The Mountain IDEAL Certification is known as the gold standard for sustainable destinations. Only Vail and Breckenridge in Colorado have received the honor.
Now, Park City is on that list after going through a comprehensive evaluation of more than 125 specific indicators relating to sustainable tourism.
The Park City Chamber developed a sustainable tourism plan in 2022. While trying to leverage the positives of a visitor economy, the plan aims to mitigate tourism’s negative impacts like overcrowding.
The plan also involved creating a new grant program for local businesses and nonprofits that support the chamber’s sustainable tourism goals. On Thursday the chamber announced the 22 grant recipients for this year. They include Deer Valley Resort, Mountain Trails Foundation, North Summit Unite and the Park Silly Sunday Market.
38 organizations applied, and the chamber is distributing roughly $300,000 among the 22 recipients. Nearly half of the funds are going toward efforts to manage “visitor impact.”
Along with the new certification, the chamber’s Destination Marketing Program accreditation was also recently renewed until 2028. Fewer than 200 worldwide tourism organizations have received the accreditation, which evaluates standards involving government, finance and visitor services.
Park City Chamber President and CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff said the organization will continue to prioritize quality of life, “ensuring that Park City remains a premier destination known for responsible tourism.”
