December 2008 e-Newsletter
Welcome to TourISm Tucson (pronounced "Tourism Is Tucson"), your monthly e-newsletter from the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau (MTCVB). Each month, we invite you to use this medium to stay informed of news and other information that will help ensure your success as a partner of Tucson's tourism community.
Renew Your CTA Designation This Month
Certified Tourism Ambassadors who received their CTA designation in 2007 have until December 31, 2008 to renew. The process is easy. You can renew online at www.CTANetwork.com and use the new tutorial (on the homepage). You'll need your username and password to reach the Annual Renewal of Certification page, or you can complete a paper renewal form (the paper form and username/password, if you have forgotten it, is available from Laurie White at lwhite@visittucson.org). Every CTA must earn 50 renewal points per year to maintain CTA designation. Points may be earned by doing a combination of the following activities: visiting attractions, attending CTA events, volunteering, reading tourism-related books and articles, and attending tourism-related programs and seminars. There is still time to earn renewal points. The MTCVB website, a tourism-related publication, is full of ideas for earning renewal points. To get started, go to the left-hand navigation bar on the www.visitTucson.org homepage and click on any of these, or other interesting, topics: Events, Attractions and the Arts, Outdoor Adventure and Nature, Heritage and Culture, Golf, Day Trips. You'll find information about interesting and fun places to visit, both in the city and beyond, which will apply toward your designation. If you already have 50 points, but have questions about completing the renewal process, contact either Laurie White or Judy Wood (jwood@visitTucson.org).
Work It!
Participation Deadline: Winter Holiday Super Savers Program
Monday, Dec. 8 is the final day for Accommodations partners to submit holiday room rates, seasonal packages, and/or special offerings for the Winter Holiday Super Savers program. Submit rates and other information, using a form available through e-mail, by fax (520-884-7804) to Hope Patterson, Executive Assistant to Rick Vaughan, no later than December 8.
'Holiday Happening' at Maynard's Market
Thursday, Dec. 11, 5 to 7 p.m. at Maynard's Market in the Historic Train Depot in Downtown Tucson. Visit downtown Tucson's newest hip bar/market/bistro in the Historic Train Depot. Enjoy samples of bistro specialties, the upstairs "Caboose" dessert and coffee room, chic cash bar, and the authentic ambiance of this historic location. Renewal Deadline: CTA Certification
Wednesday, Dec. 31 is the deadline for 2007 Certified Tourism Ambassadors (CTA) to renew their certification. Information is online at www.CTANetwork.com. The annual renewal ensures the Tucson Ambassadors Program remains relevant and valuable to participants, visitors, and the city. If you're up for renewal and have questions, contact Laurie White, Partner Services Manager, at lwhite@visitTucson.org. January-June 2009 Tucson Ambassadors Program Classes
Learn more about the Tucson Ambassadors Program. Go to www.CTANetwork.com to register for the next open class; the January-June 2009 class schedule is available on the CTANetwork.
First Tuesday: World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arizona Inn. Featuring Wade Dunagan, World Golf Championships, discussing "Tucson's Hole in One: World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship," a preview of the sports event that has put Tucson on the map for golfers worldwide. Sponsored by Tucson Symphony Orchestra. To RSVP, click here. First Tuesday: University of Arizona Center for ESL
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arizona Inn. Featuring discussion of "UA's Center for English as a Second Language (ESL)." Sponsored by Chris Bubany Studios. For details, or to RSVP, click here.
'Meet & See' at Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum
Thursday, Feb. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum. The Tucson Rodeo Parade Committee hosts a guided tour of more than 150 historical horse-drawn vehicles housed at the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum. Also, Western-style appetizers catered by BBQ specialists Port-A-Pit Catering, prize drawings, and a roping demonstration by a Tucson Rodeo Queen. For details, or to RSVP, click here. Partner Orientation & Refresher
Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at MTCVB Administrative Offices, La Placita Village, 100 S. Church Ave. (corner of Broadway & Church Ave.) Free overview of MTCVB programs and opportunities, geared to MTCVB partners, both new and established. For more information, click here. Know It! 101 Things to Do in Tucson Now Online
From air, space, and defense museums to vintage car shows, there are plenty of fun things to discover in 101 Things To Do in Tucson. Now this eclectic guide to activities and attractions in our area can be accessed from our website as a PDF. This popular resource is helpful for local folks who think they've done and seen it all, and equally useful for partners with visitors searching our website for interesting things to do and see. Find the link to the guide in the Quick Click box on the homepage at www.visitTucson.org.
