BENGALURU: Officials from the US state of Utah are looking at Bengaluru as the next hot market for promoting tourist destinations in their home-state. “The city is a technology hub with an open mind towards Western culture. We find many Bengalureans accepting Western lifestyles and there is a huge visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market here for us to explore,” said Zach Fyne, global markets specialist from the Utah office of tourism.
The Utah government’s tourism office said they are targeting second-time visitors from India.
“Tourists tend to visit places like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and so on, but Utah has a lot to offer and is a location that does better with experienced travellers,” Fyne added.
With large stretches of natural landscapes and national parks spanning this Western state, Utah promises picturesque surroundings to hikers and road trippers. There is also plenty to offer to ski enthusiasts and stargazers as this American state has some of the best skiing resorts in the US and access to dark sky parks all year round.
In 2022, the Utah Tourism Office estimated that about 8,700 Indians visited their state and spent an estimated $8.7 million. “Between 2022 and the present, we have seen a 5% overall jump in the number of tourists from India. A tourist from India would usually need to spend about $2,392 per day in Utah and thus we are seeking out visitors with larger budgets and spending capacities from here,” Fyne explained.
While tourism is an important driver of the local economy, the mining industry is the main force in the state. As a sparsely populated state with only three million residents, the Utah office of tourism is pitching its raw, wide terrain to adventure-seekers from India, mainly Bengalureans with deep pockets to dig into.
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