Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Events Tourism topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
High turnout at dirt-bike rally highlights tourism boost and prompts post-event survey
Summary
Organizers told the Emery County Trails Committee that the recent dirt-bike rally drew roughly 400 machines — about 100 more than prior years — generated attendees from 10 states and Canada, and produced measurable local spending; staff plan a post-event survey and are scheduling next year’s dates.
Organizers reported to the Emery County Trails Committee on May 5 that the county’s recent dirt-bike rally drew roughly 400 machines and attracted riders from at least 10 U.S. states and Canada, a reach they said exceeded prior events.
"We had 400 machines, which is more than we've ever had by a 100," said Josh, who gave the committee the rally debrief. He and other organizers said most feedback was positive and that injuries were limited to a few minor incidents.
Committee members said the turnout included a wide mix of in-state and out-of-state visitors: "48% was from Utah and 52% was from outside of Utah," Brett reported, summarizing pre-registration data and day-of signups that together produced the roughly 400 attendees. Organizers said about 305 adult pre-registrations and 30 youth pre-registrations were recorded, with additional walk-ups and guides joining on event day.
Why it matters: committee members and the tourism office said the rally and other events are part of an intentional push to demonstrate economic impact. The tourism office is compiling post-event reports and surveys to show lodging, dining and vendor spending tied to events such as the dirt-bike rally, MECA and the Watermelon Crawl.
Organizers said they will distribute a post-event survey to attendees to gather more detailed spending and satisfaction data and will set dates for next year within the next month or two. Brett added that several attendees have already signed up for an upcoming UTV rally in September, with nine early registrations noted.
Officials and local business representatives on the call said survey and impact reports help counter incorrect messaging that trails or areas are closed — information that local businesses said has hurt bookings in past months. The tourism office confirmed it will continue distributing event-impact reports and rack-card itineraries focused on mountain-biking to help market multi-day visitors.
The committee did not take any formal votes on event policy at the meeting; organizers will return with survey results and proposed dates.
