November 2007 UPDATE Newsletter

MTCVB PARTNERS

Meet & See: Tucson Symphony-At The Movies! 
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra (TSO) will present a special concert for MTCVB partners and their guests, Thursday, Nov. 15 at Tucson Music Hall. The orchestra will play themes from Hollywood movies, such as Apocalypse Now, Fantasia, The Godfather III, and Titanic. Lara St. John makes her TSO debut with the Violin Concerto of Erich Korngold, credited with having introduced sophisticated classical training to the soundtracks of Hollywood films. A private reception and a pre-concert chat by Music Director/Conductor George Hanson is included in the generously discounted admission price. For more information and to RSVP, click here.  

2008 Gem Show Guide Advertising
Display advertising is now available for the guidebook to the 2008 Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, February 2-17. The guidebook contains detailed listings for the city's nearly 50 different gem shows as well as information on the free GemRide shuttle that transports visitors between shows. The annual gem show attracts an estimated 50,000 vendors and shoppers and has an estimated $100 million economic impact on metropolitan Tucson. For assistance with advertising sales, contact Kim Coe at kcoe@visitTucson.org, or 770-2148. For more information, visit the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show page at VisitTucson.org, or click here.

Become a Tucson Ambassador
The Tucson Ambassadors Program (TAP) promotes tourism by inspiring front-line hospitality employees and volunteers to make every Tucson visit a positive experience. Participants who complete pre-class reading, workbook exercises, a half-day class, and pass an open-book examination earn Certified Tourism Ambassador^TM accreditation. For more information, including the 2007-08 class schedule, call (520) 624-1817 ext. 187, or click here. 

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 recently have joined. For the latest partner news, visit the MTCVB New Partners & Anniversaries page at visitTucson.org, or click here.  

SALES, MARKETING & PR

MTCVB Website Redesign
The MTCVB has launched its redesigned website, www.visitTucson.org. The most-visible improvement to the homepage is rotating photography that showcases Tucson's scenic beauty; less obvious are the additional quick clicks and links that take users directly to pertinent information within the site. The left-hand navigation now features links to microsites representing Tucson's seven destination drivers, or travel areas of interest. Each destination-driver microsite provides a wealth of travel information, including a Travel Tools block offering quick access to book air travel, myTucson, hotel reservations, restaurants and activities, a rotating list of featured MTCVB partners in that driver category, upcoming events associated with the driver, useful links, What's New, video, and user-created photos and videos.

Throughout the site, content has been reorganized for easier navigation and upgraded with advanced interactive technology. Two new videos---showcasing Tucson culinary and golf options---have been added and more are on the way. Also coming soon, the upgraded Major Events calendar will have the capability to sort events by category and date. Behind the scenes, administrative features have been streamlined for more efficient maintenance and development. Staff now can make changes that previously required the work of a programmer.

Midtown-Downtown Fam
The Convention Sales team will host the annual MTCVB Midtown-Downtown Familiarization Tour, November 8-11. This fam generates group business by bringing together meeting-planner clients from across the country for a tour of Central Tucson hotels and attractions. The 2007 fam is made possible through the participation of 15 MTCVB partners, including seven hotels, six major attractions, one transportation company, and the Tucson Convention Center.

H&G Midwestern Rendevous  
Convention Sales staff will pursue new business November 14 at the 2007 Hinton-Grusich Rendevous, an interactive tradeshow and reception that attracts select, qualified meeting-planners from in and around the key cities of St. Louis and Kansas City.  At this popular event, staff will meet with potential clients and solidify contact with established clients from Midwestern corporations, associations, and third-party companies. 

International Tourism Events
The Tourism division recently participated in the Arizona Office Tourism's sales mission to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and promoted Tucson to tour operators, wholesalers, and travel agents. This month, Tourism staff will promote Tucson as destination for vacation and incentive travel at three business-to-business events for global travel and tourism professionals: World Travel Market-London, Showcase Italy-Florence, and EIBTM-Spain. Public Relations staff will join the trip to World Travel Market and meet with international journalists looking for ideas on travel destinations and industry trends. 

