MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Increasing and shaping tourism over the next decade is going to be a goal the Town of Marana works towards after the town council approved a 10-year tourism master plan at the most recent meeting.
Stefanie Boe, Tourism and Marketing Manager for Discover Marana, and her team spent over a year developing the decade-long guide. To help put it together, they conducted hundreds of surveys and interviews, a study session, information gathering and field trips, and community engagement events.
While the 52-page plan highlights many areas of opportunity, one project on the minds of many is the new downtown district.
“It is really going to be a destination for people to come and have the time of their lives,” Boe said. “For us as a community, we have needed this for a long time.”
However, the plan isn’t centered solely on new projects; it also focuses on highlighting what is already here, including outdoor activities, festivals and shopping.
“We are already having tourism happen in our community and we want to shape that to be what we want it to be,” Boe said.
According to the plan, direct travel supported 55 new jobs in 2024, an increase of over 4% from the previous year.
“It has been a great economic driver for our community that we haven’t really recognized and talked about enough,” Boe said.
According to a presentation given by Boe at the June 17 council meeting, direct visitor spending in 2023 totaled $156.3 million, while the total economic impact of tourism was $318.2 million.
“So we want that money to work for us,” Boe said. “And the great thing about bringing that money into the community through sales tax and other things, is we get to offer more services for our town.”
To do this, ten objectives have been outlined:
- Develop new amenities
- Roll out the welcome mat
- Grow outdoor recreation and parks
- Expand festivals and events
- Preserve our unique arts and heritage
- Expand options for places to stay
- Grow small tourism-focused businesses and restaurants
- Create a sense of place
- Identify new funding sources
- Use data to amplify storytelling
Boe said there isn’t any money tied to the plan.
“It is a plan of itself and then there will be pieces where we may come back to the council and ask, ‘can we spend money on x or y,” she explained.
By 2035, the town’s goal is to see an increase in overnight stays, be known for outdoor adventure and be a travel destination for families.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