Visitor Guide Goes Green
If you're striving to be green and eliminating paper from your life, the MTCVB is behind you. We now offer our popular Visit Tucson: Official Destination Guide (ODG) in digital format. To receive a digital version of the ODG, complete the online request form on the Free Visitor Info page after checking the "ODG" box. New Gem Show Video
Now visitors can preview Tucson's most dazzling event before it begins. The new video for the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase is up and functional on the Events sub-page of www.visittucson.org. The video opens with a pink gemstone necklace and presents an overview of all the treasures that the more than 40 different shows have to offer. Share the link with curious friends, family, and customers: http://www.visittucson.org/visitor/events. Show Your Own Tucson Photos
The next time you take a great photograph of a favorite Tucson place, show it off at www.visitTucson.org. You can go into the Outdoor Adventure and Nature area of our website and upload pictures of Tucson places and events. Approved photos are added to the collection, which can be viewed by clicking a link beneath the rotating photos in the right-hand column of the page. You don't have to be a visitor to participate; some of the best photos are by locals. Isn't it time you shared your fun times in Tucson? ADOT I-10 Traffic Alert
For the latest news on the Prince Road to 29th Street I-10 widening project in Tucson, visit the project website at www.i10tucsondistrict.com/29toP.html, or call the I-10 project hotline, (520) 327-6444.
4th Avenue Underpass Update
Traffic alerts related to construction, detours, and closures during the 4th Avenue Underpass construction project in downtown Tucson are issued periodically and are available online. To find out more, click here.
Use It! Advertise Winter Holiday Room Rates
Accommodations partners are invited to participate in the 2008 Winter Holiday Tucson Super Savers campaign, from November 20 through December 20. This year's campaign, which promotes value-season hotel rates to Tucsonans expecting holiday visitors, will get extra exposure from its new booking engine, Travelocity. Submit rates now through Monday, Dec. 8 using the one-page form available from Hope Patterson, Executive Assistant to Rick Vaughan, at hpatterson@visitTucson.org or (520) 770-2136. New Air-Service Map
A new, interactive air-service map is available on the Tucson International Airport website, http://www.tucsonairport.org/. The scalable map includes all of the nonstop destinations from Tucson, and shows all other domestic and many international destinations. Clicking on any destination opens a dialogue box that lists all service to that destination - nonstop as well as connections - and the carriers providing the service. The dialogue box contains a link to a QuikTrip timetable and convenient links to airfare search-engines. Check out this cool tool. It's a must-have for tourism partners working with air travel. Tucson's Best Entertainment Value
Are you hosting out-of-town guests this holiday season? Do you know kids who will have a break from school? It's a great time to explore Tucson's visitor attractions! You can save money on admissions if you plan your outing with the Tucson Attractions Passport. The current, sixth edition includes 2-for-1 offers and other discounts at participating attractions through September 15, 2009. Each offer may be used only once per passport so it is wise to buy a passport for every two people in your party. The Tucson Attractions Passport is available online or at convenient locations around town. More information is at the Tucson Attractions Passport website.
First Tuesdays at Arizona Inn
Join us every First Tuesday for lunch and tourism news at Arizona Inn. This month, MTCVB Director of Marketing Toby Parks explains how we are promoting Tucson as a travel destination during these tough economic times. To find out what topics we'll be discussing next, see our event registration page.
Online Attractions Barometer
The Travel Industry Association (TIA) National Council of Attractions has joined with The George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies to provide a one-of-a-kind online tool to monitor attendance of U.S. based attractions by type and geography. For the first time you have the ability to monitor attendance trends by type of attraction, geographic region, or nationally. To make the data as rich as possible, both TIA member AND non-member attractions are encouraged to participate. Learn more here. Links to MTCVB Resources
Follow the links below for information from a variety of MTCVB resources:
MTCVB 2007-08 Annual Report/2008-09 Marketing Plan
Major Events in Tucson and Southern Arizona
Embrace Tourism marketing campaign
Tucson Ambassadors Program
New Partners & Partner Anniversaries
MTCVB Visitor Inquiries / October 2008
Information requests: 13,684
Walk-in visitors: 3,229
Website unique visitors: 239,355
Year-to-Date (July-October 2008)
Information requests: 42,301
Walk-in visitors: 10,024
Website unique visitors: 870,986 |
