Utah County is a 'draw'

PROVO — Las Vegas it isn't. In fact, the only thing Sin City and Happy Valley might have in common is a penchant for speedy weddings. But the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau is convinced the oft-overlooked county can be a bigger tourist draw simply by playing to its natural strengths.

"We are who we are; we're not Park City, we're not Salt Lake," said visitors bureau president and CEO Joel Racker. "But we're a great destination. We think that we can complete with the Boulder, Colorados of the world, with the Boises, the other third or fourth tier-type cities that are out there."

The Utah County Commission gave the privatized visitors bureau $150,000 last year to study and carry out a marketing campaign to sell Utah Valley to tourists. The study results weren't surprising — many identified the valley with Brigham Young University sports, the Timpanogos cave or family values. But the bureau thinks it can succeed in drawing tourists by helping people realize there are unique things to do in Utah County.

"If people are coming for the pubs and things like that, we're probably not their destination," Racker said. "We'll be the first to admit that. But there's a myriad of things to do here in Utah County, it's just getting the word out to people."

According to Racker, that myriad includes outdoor activities at Sundance Resort, American Fork Canyon, Provo Canyon, Timpanogos Cave, Utah Lake and the Alpine and Nebo loops, as well as museums scattered across the valley.

"The Springville Art Museum has some incredible offerings down there, and a lot of people haven't even heard of it," he said. "And BYU has several museums, as well as cultural events and different things like that."

One draw cited by regional visitors was Utah County shopping.

"I have a good friend who lives down in Blanding, and twice a year they come up here and shop at University Mall, they do their school and Christmas shopping here," he said. "I think being at a very central point in the state, we're perceived as a good shopping destination. They like to come here because it's a big enough city, but it's not like going into the busy city."

Part of the bureau's campaign will include educating locals about the county's features.