"Over the years, there's been questions about how much revenue is being spent out of state, how much promotion is being spent out of state, for example, and other kinds of things," he said.

Sen. Patrice Arent, D-South Cottonwood, said many successful tourism campaigns have featured consistent branding, noting the "I Love New York" slogan as an example.

"And I know that we want autonomy and we want individual counties to be able to do what they think is best, but I hope that as you are working with your group, you'll be able to talk to them about that and start to move toward something like that, because ultimately I think it will benefit all of us," Arent said.

In addition to the new funding, the state's tourism promotion effort is being bolstered by cooperation. "We've never seen the industry so united as they are now," said Nan Anderson, executive director of the Utah Tourism Industry Coalition.

She suggested that the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to Utah tourism should be delineated.

The sheer number and variety of recreational areas is one strength, according to Steve Roberts, deputy director of the Division of State Parks and Recreation, which oversees 42 state parks.

"We have so much to offer in this state that it's just incredible," Roberts told the task force. "Our state parks, our national parks, our recreation areas are very, very valuable tourist resources."

The task force will meet Monday afternoons the same week that the Legislature conducts interim committee meetings. Its co-chairman, Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, said the topics the task force is required to address are "very, very broad."

"We're going to have to hustle to get through this," he said, later adding, "It's overwhelming that this is a one-year task force."

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Utah tourism statistics

Total economic impact: Nearly $5 billion

Number of visitors to Utah: About 17.5 million last year

Employment in tourism: 10 percent of state's work force, sixth-ranked among industries

Tax equivalent from tourism: $444 per household per year

Return on investment from tourism advertising: 8-to-1

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s goal: Increasing the number of tourists by 5 million annually

Source: Utah Office of Tourism

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E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com