Is Utah's Office of Tourism doing its job a little too well?
Its campaign "The Mighty 5" touts Utah's five magnificent national parks and urges tourists to come and enjoy their spectacular beauty. And tourists have responded in record numbers, filling these parks to capacity and putting a significant strain on available resources to accommodate them.
Similar success is also proving to be a mixed blessing for state parks and recreation areas. Fred Hayes, director of the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation, noted they "are busy all the time," and that while this is preferable to the alternative, "at some point, the visitor experience starts to diminish. We know we are at a tipping point where people will stop coming because it is not enjoyable."
Fortunately, we're not at that tipping point yet, but Hayes' warning is well worth considering. Over 50 years ago, Utah prepared a state recreation plan that anticipated tourism would eventually become Utah's primary economic industry. That prediction has proved to be prescient, as the surge in tourism has far exceeded the plan's most optimistic scenarios. Interest in Utah continues to increase, with no end in sight. This brings great opportunities, but it also presents serious challenges with no simple solutions.
Many insist this massive demand will require more state funding to maintain and expand current facilities, and they're right. Furthermore, an Envision Utah poll found that 67 percent of Utahns would support a modest tax increase designed to do just that, but it's naive to assume that just spending more money will be enough. Brad Petersen, the state director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation, likened Utah's recreational infrastructure to a "product in a business, when it reaches maturity" and observed that the state's "outdoor places are finite resources, and they have to be managed as such."
So how does one manage a finite resource? The answer lies in taking a long-term approach. Yes, there are trails and facilities that need immediate attention, but officials have to be disciplined enough to take a step back and fashion a strategy to prepare for the decades to come, not just the demands of the moment. The state park's strategic planning process current horizon is only five to 10 years. That's too shortsighted, and the conversation needs to include all stakeholders, including federal officials and the public at large.
This is a considerable challenge, to be sure, but it need not be an insurmountable one. Utah has faced considerable challenges before, and our state has been able to craft innovative solutions. If we take a similar approach to this particular problem, surely we can find a way for people to enjoy Utah's singular outdoor treasures for generations to come.