March 2008 UPDATE Newsletter

MTCVB PARTNERS 

New Visitors Guide Available
The Spring/Summer 2008 Tucson Official Visitors Guide, produced by the MTCVB and Madden Media, is hot off the presses. This edition's 180,000 copies will be mailed around the world and placed locally at 13 distribution points, from the airport to the Visitors Center. This edition includes company listings of partners active as of September 30, 2007. Partners who either joined or updated their listings after this date will see their new or revised listing appear in the Fall/Winter 2008 edition. All partners have been mailed one copy of the guide, featuring a cover story on our region's mariachi heritage. Partners who require additional copies for their customers may arrange delivery, for a minimal fee, through Presidio Distribution at 296-8024.  

Partner Listings Deadline
MTCVB partners, it's time to review your 25-word or enhanced company listing for the Fall/Winter edition of the Tucson Official Visitors Guide (OVG). Monday, March 31 is the final day to submit changes to your listing that will appear in the Fall/Winter 2008 edition, which is published in August. The March 31 deadline also applies to new partners who have yet to submit their company listing. Submit changes or new listings via e-mail to Laurie White, MTCVB Partner Services Manager, at lwhite@visitTucson.org. To purchase an enhanced listing or an advertisement for the Fall/Winter 2008 edition of the Tucson OVG, contact Madden Media, at 322-0895.

Spring Educational Seminar
Hear what professional meeting planners have to say about trends in the meetings industry. Attend our "Spring Education Luncheon and Panel Discussion" at Westward Look Resort, Wednesday, April 16. A panel of the nation's top meeting planners representing corporate, association, and third-party organizations from across the country will discuss "green" meetings, social media, and regional meetings, among other topics. Watch for your invitation in the U.S. mail or click here for more information. 

Board of Directors
The MTCVB Board of Directors has open positions in the General and Transportation categories. The term begins July 1, 2008 and ends June 30, 2011. MTCVB partners interested in serving on the MTCVB Board of Directors may apply by sending a letter of interest and resume to: Sally Simmons, MTCVB Nominating Committee, c/o LaRee Murphy, MTCVB, 100 S. Church Ave., Tucson 85701.

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

Latest Tourism Research
A new report on domestic visitation to Tucson in 2006 is available on the Media page at the MTCVB's website, www.visitTucson.org. The report states that in 2006 the Metropolitan Tucson area hosted 3.9 million domestic, overnight visitors who spent $2.3 billion while here. The report also states Tucson's top three sources for out-of-town visitors were Arizona, California, and Colorado. To view and download the executive summary, prepared by the Nichols Tourism Group, click here.

2008 ADDY Award Winners
The 27th Annual ADDY®  Awards took place February 16 at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. Print and website entries submitted on behalf of the MTCVB won 12 ADDY® awards: four gold, two silver, and six bronze. The MTCVB Creative Services team won two golds for its MTCVB 25th Anniversary Event materials and another gold for its "One Destination, Many Journeys" invitation. A gold was awarded for the MTCVB "Incentives and Meetings" brochure submitted by LP&G, Inc.  The Tucson Film Office's Production Manual 2007 won a gold ADDY® award, submitted by Godat Design Inc. A complete list of winners is posted at the Tucson Advertising Federation website.

Spring Training Media Trip
A group of travel writers from Tokyo will visit Tucson this month as part of a statewide Major League Baseball Spring Training media trip. The writers will stop at Tucson Electric Park to cover a Cactus League game, between the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox, and visit area attractions during a Tucson media trip sponsored by Arizona Office of Tourism and hosted by MTCVB Public Relations. The writers represent three major Japanese publications - Mainichi Shimbun, JTB Travel Life Magazine, and Ryoko Yomiuri - which boast a combined circulation of 2.5 million.

A French Function
Our International Tourism division will join the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) on a trip to France, March 7-19. In the cities of Lyon and Paris, staff will meet with tour operators and travel writers during sales calls as well as at a social function and an Arizona trade show. Next, staff will travel to Brussels for sales calls, followed by a visit to The Netherlands to conduct both sales calls and training sessions for reservations staff of that country's major tour operators. 

Educate and Rejuvenate
Our Convention Sales division has begun the second annual "Educate and Rejuvenate" series of client events, which is co-presented by the MTCVB and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). This successful program was introduced last year to reinforce Tucson's presence in six target cities: Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, the New York area, Phoenix, and San Francisco. In each city, the client event takes place at an MPI chapter meeting before a highly qualified audience. The format includes an "education" session, featuring a presentation by an MPI representative, and a "rejuvenation" session, featuring a Tucson-branded spa session. The 2008 program runs February through June.

We've Got a Latte to Offer
A blast of e-mails featuring a cup of latte with a saguaro-shaped swirl of cream has reached thousands of meeting planners interested in Tucson. The cup is central to our  "We've Got a Latte to Offer" campaign and contest to win a year of free coffee refills. Meeting planners enter the contest by submitting a Request for Proposal (RFP).  A meeting planner whose RFP qualifies is also entitled to a free trip to Tucson. The goal of the campaign, which ends May 31, is to persuade qualified meeting-planners to personally experience Tucson. Research shows 40 percent of travelers who visit Tucson are motivated to return.     

