addition to the interactive ads is a "Drop the Snow" game, allowing users to kick virtual snow from their skis onto unsuspecting virtual skiers and snowboarders below the chairlift. "You don't do it indefinitely," von der Esch said, noting that it eventually clicks users through to request more information about Utah tourism.

The tourism office also has spent six months collecting "B-roll" video that will be supplied to its partner organizations. It will replace video shot six years ago. Von der Esch noted that Arches National Park hasn't changed any in six years, but "real skiers want to see the latest equipment" and apparel. The "hundreds of hours" of video features ballet, biking, resort dining, motorcycling and other outdoor activities "and not just our natural beauty," she said.

The state's partnership with Warren Miller also allows it to tap into that organization's footage, about eight hours of which was shot in Utah.

The tourism office has $11 million for this fiscal year for advertising, although $1.1 million will go to the Utah Sports Commission and $2.2 million will go to a cooperative marketing campaign to help other tourism organizations throughout the state. The remaining $7.7 million will be for advertisement creation and placement, with 30 percent for winter ads.

Von der Esch said the tourism office has come a long way since 2001, when it sent out requested tourism information on CDs.

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E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com