Visit Salt Lake offers $50,000 in grants to turn local ideas into bookable visitor experiences

Salt Lake County businesses can seek awards of up to $10,000 by November 25, with funded activities due to launch by June 2027.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Visit Salt Lake has opened a $50,000 grant fund for new or expanded visitor activities in Salt Lake County.
• Eligible local businesses may apply for up to $10,000 toward creating or improving bookable experiences.
• Applications close November 25, 2026; recipients are scheduled to be named December 17.
• Awarded activities must be launched and bookable, with grant funds spent, by June 30, 2027.

A new funding opportunity in Salt Lake County, Utah, aims to turn local knowledge, creative ideas and outdoor adventures into activities that visitors can book before arriving. Visit Salt Lake has opened applications for a $50,000 visitor experience grant program, with individual awards of up to $10,000 available to qualifying businesses.

The Salt Lake Visitor Experience Development Grant, announced October 19, is intended to help local operators develop new experiences or expand existing ones. The destination organization is encouraging proposals that give travelers closer contact with the area’s culture, culinary scene, outdoor recreation and small businesses. Ideas cited by Visit Salt Lake range from guided hikes and food tours to behind-the-scenes visits and practical workshops.

The emphasis is on activities that guests can actually reserve rather than broad tourism promotions. According to the official visitor experience initiative and application information, a bookable experience should have an established price, a repeatable format and an accessible online reservation option. Visit Salt Lake says experiences lasting about two to four hours are preferred, providing a manageable addition to visitors’ itineraries.

Small-business support with a defined launch timetable

Applicants must be located in or primarily operate within Salt Lake County and show a viable business plan and a credible route to launching their proposed experience. Eligible uses for the grants include equipment, materials, employee training, marketing and launch expenses, reservation-platform fees and other directly related costs. Businesses can apply whether they are designing an entirely new activity or improving one already offered.

The application window runs through November 25, 2026. Visit Salt Lake’s Activation and Experience Committee will review applications, with successful recipients scheduled to be announced at the organization’s fourth-quarter holiday luncheon on December 17. Funded experiences must be operational and bookable, and the grants fully spent, by June 30, 2027.

Prior participation in the initiative’s interest survey or informational webinar is not required. Visit Salt Lake also says it will provide individual assistance for prospective applicants navigating the process.

Building more ways to experience Salt Lake

Kaitlin Eskelson, Visit Salt Lake’s president and chief executive officer, framed the program around connecting travelers with local people and stories rather than simply adding larger attractions. In the organization’s announcement, she said the funding could help creative local operators make their ideas discoverable and bookable, while benefiting both visitors and the broader community.

The initiative also reflects the importance of smaller, bookable experiences within a destination that combines city neighborhoods with mountain recreation. Making locally operated activities easier to find and reserve could give travelers more options for shorter outings and help tourism spending reach a wider variety of businesses. Those potential outcomes remain goals of the grant program rather than measured results.

Businesses can review the grant eligibility and application details on Visit Salt Lake’s website. General destination information is available through Visit Salt Lake.