They like us. They really, really like us.
Calling Park City a year-round playground, Time Magazine’s just-released list of the best places to visit on earth this year describes Park City’s rise to fame through the Sundance Film Festival. The brief write-up omits mention of the 2002 Olympics, which many locals believe sparked population growth and development here.
Time Magazine mentions local resorts and lightly skims the surface of the restaurant scene before highlighting that the area has become a summer destination for golfing, hiking, mountain biking and flyfishing.
And it reports into the future, saying that Park City’s plans to be a creative hub are evidenced by its new arts and culture district. It mentions the Kimball Art Center, the Sundance Institute and the Park City Song Summit, but doesn’t delve into the fact that the arts and culture district doesn’t yet exist in Park City.
Regardless of that timeline, Jennifer Wesselhoff, president and CEO of Park City’s Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, said the news was thrilling and could provide a boost to what’s been a light summer tourism-wise.
“What this does for our tourism industry is also instrumental,” Wesselhoff said. “You know, positioning us on such an important list from a reputable, credible publication like Time and being included with so many of these other incredible destinations certainly makes us a bucket list destination and honestly, we can use that right now.”
The magazine’s web site didn’t make clear if it was ranking the top 50 in order, or just presenting 50 top places. But Park City appears on the list in second place, after Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates and ahead of the Galapagos Islands.