June 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.

This Summer: Tucson Will Surprise You
The first advertising and marketing campaign prepared by the MTCVB's new in-house marketing team went public May 9, with an ad appearing in the "100 Days of Summer" issue of Caliente, the Arizona Daily Star's music and entertainment guide. The "Tucson Will Surprise You" campaign, which runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, creates awareness of the extraordinary and unexpected things to do and see in the Tucson and Southern Arizona region.

The campaign reminds local residents as well as repeat and potential visitors that "Tucson is teeming with amazing things to do. With an arts and cultural scene to rival the biggest cities, cutting-edge science and technology institutions, top-rated restaurants, and outdoor adventures that excite the pros, there's something new to discover every day."

The campaign uses direct mail, print ads in magazines and newspapers, billboards, and website banners to draw attention to summertime activities that are sure to surprise visitors who reside in key, domestic drive-markets: Arizona, Metropolitan Phoenix, Southern California, and Northern Mexico. All components are designed to renew curiosity and excitement about Tucson and lead visitors to the campaign website where they can register for giveaways, such as hotel stays, restaurant gift cards, $50 gas cards, spa treatments, golf lessons, chances to star in shows at Old Tucson Studios, and free Tucson Attractions Passports.  

Work It! 
Tucson Ambassadors Program 2008
One class per month is offered at various MTCVB partner locations around town through this groundbreaking program created by our Partner Development division. The monthly schedule of classes and more information is at the Tucson Ambassadors Program website.

First Tuesday: Astronomy Tourism 
Tuesday, June 3, 11:45 am to 1pm at Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm St. Tucson AZ 85719. Featuring Rich Fedele, Public Outreach Manager, Kitt Peak National Observatory. Sponsored by Madden Media.  For details or to RSVP, click here.  

Annual Partner Gathering, June 25
Wednesday, June 25, 5pm to 8 pm at Desert Diamond Casino Hotel, Monsoon Nightclub 7350 S. Nogales Hwy, Tucson, AZ 85706. A fun evening dancing to the upbeat sounds of local band Midlife Crisis and dining on hors d'oeuvres at the Monsoon Nightclub at the all-new Desert Diamond Casino Hotel. After 8pm, when the nightclub opens to the public, guests may stay and continue enjoying the entertainment and visit the casino, and/or take advantage of the MTCVB-only overnight stay rate of  $79. For more details or to RSVP, click here.

Mexico Marketing: Casino Night in Ciudad Obregon
June 27-29, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico. Partners are invited to exhibit at the MTCVB's Vamos a Tucson program's first Casino Night in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora Mexico. To register online, click here.  For more information, contact Martha Tadlock at 520-770-2171 or mtadlock@visitTucson.org.

Meet and See at Zona 78
Thursday, June 5, 5 to 7 p.m. at the new eastside location of Zona 78, 7301 E. Tanque Verde Rd., a restaurant specializing in artisan pizza, organic foods, and an eclectic selection of fine wine and spirits. For more information or to RSVP, click here.

First Tuesday: 'Planes, Passengers and Destinations' 
Tuesday, July 1, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm St. Tucson AZ 85719. Featuring Michael Britman, Managing Director of Strategic Planning, US Airways. Sponsored by Hotel Congress. For details or to RSVP, click here.

Governor's Conference on Tourism
July 9-11 at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa. Mark your calendars for the 28th Annual Governor's Conference on Tourism. To register for the conference please visit the Governor's Conference website.

First Tuesday: Birding: Southern Arizona's Feathered Jewel 
Tuesday, Aug. 5, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm St. Tucson AZ 85719.  Featuring Dr. Paul Green, Executive Director, Tucson Audubon Society. Sponsored by Subway-Downtown Tucson. For more information or to RSVP, click here.

First Tuesday: Tucson's Prominence in the World of Cycling 
Tuesday, Sept. 2, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm St. Featuring Matthew Zoll, Bicycling and Pedestrian Program Manager, Pima County Department of Transportation. Sponsored by Pima Community College Center for the Arts. For more information or to RSVP, click here.

Share Your Fun Times 
Now you can share your photos of fun times in Tucson. Photos by both local residents and visitors are on rotation at Visitor Photos, in the Outdoor Adventure and Nature section at visitTucson.org. Simple instructions explain how to upload a digital photograph, add a caption, and submit the photographer's first name, hometown or home state, and zip code. You don't have to be a visitor to participate. Anyone can submit a photo and, after it's approved by our Webmaster, see it displayed on Tucson's official destination marketing website. Currently, the page features shots by   photographers from Boston; Chicago; Encino, Calif.; Flint, Michigan; New Jersey; and Tucson. 

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

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.

Know It! 
Arizona-Sonora Tourism Issues
MTCVB President/CEO Jonathan Walker will serve as co-chair of the Tourism Committee of the Arizona-Mexico Commission Plenary Session. During the Plenary Session, delegates from Arizona and Sonora will meet to discuss issues affecting our bi-national region. The Tourism Committee will prepare recommendations for action items, which they will submit to Governor Janet Napolitano and Sonora Governor Eduardo Bours. The Plenary will take place June 20-21 at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix. More information and online registration for the Arizona Summer Plenary Session is at the Arizona-Mexico Commission website.

Sports Brings Summer Business
Summer conventions and amateur sporting events in Tucson are expected to contribute $33.5 million to the Tucson economy May through August 2008.  The 2007 summer season conventions and sporting events had an estimated economic impact (EEI) of $21.8 million.  A boost in the 2008 numbers can be largely attributed to the addition of the USA Volleyball Training Camp and High Performance Championships, and the American Bicycling Association's (BMX) competition to be held at the TCC.  MTCVB Sports Development division bid on and drew each of these events May 2007 and December 2006, respectively.

Tucson's Birthday Celebration
Longtime Tucson resident and businesswoman, Cele Peterson invites everyone to get involved with Tucson's birthday celebration. The community event takes place during the entire month of August every year; the city's actual birthday is August 20, 1775. Plans are being made and committees are forming now in preparation for the fiesta. More information is at the Tucson Birthday Celebration website.

Links to MTCVB  Resources
Follow the links below to read about a variety of MTCVB resources: 

Annual Report/Marketing Plan 
New Partners & Partner Anniversaries
Tucson Ambassadors Program (CTANetwork.com) 
Free Visitor Information

MTCVB Visitor Inquiries / April 2008 
Information requests: 10,021 
Walk-in visitors:  5,014 
Year-to-Date (July 2007-April 2008)
Information requests: 146,556
Walk-in visitors: 49,109