Moab tourism board backs new campaign, film fund and event spending

Moab’s tourism leaders spent June 9 steering money toward the parts of the visitor economy that can move the needle fastest: marketing, events and a film-incentive fund. The Tourism Advisory Board recommended more than $380,000 in tourism spending and moved toward creating a county film-incentive fund, a sign that officials are treating tourism as both immediate cash flow and a longer-term economic engine.

The clearest signal was the push to refresh Moab’s image just as summer traffic builds. A new ad campaign and brand were already in production, and the board’s focus went beyond the usual red-rock postcard. The Gravel Adventure Field Guide was headed to print, pointing to a more specific pitch for riders and route-planners who come to Moab for biking, gravel riding and backcountry logistics rather than a general Southwest getaway. That kind of targeted branding suggests the town wants to shape who comes, not just hope for more arrivals.

Event spending showed the same strategy. The board recommended up to $175,000 for a Moab Holiday Festival, using tourism dollars to support an event that can draw people into town and help smooth out the shoulder season. At the same time, officials discussed hiring a new administrative assistant and adding marketing-staff support, another sign that the tourism office is building the capacity needed to keep pace with growth and promotion.

Tax revenue is giving the board room to think bigger. Meeting materials said tourism tax revenue was running well ahead of last year, which has left more flexibility to talk about advertising, visitor messaging and event support while the high season gets underway. In practical terms, that money is being steered toward the kinds of visitors Moab wants to keep attracting: cyclists, event-goers, film production and travelers who can be redirected toward specific experiences, not just the town’s broad outdoor reputation.

The Colorado River also stayed in the frame. The board discussed promoting the river through a low-water summer, a reminder that Moab’s adventure identity depends on more than highway access and trailheads. Even with lower flows, the river corridor remains central to how the town sells itself, and the marketing plan appears built around keeping that story active instead of treating low water as a dead zone. The spending choices made the priorities plain: Moab is investing in the visitor mix it wants, and in the brand it thinks can carry the town through a crowded summer.