The Utah Office of Tourism and the Capitol Reef Natural History Association have officially entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing the visitor experience at Capitol Reef National Park and promoting it as a top destination for international travelers, with a specific focus on the French market.
This joint initiative pairs targeted global marketing efforts with crucial on-the-ground infrastructure and accessibility improvements. As part of the agreement, UOT will leverage its international marketing resources to launch campaigns in collaboration with prominent French tour agency Comptoir des Voyages. The Comptoir des Voyages foundation, Insolite Batisseur Philippe Romero, will provide funding to CRNHA.
In turn, CRNHA is committing to several major capital, aesthetic and accessibility upgrades over the next year to ensure the park is more welcoming and safer for all people. Key upgrades include:
● Amphitheater Accessibility Improvements: The existing gravel surface of the park’s amphitheater will be replaced with a solid, compacted decomposed granite surface to ensure a highly accessible floor for guests.
● Inclusive Seating Adjustments: Existing benches will be modified to create dedicated spaces where wheelchairs and strollers can pull directly into the seating rows.
● Enhanced Safety Features: Handrails will be installed on selected amphitheater benches to provide mobility assistance to visitors.
● Nighttime Pathway Illumination: New pathway lighting will be installed along the route from the amphitheater to the demonstration area to improve visibility and overall nighttime safety.
● Environmental Sustainability: A strategic replanting effort for local cottonwood trees will be implemented to secure new growth before older trees are removed.
“This collaboration represents an exciting step forward for sustainable and accessible tourism in Utah,” said Rachel Bremer, global markets director at the Utah Office of Tourism, in a release. “By partnering with CRNHA and Comptoir des Voyages, we are not only inviting international visitors to experience the unparalleled beauty of Capitol Reef National Park, but we are also ensuring that the park’s facilities are updated to accommodate every traveler safely and comfortably.”
To honor the support provided by UOT and Comptoir des Voyages, CRNHA will feature prominent donor recognition, including commemorative plaques on amphitheater benches, logo placement on park program posters, and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony once the projects are completed.
The infrastructure enhancements and marketing launches will roll out in phases throughout the year, with major milestones — including the amphitheater resurfacing, pathway lighting installation and tree planting — projected for completion by late this year.
