Come for the desert. Stay for the museums, fabulous food, great hiking, luxurious hotels, sensational sports, wellness retreats, local wines and more.
Arizona Tourism officials made a strategic stop in Toronto on 20MAR to tout the benefits of Canadian visits to the Grand Canyon State and let travel advisors know how much they value their business. And that they want their help.
Top partners and suppliers, including Direct Travel, The Travel Agent Next Door, WestJet and Air Canada, were on hand at Sassafraz restaurant for a fine reception.
Arizona had nearly one million Canadian visitors in 2019. The figures for last year aren’t in but they’re not expecting to reach that level for anther year or so. And that’s where Canadian advisors come in.
In a one-on-one chat with Open Jaw, Joanna Tejeda, Senior Travel Industry Marketing Manager, Arizona Office of Tourism, said her office last year launched a new Arizona Specialist training program for travel advisors.
“We knew we had to have something like this for agents,” Tejeda said, explaining that the course includes everything from state culture and wellness places to Arizona national parks and other nature opportunities.
“We have a little of everything,” she said. “And there’s a link to take advisors to a site where they can learn even more.”
The tourism board also issues monthly newsletters and does regular webinars and can even tailor them to specific advisor needs.
Trade shows and agent fam trips also are important, Tejeda said.
“We’re getting ready to host 10 Canadian agents as part of a Brand USA mega-fam. We also do fams on our own, as we think the best way to showcase our state is to have advisors come and see things for themselves. That way they can experience the product they sell to their clients.”
Laura Nesteanu from Global Marketing & Sales/GMS, which has a Toronto office and handles Arizona Tourism’s trade needs, told Open Jaw that the state is trying to be creative with its webinars, going beyond typical power point presentations to give agents a way to really sell the state.
“Arizona has great weather, great food, great resorts, and great airlift. And we have great experts here,” she said.
Speaking to agents and partners at the reception, Nesteanu said Arizona was sad to lose Lynx Airlines flights to Phoenix but hopes to add more flights from Canada later this year. They still have connections via Air Canada, WestJet and Flair, she noted.
Tejeda said advisors have a number of great new hotels and resorts for clients to check out, including the luxurious Global Ambassador hotel, a 141-room property in Phoenix opened last December by local restaurant mogul Sam Fox. Caesar’s earlier this month opened its first non-gaming hotel near Fashion Square in Scottsdale, called Caesar’s Republic. The massive (1,100) VAI resort in Glendale could open later this year, and features a Mattel Theme Park that includes a Beach Barbie House and a Hot Wheels go kart attraction. It also will boast a fixed hot air balloon, live entertainment, and what’s called “the largest man-made party island in the world.”
Also new is the Sky Rock in Sedona, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel from Marriott, and the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. Top existing properties include The Phoenician, The Four Seasons and Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, which is done up in stylish, mid-century modern style.
Tejeda said it’s not yet clear when the new Ritz-Carlton will open in Paradise Valley, Scottsdale.
Nesteanu said advisors can download videos and great brochures to help sell Arizona vacations.
“We want to work with you,” she said.
Arizona Tourism will hold a similar event in Vancouver on 21MAR.
Tejeda said sports is a big draw in Arizona, with fans travelling to see Cactus League spring training games, Super Bowls, PGA Tour golf tournaments, NHL hockey games, NBA basketball games and this year’s NCAA basketball Final Four tournament.
Other top draws include 330 days of sunshine a year, indigenous culture opportunities, wine, food, outdoor adventure, dark sky preserves and luxury/wellness travel.
With the 100th anniversary of Route 66 coming in 2026, the Arizona portion of the famous driving route also will be highlighted over the next couple years, Tejada said.
The culinary scene also is heating up in Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson, which is home to Dan Guerra, named the best baker in the U.S. last year. Tucson was named a UNESCO creative city in 2015 and was the first U.S. city in the UNESCO gastronomy program.
Tejeda recommends Canadians strike out from Phoenix and Tucson and explore southern Arizona’s thriving wine area (your Open Jaw correspondent tried several of them a few years ago and was quite impressed), explore fine nature areas such as Canyon de Chelly National Monument, a vast park that sits on Navajo tribal lands, and check out smaller towns and cities such as historic Prescott.
Nesteanu noted that Arizona is home to world-class museums that highlight everything from modern art to native American works. It also has towering mountains in the north, should Canadians desire a touch of winter.
“You can ski in the afternoon after a morning at the spa or the pool.”
