February 2008 UPDATE Newsletter

MTCVB PARTNERS 

Meet & See at New El Charro
El Charro Café will host an MTCVB Meet & See at the restaurant's new northeast side location, Thursday, Feb. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. Partners and their guests are invited to be among the very first to dine at the new El Charro Café Ventana, located at Kolb Road and Sunrise Drive. The "happy hour" menu will feature the flavorful Mexican cuisine that has made El Charro a beloved Tucson tradition for more than 85 years. For more information or to RSVP, click here.

Tucson Ambassadors Program
The next available Tucson Ambassadors Program class is Thursday, April 17, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Four Points by Sheraton, Tucson University Plaza. Registration deadline is March 27. This MTCVB program is geared to frontline hospitality employees, but all tourism partners can enroll. Participants will learn how to create optimum experiences for visitors and positively effect regional tourism. Participants receive a study guide prior to the half-day class, and hear from a panel of tourism professionals before taking an open-book exam during the class. Those who complete the program earn designation as a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) and receive a CTA lapel pin. Since the program's inception in May 2007, more than 300 frontline hospitality employees have become a CTA. For more information, click here. 

Online Partnership Opportunity 
MTCVB partners can register online for MTCVB trade shows and events. If you're a partner, you can access all the registration forms via visitTucson.org. At the homepage, click on "MTCVB Partners," select "Events," and select "Tradeshow and Event Opportunities" (or click here to go directly to that page). You will have the option of completing the forms either online or by downloading them and faxing them back to LaRee Murphy at (520) 884-7804. You can even pay the exhibitor fee by Visa or MasterCard when registering. 

I-10 Widening Alert
Work currently is in progress on widening I-10 from Prince Road to 29th Street. The three-year project is scheduled for summer 2007-spring 2010. For details and updates, call the hotline at (520) 327-6444, 1-877-961-1010, or click here.  

New Partners & Anniversaries
Find out which partners are celebrating anniversaries with the MTCVB and get to know those who have joined recently. For the latest partner news, visit the MTCVB New Partners and Anniversaries page at www.visitTucson.org, or click here.  

SALES, MARKETING & PR

2008 Gem Show Guide
Now you can view or print from our website everything you need to know about the 2008 Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase. The online version of the 2008 Gem Show Guide is accessible from the gem show landing page by clicking on the "download the PDF now" link in the right-hand column. The guide includes current gem show listings and the GemRide shuttle map; a printed version of the 2008 Gem Show Guide also is available free of charge at Tucson International Airport, the Tucson Visitor Center in La Placita Village at 100 S. Church Avenue, and at the nine GemRide shuttle stops. Separate copies of the GemRide shuttle maps are available at all shuttle stops. The "gem show " takes place February 2-17, with 47 shows at 44 locations citywide, including the original Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, at the Tucson Convention Center. Visit our website for more information about Tucson's gem show, including where to park, gem show history, and I-10 construction updates.   

New Features on Website
Major events in Tucson and Southern Arizona are now showcased in a new format on our VisitTucson.org website. The improved Major Events calendar has been expanded to include: color images for monthly Featured Events, a mapping capability, new tools for searching events by both date and destination driver (interest area), and more space for event details. Other website improvements include the addition of four video sketches providing a "you are there" experience for visitors to sections on culinary, outdoor adventure and nature, golf, and heritage and culture. View the videos from the right column of each section's landing page.    

Online Housing Service
The Convention Services division recently launched an online housing program with International Conference Management. The new online housing service will be offered to large groups booked through the MTCVB. The first group to use the service was the USTA Junior Winter Nationals Tournament at Randolph Tennis Center, in December.  Five hotel partners (Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park, Randolph Park Hotel & Suites, Viscount Suite Hotel , Courtyard by Marriott at Williams Centre, and Residence Inn by Marriott Tucson Williams Centre) worked with the Bureau on this online housing launch designed to help event planners and partners bring more tournament business to Tucson.

Tour & Travel Marketplace
The MTCVB will be at the American Bus Association Marketplace, hosted by the American Bus Association in Virginia Beach this month. This national conference is expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates representing close to 1,000 ABA-member motorcoach and tour operator companies across the United States. Delegates are expected to conduct more than $35 million worth of travel and tourism business during this leading industry travel show. MTCVB Sales & Marketing and Domestic Tourism staff will visit delegate booths and meet with potential clients during scheduled appointments. 

Destination Showcase
The Convention Sales division will market Tucson to meeting planners in the Northeastern United States this month at the Destination Showcase tradeshow and conference, presented by Destination Management Association International (DMAI). Staff will exhibit Tucson meetings information to an audience of about 2,000 meeting planners, primarily from the association and government meetings segments. Staff also will conduct sales calls in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. 

