BOUNTIFUL — One of the only tourist destinations in the nation to actually report an increase in 2008 was that of Davis County and Antelope Island.

Davis Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) CEO Barbara Riddle told Bountiful Rotarians about all the activities available in the county and in Northern Utah. Getting tourists to eat in Davis County restaurants and stay in Davis County hotels is what Riddle focuses on and spenders average $2 billion a day doing just that.

“If we didn’t have tourism in the county, everyone would add $700 a year in property tax,” said Riddle.

Riddle brings 23 years of experience to the tourist industry in Davis County and has spent much of her time developing outreach material. Working with media farms like Sky Marco Polo, Equitrekking and the Travel Channel, the DCVB has been able to put out DVDs and brochures about our county and what it has to offer people.

Much of the information in those media programs talk about Antelope Island and what people can really do there.

“It’s the only lake you won’t sink in,” said Riddle. “We have a lot of activities people may not be aware of.”

Riddle wants to make the nation, and the world, aware of the Antelope Island Balloon Stampede, the bison round-up, horse-back riding, bike trails, beaches, sea kayaking, the Fielding Garr Ranch and Farmington Bay.

“The bison round-up is wickedly cool,” she said.

Aside from the island, the DCVB showcases Utah’s ski industry and the fact that national ski teams come to practice and warm-up on Utah’s slopes. Tourists can also take advantage of golf and hotel vouchers and Lagoon passes.

Riddle says the tourism industry is just DCVB’s first hat.

“Our other hat is meetings, conventions, conferences and group businesses,” she said.

The Davis Conference Center has been an excellent resource for Riddle and Davis County. Riddle and her team have brought in conventions from the Akita Dog Show to small business conventions. The Weber State University storytelling festival as well as Davis Reads programs are also held at the conference center.

“The key component to what we do is letting people know about our county,” said Riddle.

Since the beginning of DCVB in 2004, the industry has brought in $23 million in revenue.

For more information about the county, the tourism industry and what is currently happening, visit www.davisutah.travel.

sroberts@davisclipper.com