ROSWELL, N.M.—The 1947 crash of an alleged flying saucer on a ranch outside this high-desert town started a neon-lit alien tourism economy of museums, gift shops, and festivals spanning decades.
Nearly 80 years later, new U.S. government disclosures about Unidentified Flying Objects, or UFOs, are boosting that industry with videos of strange objects and encounters with U.S. military ships and aircraft.
This year’s release of documents and videos—including some in October referencing the Roswell incident—opened a new chapter in the UFO debate, drawing fresh interest and more visitors to Roswell.
The alleged Roswell crash sits at the center of a 79-year-old conspiracy theory that the U.S. military covered up the capture of a flying saucer and the recovery of alien bodies….