CVBHotRates.com
MTCVB hoteliers can take advantage of a "no charge to you" marketing opportunity.  The MTCVB is participating in the lead-generating program at www.CVBHotRates.com. This website program is designed to help your sales department book short-term business, clear out distressed inventory, and expand your online presence with meeting planners. You provide CVBHotRates.com with current information about your hotel's inventory and work directly with the website program to generate meeting leads. To register, contact Robin Bryant at 1-361-249-5647. 

MEXICO MARKETING

New Shuttle Service
A new shuttle service is available between Hermosillo and Tucson, courtesy of Hermosillo Shuttles. The service recently was implemented, with assistance from our Mexico Marketing division, to fulfill the recreational and business needs of the Mexican visitor. Hermosillo Shuttles operates a fleet of 17, 15-passenger, Mercedes-Benz vans. Seven daily round-trip departures are offered between the Tucson Visitor Center in Hermosillo and designated hotels in Tucson. Eventually, service will be expanded to include transportation-and-travel packages based on visitor interest, such as sports events, shopping excursions, and casino and entertainment trips. 

Tucson Attractions Passport
The Tucson Attractions Passport is now available in both English and Spanish. As a result, the 51 attractions offering discounts in the current passport are enjoying exposure on both sides of the border - at no extra charge. The featured attractions are all members of the Southern Arizona Attractions Alliance (SAAA), a regional non-profit marketing organization. Membership dues are based on an attraction's attendance and for-profit or non-profit status. To be included in the 2008-09 edition of the Tucson Attractions Passport, an attraction must become an SAAA member by mid-April. For more information, contact Darlene Lizarraga, at Arizona State Museum, 626-8381; or Catherine Strickland, at Pima County, at 243-7352.

TUCSON FILM OFFICE

Border States Film Conference
"The U.S.-Mexico Border States Conference: Filmmaking, Economic Development, and Intellectual Property Rights" is the title of a conference at the University of Arizona, March 27-28. The Tucson Film Office was instrumental in bringing to Tucson this prestigious conference, which recognizes the significant positive impact that filmmaking has on the border states of the U.S. and Mexico. A highlight of the conference is an open-to-the-public premiere of the Sundance-award winning  film, Sangre de Mi Sangre, Thursday, March 27 at the Fox Tucson Theatre.

NALIP National Conference
The Tucson Film Office will exhibit at the 9th National Conference of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) in Dana Point, March 7-9. NALIP is a national membership organization that addresses the professional needs of Latino/Latina independent producers. NALIP also presents the Latino Producers Academy and has chosen Tucson for its location every August since 2003. NALIP chose Tucson because it  is "isolated enough to encourage total immersion but near enough to media centers like Los Angeles and New York so that instructors and funders have easy access to participate."

SXSW Film Conference and Festival
The Tucson Film Office will market Tucson at the "South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival" in Austin, March 7-15. Staff will showcase Tucson's many qualities as a premiere filmmaking destination, including the city's variety of locations that can mimic practically any place a director wants. The SXSW event has gained national acclaim for the quality of its programming; it is an important platform for emerging, independent filmmakers. To see a sampling of Tucson's filmmaking locations, visit the recently revamped "Locations" page at the Tucson Film Office website.

OPPORTUNITIES

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.  

Sundance Award-winning Film
Thursday, March 27, 6:30 p.m. reception, followed by 7:30 p.m. premiere of Sangre de Mi Sangre, a Sundance-award winning film. Fox Tucson Theatre. Reception features remarks by Motion Picture Association (MPA) President and COO, Bob Pisano. For details, visit the website of the "The U.S.-Mexico Border States Conference: Filmmaking, Economic Development, and Intellectual Property Rights."

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.  

Tucson Ambassadors Program Classes
Front-line hospitality employees and volunteers are offered tools to make every Tucson visit a positive experience. Class is $25 per person.  Presented by MTCVB Partner Development and Certified Tourism Ambassadors Network. For more information, click here. 

Educational Seminar: Working with Meeting Planners 
Wednesday, April 16,  11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Westward Look Resort, 245 E. Ina Rd, Tucson 85704. Luncheon and program featuring panel of national meeting planners. Details are under Partner Events at MTCVB Partners section at www.visitTucson.org.  

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.

2008 Partner Orientation & Refresher 
May 14, 8:30-10 a.m. Board Room, MTCVB Administrative Office, 100 S. Church Ave. Tucson 85701 Free. Opportunity to learn tips and ideas for making the most of your partnership with the MTCVB. Ideal for businesses new to the MTCVB as well as existing partners or new employees in need of a refresher. 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.  

BUREAU DRAWER   

Welcome New Staff
This month, Joshua Behshad joins our in-house Marketing team as a graphic designer. Joshua is a Tucson native and a graduate of The Art Center. Most recently, Josh owned Creative Science , a Tucson-based, freelance design and consulting firm. His experience in advertising and marketing includes print, website design, graphic design, and photography.

MTCVB VISITOR INQUIRIES 
January 2008
Information requests: 18,060
Walk-in visitors: 6,916 
Website unique visitors: 292,734 

Year-to-Date (July 2007-January 2008)
Information requests: 82,536
Walk-in visitors: 26,231
Website unique visitors: 1,677,240