After decades spent shaping Bandera’s identity as the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” Patricia Moore, longtime executive director of the Bandera County Convention and Visitors Bureau, is preparing for a new chapter.
Moore is retiring Friday, Oct. 31, concluding a career that transformed the county’s role in international tourism.
For Moore, however, her life’s work has always been rooted in more than hospitality — it’s about experience.
A veteran of the Dallas Anatole Hotel and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Moore’s professional path took a philosophical turn that few in the tourism industry can claim: she holds a master’s degree in phenomenological psychology, which she describes as “the psychology of experiences.”
That background informed her approach to marketing Bandera. Known for her trademark bluntness, Moore viewed community involvement and historical preservation as essential components of a genuine tourist experience.
Her work, she said, was “more than a career” — it was an identity she’s now “struggling to unfamiliarize” herself from as she prepares to unplug.
The Architect of Modern Bandera Tourism Moore first arrived in Bandera around 1990 intending to open a bed and breakfast. She purchased the old Horseshoe Inn and quickly became involved in local affairs, joining the Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau boards before eventually taking the helm as executive director.
Her tenure, she said, was defined by ambitious “far-fetched ideas,” including the pioneering “Bandera on the Road” campaign, which promoted the Cowboy Capital to museums across Texas.
That effort led Kelly Scott and his chuckwagon crew to host cowboy breakfasts at museums in San Antonio and Houston.
“I believe if you bring the product to the people, they will come,” Moore said of the campaign’s success.
Her influence grew over the years, culminating in several major accolades and projects.
She received the Gene Phillips Hospitality Award in 2011 and, most recently, the Texas Travel Industry’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Texas Travel Summit Awards Gala, held Oct. 15, 2024, in Houston as part of the 39th Annual Texas Travel Summit hosted by the Texas Travel Alliance.
“I have been blessed to represent Bandera, Texas, the Cowboy Capital of the World,” Moore said in her 2024 acceptance speech. “Accepting an award for following your passion and doing what you love feels almost undeserving. Isn’t that what we all strive for?”
“Patricia Moore’s dedication and indomitable spirit have left an indelible mark on the Texas travel and tourism industry,” said Erika Boyd, president and CEO of the Texas Travel Alliance. “Her tireless efforts to promote and enhance Bandera as the Cowboy Capital of the World and her leadership in various tourism initiatives have set a high standard for excellence.”
Expanding Bandera’s Reach Before her move to Bandera, Moore worked with the opening team at the Dallas Anatole Hotel in 1979, eventually becoming reservations manager and supporting its sales and conventions department. She later joined Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona, as front office manager.
Her unconventional journey into hospitality began even earlier, in the mid-1970s, when she and a partner introduced hospice care to Texas — a groundbreaking effort for someone without a healthcare background.
By the time she settled in Bandera, Moore had developed both the professional and philosophical foundation to redefine rural tourism.
Lasting Impact A year ago, Moore submitted her retirement notice with the explicit goal of staying long enough to complete a trifecta of projects: securing Bandera’s state designations as a Music Friendly and Tourism Friendly City and hosting the Smithsonian traveling exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America.
Working with the Bandera County Historical Commission and the Frontier Times Museum, Moore ensured Bandera’s installation was interactive and deeply local, featuring stories of community members and first-person interviews.
She proudly noted that local efforts “exceeded any aspects of what the [Texas Historical Commission] thought would happen.”
Another major late-career achievement was coordinating preparations for the 2024 total solar eclipse, which placed Bandera in the path of totality.
Moore said she began pushing officials to plan for the “major” event as early as 2020, leading to collaborative meetings with commissioners and constables.
Respect, Responsibility, and the Future Moore said her leadership philosophy is best summed up by the “3R” principle — respect and responsibility leading to what she calls “the real.”
She describes Bandera’s spirit as one where, despite occasional conflicts, “if anyone is in need of help, the community will instantly put aside their differences.”
As for what’s next, Moore doesn’t plan to fade away. She expects to stay involved in local matters, noting she has “invested way too many hours not to stay involved.”
She’s also embracing a new digital era, recently adopting tools like AI and digital business cards. Having written about the process of ending major projects during her graduate studies, she recognizes this moment as a “period of nothingness.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” she said. “I don’t intend to just sit and waste away.”
Moore will formally pass the torch to CVB Manager Carita Jundt on her final day.
The CVB will host an open house that day, inviting the public to stop by, share well wishes, and celebrate Moore as she embarks on “this exciting new chapter of life.”
A public retirement reception will also be held Thursday, Nov. 13, at Bandera Brewery, beginning at 6 p.m., featuring live music by Dave Kemp.
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