A trip to Scottsdale

I went up to Scottsdale today to attend a Tourism Research Roundtable meeting at the Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort with Josh Wright and Adelina Martin of the Strategic Initiatives department. It was very interesting. I got to see tourism representatives from all over the state, including Tucson, Kingman, and Prescott. The discussion leader was Dr. Tim Tyrrell, whose class did a tourism study for Marana and Oro Valley. We also listened to a presentation on wine country tourism in the state of Arizona, which is very interesting.

Wine Tourism Study

 

Alcantara Vineyards

There are two prominant locations in the state relevant to wine 'country'; Verde Valley and the Santa Cruz/Cochise county areas. Here are some facts I learned based on a study conducted by Tom Combrink and Northern Arizona University:

• Prominent tourists to wine-tasting rooms/vineyards are Arizona natives
• The average age of a tourist is 46
• Family groups make up the largest portion of visitors
• Brochures and the internet serve as the top 2 sources of where people hear about the vineyards
• The top reason for visitors to go to wine tastings/vineyards is to socialize. Relaxing is the second reason.  

Tourism Resources and Opportunities in the Marana/Oro Valley areas

Students at Arizona State University put together an impressive report on tourism in Marana and Oro Valley. It was useful to get their perspective, Josh Wright explained at the meeting, because sometimes as Marana natives it is easy to think identify themselves in a way and not necessarily see what outsiders see of the city. By bringing in students fresh to the area, the Town could get a new perspective of tourism opportunities.

Overall, the students determined the following regarding the Marana area:

• Dove Mountain and Tangerine Corridor can boast an important history of Hohokam settlements and hiking trails. The Ritz-Carlton Resort and Golf Club is a strong draw. 
• Downtown/Heritage and Airport can promote the rebirth of its city center, as well as emphasize World War 2 military aviation history and provide access to the Tortolita preserve. 
• South Marana and Twin Peaks can position itself as an environmentally-oriented but business friendly transient visitor service center.  
• Unincorporated County Islands can be incorporated into regional tourism development as suppliers of labor, services and attractions.

I enjoyed getting a chance to go outside Marana and see how tourism is for different municipalities as well as the entire state. When it comes to attracting visitors, cities do not necessarily act in a bubble. Different cities can benefit from the attractions of another, and together build the economy of the overall region.

To read a news article on Marana and Oro Valley's joint project with ASU, click the following link: 

 Towns team together to market themselves in a brochure