Welcome to Visit Tucson’s seventh Tourism Update created to inform you about the economic impact of tourism and the role our organization plays to drive the economy in Tucson and Southern Arizona.
MEETINGS MEAN BUSINESS
Did you know that every day in cities across the country and around the world people gather in hotels for meetings, conventions and events? In the U.S., these meetings and conventions generate more than $280 billion in direct economic impact, contribute more than $27 billion in federal, state and local taxes and create more than 1.7 million jobs, according to a study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for the Convention Industry Council in 2012.
Visit Tucson targets planners to motivate them to bring their meetings to Tucson. In the last fiscal
year, this e ffort generated 765 sales leads, which led to 158,816 room nights booked – an average
of 435 rooms booked in local hotels every night of the year. The estimated economic impact of
these meetings and events is $50 million – and this figure doesn’t include the gem shows, the
largest annual event occurring in Tucson.
MARKETING TACTICS USED TO ATTRACT GROUP BUSINESS
To attract meetings, conventions and events,
Visit Tucson deploys a team of six
experienced national sales managers who
handle specific geographic and vertical
markets throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Each actively participates in national and
regional meetings industry organizations,
and we support their e fforts by regularly
advertising in publications targeting meeting
planners. Other successful tactics include
attending trade shows, coordinating sales
missions and organizing individual visits and
familiarization tours for potential clients.
Visit Tucson along with engaged hotel partners from
industry events. Tradeshows provide a cost-e ffective way
to meet with a large number of potential clients in one
central location. Another tactic is to coordinate a sales
mission targeting key meeting planners in our primary
feeder markets. In addition to one-on-one meetings, Visit
Tucson sales managers and local tourism partner businesses
organize signature events designed to showcase our
destination and attract top clients.
While meeting potential clients at a tradeshow or at their
home o ffice is valuable, having them experience our
destination first-hand produces even stronger results.
Our research shows that 8 out of 10 meeting planners
who visit Tucson subsequently book a meeting here.
Thus, we regularly organize customized site tours of Tucson
hotels, attractions and restaurants for individuals and groups who have demonstrated interest
in holding their meeting, convention or event here. Last fiscal year we hosted 295 meeting
planners who ultimately booked 42,000 room nights with an estimated economic impact
of $21 million!
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Every year,
Cvent, a top event management portal, evaluates
over 5,000 U.S. cities and ranks the top 50 for meetings and
events. In 2015, Tucson made this list for the second time.
This designation was covered in an article in
USA Today that
included images of Tucson and quoted Visit Tucson’s Director
of Sales, Graeme Hughes. USA Today has a daily circulation of
3.3 million. This coverage was valued at more than $500,000.
Award for Professionalism, Dedication and Service to Corporate and Association Meeting
TRAVEL INFORMATION
If you need ideas on how to entertain visiting family and friends or you simply want to explore Tucson and Southern Arizona, please go to
VisitTucson.org or stop by Visit Tucson’s Visitor Center located at
110 S. Church Ave. in La Placita Village in Downtown Tucson.
Visit Tucson is a 501c6, nonprofi t organization charged with bringing visitors and visitor spending to our region. Visit Tucson Tourism Update is an advertisement produced by Visit Tucson and paid via the organization’s private-sector funds.
