There are indications that Arizona’s travel and tourism industry is off to a record start in 2017.
Newly-released employment figures show more than 14,000 jobs were added in the state’s leisure and hospitality industry in the first three months of the year. Plus, according to Smith Travel Research, hotel occupancy has been strong and room rates shot up in the first quarter.
A confluence of sporting events, ranging from record attendance at for golf’s Phoenix Open and baseball spring training, capped off with the Valley’s first ever Final Four, helped drive up the number of visitors to the region.
Arizona Office of Tourism executive director Debbie Johnson said those events, like Super Bowls in previous years, are helping spread word of mouth about other things to do here.
“More people are hearing about Arizona. They’re seeing Arizona," Johnson said. "They’re seeing the beauty and the weather and all of that. And I think they’re wanting to visit Arizona during those time frames and that’s really positive for us.”
Johnson said the AOT is in the process of commissioning a study aimed at putting a dollar value on the publicity the region has received through its national media appearances.