International  Golf Shootout
The Public Relations division and several MTCVB hotel, golf, and dining partners will host 20+ golf writers for the 2007 International Golf Shootout, November 26-December 1 in Greater Phoenix. This biennial media fam draws high-profile golf writers from Mexico, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Alternating every two years between Tucson and Greater Phoenix, the fam is designed to familiarize international media with Arizona's new golf product. Tucson last hosted the event in 2003 and, to date, more than $185,000 in publicity has resulted. The 2005 Shootout in Greater Phoenix generated more than $600,000 in publicity.
 
Domestic Tourism Promotions
This month, the MTCVB Tourism staff will market group-tours to potential Tucson clients at two travel-industry conferences: the National Tour Association (NTA), in Kansas City, and the Ontario Motorcoach Association (OMA), in Ottawa. Staff will meet with tour operators from across the United States during pre-scheduled appointments.  

2007 Holiday Tucson Super Savers
The MTCVB's Tucson Holiday Super Savers program is online at www.TucsonSuperSavers.com now through December. Participating MTCVB partners are offering up to 50 percent off high-season rates to those who book through the program, which stimulates Tucson tourism during the winter shoulder months, November and December. Guests who book online receive a bonus Tucson Attractions Passport, with discounts on attractions and entertainment throughout Southern Arizona. 

MEXICO MARKETING

Tradeshows in Sinaloa
The Mexico Marketing division will host its annual Sinaloa Tradeshows, November 30-December 2 in Culiacan and Los Mochis. Participating MTCVB partners will present two tradeshows during a two-day mission to one of the wealthiest areas of Northwest Mexico. Sinaloa is a potentially valuable market for Tucson's hospitality industry; its residents enjoy shopping in Tucson and tend to stay longer than their Sonoran counterparts because they must travel further. This tradeshows are open to MTCVB partners. For more information, or to register, contact Martha Tadlock, MTCVB Mexico Projects Manager, at (520) 770-2171 or mtadlock@visitTucson.org.

Tucson Visitor Center, Sonora
The MTCVB-managed Tucson Visitor Center in Hermosillo, Sonora has undergone improvements to accommodate visitor traffic and to increase customer service. The improvements include an expanded visitor reception area featuring additional information display space, a new lobby area, and increased office space. The visitor center also has added new personnel, including a new receptionist and two assistants who have improved efficiency in delivering customer service. The new personnel assist Mexican visitors with Tucson travel arrangements, such as making hotel reservations and providing information on things to do and see. 

TUCSON FILM OFFICE

3rd Annual Puro Mexicano: Tucson Film Festival
Tucson's homegrown Puro Mexicano: Tucson Film Festival celebrates the best in Mexican and Mexican-American cinema; it will take place for the third year, November 2-8 at The Loft Cinema. This year, the festival pays tribute to the work of Gabriel Figueroa (1907-1997), one of the world's most important cinematographers whose camera work defined the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Festival details are online at TucsonFilmFestival.com. Puro Mexicano: Tucson Film Festival is sponsored by The Tucson Film Office, La Preciosa 97.1 FM, Radio Tejano 1600 AM, Geico, La Estrella de Tucson, Casino Del Sol, The All Souls Procession, and The Fox Theatre. 

Boards Summit, NYC
In an effort to capture more of the commercial film production market, the Tucson Film Office (TFO) participated in the Boards Summit, October 30-31, in New York City. Shelli Hall, TFO Director, exhibited at the conference, which is the largest commercial production conference in the world, offering agency producers, creatives, and the advertising community a forum for dialogue, discussion, and debate about the international business of commercial production.

