The Utah Office of Tourism' Tourism held its inaugural Tourism Business Development Workshop on August 11-12, 2025, in Cedar City. The event brought together 194 attendees from across the state to explore opportunities within the agritourism and astrotourism sectors.
Funded by the Economic Development Administration American Rescue Plan Act, the workshop was free for participants and aimed to support tourism resiliency following the pandemic.
The two-day program featured 45 speakers and presenters, including four keynote sessions and various breakout tracks. The workshop included specialized sessions on product development, agritourism, and astrotourism.
Agritourism sessions covered topics such as liability, insurance, zoning, and partnership strategies. Astrotourism tracks focused on dark sky designation, community integration, and audience targeting. Attendees included representatives from private businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations.
Collaborators for the event included the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Utah State University, and Visit Cedar City - Brian Head, which served as the workshop host.
Participants expressed high levels of engagement with the program. Allison Yamamoto-Sparks from the San Juan County DMO noted feeling inspired by the ideas presented, while Payton Fisher, owner of The Farm in Hurricane, highlighted the value of the global marketing presentation.
According to the Emery County August Newsletter, the workshop addressed growing markets that align with the county's agricultural heritage and dark skies. Slide decks from keynote and breakout sessions are available through the Utah Office of Tourism.
