Tuesday, August 20th

8:00 — 8:30am Registration & Breakfast

8:30 — 8:45am
5 minute Welcome & Conference Objectives
Shalee & Cassie, Chamber Chair

10 minute Overview of the Moab Economy
Ashley Korenblat, Recreation Economy Consultant

8:45 - 9:15am
Keynote Speaker
Marketing Local Strengths in a Global Economy
Natalie Randall, Utah Director of Tourism

9:15 - 10:00am
Anatomy of a Gateway Economy
Greg Mazu

10:00 - 10:30am
Better Destinations Trails to Tomorrow Update
Jeremy Sage, RRC

10:30 to 11:00am — Networking Break

Morning Breakout Discussions

11:00am — 12:00pm - Break Out Session
OHV Trends — Colorado Room
Chase Pili, OHV Manager, Department of Outdoor Recreation

In this session, we will be discussing opportunities to both better manage and better serve OHV visitors to Grand County. Ideas from Summit participants and best practices from other communities for sustainable OHV recreation will be discussed and documented for future exploration.

11:00am — 12:00pm - Break Out Session
Challenges for a Non-Tourist Business in a Gateway Community — John Wayne Room
Thatcher Vagts, CEO, The Synergy Company
Jolene Stone, Moab Chamber Board Member

During this session, we will discuss the obstacles encountered by local businesses that are not tourism-related. Business leaders will share their experiences of tackling these challenges and implementing creative solutions.

12:00 — 1:00pm Lunch and Networking

Afternoon Breakout Discussions

1:00-2:00pm - Break Out Session
Trends for Hikers, Bikers, Climbers, and Paddlers — Colorado Room
Tara Mckee, Deputy Director of Grants and Planning, Department of Outdoor Recreation

This session will focus on changing needs in non-motorized recreation from experts to beginners. Reviewing audience ideas and considering new management techniques, we will explore ways to meet growing outdoor recreation needs and opportunities to encourage Moab guests to stay longer or plan a second visit.

1:00 — 2:00pm - Break Out Session
The Moab Housing Market: Successes and Challenges — John Wayne Room
John Knight
Michael Black, Community Development Director, Moab City
Kaitlin Myers, Executive Director, Moab Area Community Land Trust
Rachel Moody

This session aims to delve into our local housing market and the community's efforts to enhance it. Join us in a genuine conversation about the obstacles we encounter as a community and the successful strategies some have implemented. Your voice is valuable in shaping the discussion and contributing to addressing one of our community's significant challenges.

2:00 — 3:00pm - Break Out Session
Sightseers and Tourists Trends — Colorado Room
Jeremy Sage, Tourism and Recreation Economist

In this session we will discuss how Moab stacks up compared to other more general tourism destinations. For those with little or no outdoor recreation expertise or equipment, how can we provide safe and compelling sightseeing opportunities for the more general tourist? Ideas for how to encourage them to plan a longer visit and a second trip, will be discussed.

2:00 — 3:00pm - Break Out Session
Staffing, Business Services, & Financial Services — John Wayne Room
Kraig Black, Director of Business Services, Desert Rivers Credit Union
T.J. Larson, Regional Wealth Management Consultant, Capital Group
Jenn Sadoff

At this breakout session, we've gathered industry experts and community leaders to delve into topics such as business lending, employee benefits, hiring practices, and staff retention. The panel discussion will include a Q&A session, providing attendees with the chance to share their own experiences and insights.

3:00 — 3:15pm — Break

3:15 — 3:30pm
Report Out from Breakout Sessions
Join the conversation as we discuss the hottest topics from the days breakout sessions

3:30 — 4:15pm
Keynote Speaker
Moab’s Next 10 Years
Doug Miller, USU

4:15 — 4:30pm
Moab’s Significance to the State of Utah
John Curtis, U.S. Representative