On Location in Tucson
The Tucson Film Office recently helped a crew from the United Kingdom shoot a Discovery Channel documentary, "10 Ways to Save the Planet." The office also helped a French documentary crew shoot segments at Tucson's aircraft graveyard, the Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center (AMARC). Next, the office facilitated a national commercial spot for Volvo Car Corporation, produced by a Los Angeles-based production company, staged at the new Volvo dealership at the Auto Mall. Finally, images from a national, television advertising campaign that the office facilitated last year are showing up on local billboards and commercial vehicles. The images of Tucson saguaros illustrate the Cingular (now AT&T) wireless company's "more bars in more places" campaign.  

OPPORTUNITIES 

First Tuesday: Tourism Research & Revelations 
Tuesday, Nov. 6, 11:45 a.m. -1 p.m., Arizona Inn. Susan Cantrell, Vice President/Advertising,
Tucson Newspapers, shares and interprets tourism research and trends garnered from website tracking and subscriber demographics. Information you can use about potential clients. Sponsored by Pour Moi Boutique. For details, or to RSVP, click here.

Meet & See: Tucson Symphony Orchestra-At the Movies! 
Thursday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. pre-concert chat (featuring Music Director/Conductor, George Hanson and guest violinist Lara St. John), 8 p.m. concert, Tucson Music Hall. Program includes music from box-office blockbusters. Tucson Symphony Orchestra. For details, click here.

First  Tuesday: News from Governor's Tucson Office 
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 11:45 a.m. -1 p.m., Arizona Inn. Kristin Almquist, Director, Governor Janet
Napolitano's Southern Arizona Office. Sponsored by: Southern Arizona Lodging & Resort Association (SALARA). For details, or to RSVP, click here.

MTCVB "Holiday Happening"                                                                                                                           Thursday, Dec. 13, 5-7 p.m. at Rancho Valle Milagro. Food, live entertainment and dancing, with vocals and saxaphone by Denise McCreary. Blue House Catering will showcase a generous and creative assortment of savory appetizers and holiday sweets.  Cash bar. For details, or to RSVP, click here.

Interactive Marketing Strategy Workshop
Thursday, Dec. 13, 1-4 p.m. at Room 113, Cochise College, Benson Campus. Arizona Tourism University presents "How to Develop an Interactive Marketing Strategy" workshop that covers website basics, online advertising, email campaigns, search engine optimization (SEO), measuring campaigns, and best practices and useful interactive marketing tips, as well as various trends. To register, contact Sarah Martins at smartins@azot.gov, or by phone at (602) 364-3687.

Educational Seminar: Moving Beyond YouTube and Viral Video                                                               Thursday, Jan. 10, 8:15 -9:30 a.m. at Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation Conference Center. For more information, or to RSVP, click here. 

BUREAU DRAWER

Walker Elected WACVB President for 2008 Program Year
Jonathan Walker, MTCVB President & CEO, officially took office as President of the Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (WACVB) at the Association's Annual Conference and Vendor Showcase, October 10-13, in Anchorage, Alaska. The MTCVB will host the WACVB 2008 Annual Conference, in Tucson. The WACVB is a regional professional association serving more than 140 member bureaus in the Western United States and the Western provinces of Canada.

Convention Services Earns DMAI Honor
Erica Federico, MTCVB Convention Services Administrative Assistant, has earned Exceptional Reporter status from the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) in its 2007 Meeting Information Network (MINT) 2007 Evaluations. The MINT program is a leading conventions-and-meetings database that represents a unique collaboration between 150+ CVBs that voluntarily report detailed meeting history information on the events held in their cities.

Welcome New Staff
Judy Wood joins the MTCVB Partner Development department this month as Partner Sales & Hospitality Education Manager. Judy previously worked at Tucson's El Conquistador Resort when it was a Sheraton property; she has 20 years' programming experience with the YWCA of Tampa, Florida. She will be responsible for both partner sales and helping to grow the Tucson Ambassadors Program.

MTCVB VISITOR INQUIRIES

September 2007
Walk-in visitors: 2,741  
Information requests: 8,227 
Website unique visitors: 217,908

Fiscal year to date (July-September)
Walk-in visitors: 7,589
Information requests: 34,110
Website unique visitors:  683,422