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SALT LAKE CITY — A new center aims to drive LGBTQ+ tourism to Salt Lake City and promote local queer and allied businesses and events.
The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce has announced plans to open an LGBTQ+ visitors center in downtown Salt Lake City in the coming years. The center will be modeled after a similar one in San Diego and will host events, as well as art and history installations, and provide affordable retail space for artists and makers.
The chamber said the center will also serve as a resource for new LGBTQ+ transplants and those who would like to start or expand a business in Utah. For small business owners like Chamber Board Secretary Ed Turner, Utah's vibrant LGBTQ+ community can be a pleasant surprise.
In fact, Salt Lake City is among the top 10 U.S. metro areas with the largest gay populations and has a higher percentage of individuals self-identifying as gay than Los Angeles.
"Utah's LGBTQ+ community has played a major role in the economic growth and development of our state, with Salt Lake City consistently listed as having one of the largest queer communities in the U.S.," Turner said in a statement.
LGBTQ+ tourism also presents a growing opportunity for the city and state economies. LGBTQ+ travel dollars account for 7% to 10% of all U.S. tourism revenue and represent a $1 billion industry in the U.S. alone.
"The chamber celebrates the state's major tourism draws, regardless of the season, and our local queer and allied business impact. The visitor center will only add to the uniqueness of Utah while supporting the state's world-class visitor attractions and unique cultural history," Turner said. "The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber wants everyone to visit the country's best-kept secret!"
The chamber and a community-based advisory committee will study the project in 2024 with the goal of opening the center in May 2026. Those wishing to learn more about the project or join the chamber's tourism committee can contact Chamber President and CEO Liz Pitts or visit the chamber's website.
