Tucson targets agents, tour operators

It’s not uncommon for Beau Blackledge to visit travel offices in cities such as Chicago to do hands-on training. Said Ms Blackledge, director of tourism for the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitor’s Bureau: “We target travel agencies that book the most business and we target major wholesalers. We think if they’re not really familiar with our destination, it’s hard to sell it.” Target cities in the US include those with direct flights to the old west city of Tucson, which include Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and Denver. To sell Tucson to travelers from other countries such as Europe, Ms Blacklede said, it’s important to tell travel professionals the logistics of getting here – sometimes elementary information such as how to get to Tucson by automobile after arriving in the US. “It’s not like just flying directly into a city. There is a more complicated itinerary,” she said. Many visitors include Tucson as part of a trip taking them to a host of other destinations such as the Grand Canyon – or somewhat farther from nature — the more glittery city lights of Las Vegas. Tucson has strong markets in Canada and Mexico, with many visitors from the later country coming here to shop or visit friends and relatives. Tucson has 350 days of sunshine a year, which is an attraction in itself, Ms Blackledge said. But it also draws visitors because it is a scenic area. With a desert setting, the city is surrounded by five mountain ranges. It has old west attractions and has been the backdrop for various movies. “The desert itself is an attraction. We have one of the lushest deserts in the world,” she said. Report by David Wilkening