MEXICO MARKETING

Bi-national Sports Event Marketing
The MTCVB is furthering efforts to position Tucson as a destination for Mexican and bi-national sports events. Last month, Felipe Garcia, MTCVB Vice President of Community Affairs and Mexico Marketing, and Vince Trinidad, MTCVB Director of Sports Development, led a delegation to Hermosillo to meet with directors from 17 Mexican sports leagues and discuss Tucson's potential for hosting amateur teams from Mexico. The trip included a well-attended media conference promoting Tucson sports venues and events.

Mexico Travel Requirements
New government requirements affect travel into Mexico. U.S. and Canadian citizens must present either a compliant document such as a government-issued photo ID or a driver's license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, when traveling by land or sea. Sometime after the summer of 2008, new requirements will be implemented for U.S. citizens entering the United States (sea or land ports of entry) to have a U.S. passport. More information on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is available from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

TUCSON FILM OFFICE

FilmTucson Discount Card
The Tucson Film Office is developing a "FilmTucson" discount card program for filmmakers shooting in Tucson. Though still in development, the "FilmTucson" discount card program would provide film industry professionals with discounts at participating Tucson-area retail and service establishments, including hotels, car rentals, restaurants, health clubs, dry cleaners, and more. The program also would serve as an incentive for cast and crew to frequent participating local businesses during the production.  Participation in the program would be offered free of charge to appropriate vendors providing a discount to "FilmTucson" cardholders. Participating businesses would be listed on the "FilmTucson Discount Card" web page at www.filmtucson.com. For more information about the proposed program, contact Adam Dick, Administrative Assistant, Tucson Film Office, 770-2151.  

Sundance Film Festival
The Tucson Film Office promoted Tucson to the filmmaking industry's elite at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in January. The Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States and is the premier showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. Tucson Film Office staff touted Tucson's weather, proximity to Los Angeles, perpetual sunshine, diverse landscapes, and mixture of historic and modern communities that can become virtually any place a producer wishes.

On Location in Tucson
A new travel-and-cooking show airing on the Travel Channel recently featured two Tucson locations. The Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch near Picacho Peak and Jonathan's Tucson Cork restaurant in Tucson both were main attractions of a January episode of the show, "The Feasty Boys Eat America." The episode, which focused on a variety of dishes made from ostrich eggs and meat, was filmed on location in the Tucson area over four days last year, with assistance from the Tucson Film Office.

OPPORTUNITIES 

Casino Night and Fundraiser
There is still time to register for the Sonoran Trade Show, which takes place in Sonora, Mexico February 28 through March 2. The trade show includes Casino Night, in Hermosillo, a formal social-event and charity fundraiser that last year drew 1,200 potential customers from Sonora; and an informal networking breakfast in San Carlos expected to attract 200 Sonora residents. All MTCVB partners are welcome to participate and exhibit. For more information, call Martha Tadlock at (520) 770-2171 or Patti Manzano at (520) 770-2167.

Meetings Industry Trends
Interested in working more effectively with meeting planners? In March, the MTCVB Partner Development division will present a seminar on "meetings industry trends." A panel of professional meeting planners will share their insights and offer tips for making the most of planner-client-supplier interactions. Details forthcoming on Partner Event Calendar & Registration.     

First Tuesday: Embracing Eco-Building at Reid Park Zoo 
Tuesday, March 4, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arizona Inn. Featuring Vivian VanPeenan, Education Curator, Reid Park Zoo. Sponsored by Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block. For details, or to RSVP, click here.  

First Tuesday: Tucson's Unique Culinary Tourism 
Tuesday, April 1, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arizona Inn. Featuring Jennifer English, Owner, Flavorbank Co., Inc. Sponsored by Bits On The Wire, Inc. For details, or to RSVP, click here.  
 
First Tuesday: Tucson Ambassadors Program Update 
Tuesday, May 6, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arizona Inn. Featuring Vicki Doyle, MTCVB Vice President/Partner Development and Visitor Services. Sponsored by Encore Creative. For details, or to RSVP, click here.

First Tuesday: Astronomy Tourism 
Tuesday, June 3, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arizona Inn. Featuring Rich Fedele, Public Outreach Manager, Kitt Peak National Observatory. Sponsored by Madden Media.  For details, or to RSVP, click here.

Year-to-Date (July 2007-December 2007)
Information requests: 64,476
Walk-in visitors: 22,165
Website unique visitors: 1,350,761