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Thinking
of
visiting
Arizona?
Some
facts
about
tourism
trends
Information
courtesy
of
the
Arizona
Office
of
Tourism
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If
you're
thinking
of
visiting
Arizona
-
perhaps
as
a
snowbird
or
winter
visitor
-
these
facts
and
comments
may
be
interesting:
For the second consecutive year, Arizona’s tourism industry experienced record-setting visitation and spending
numbers.
Year-end tourism numbers for 2006 show that domestic overnight visitation increased 8.9 percent to 31.7 million, setting a record number for Arizona tourism. Combined with international visitation, Arizona welcomed 33.7 million total visitors, a net increase of 8.7 percent or 2 million visitors. In 2006, Arizona’s visitor spending brought in $18.6 billion in direct travel expenditures, a nearly 6 percent increase over 2005.
The majority of AOT’s marketing efforts are focused on luring high-value, out-of-state visitors to Arizona, and this market segment is leading the way in the State’s tourism
growth
California provided 29.5 percent of non-resident
leisure visitation, followed by Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, Michigan, Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington.
The average age of Arizona’s overnight visitors is also shifting slightly.
For domestic non-resident leisure travelers, the average age is 49, down from 51 last year. For resident travelers, the average age is 43, down from 44 last year.
Arizona's
primary target market for long-haul travel continues to be the Baby Boomers and Empty Nesters.
While the age is decreasing, Arizona is still successful in attracting high-value visitors to the State, as 50 percent of non-resident
visitors had an annual household income of $75,000 or higher.
Internationally, preliminary reports show a 17 percent increase in Canadian visitation, which would be another visitation record, with nearly 496,000 Canadians coming to Arizona in 2006, spending an estimated $473 million.
Arizona’s record-breaking year also extended into the lodging sector, with demand, Average Daily Rate (ADR) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) all reaching the highest levels in the past six years.
Hotel occupancy also increased 1.8 percent to 67 percent, higher than the U.S. average of 63.1 percent.
A
great
place
to
visit
-
especially
in
the
winter
-
Arizona
is
becoming
more
and
more
popular.
What
do
you
think?
-
add
your
comments,
questions
or
opinions
below.
RoTi
Park
Models
section
RoTi
Snowbirds
section
RoTi
travel
section
RoTi
Arizona
section
-
with
Arizona
travel
articles
What
do
you
think?
...
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Readers'
comments:
Erin
:
Uh...there are rattlers, other deadly snakes, scorpions and Mexican nationals in Texas, too. There's no AZ conspiracy to hide mounds of tourists killed by the wildlife here...that's just ignorant.
Joe
:
People don't realise that there are two species of deadly scorpions that inhabit Arizona plus a varity of deadly snakes. This "they" don't tell visitors all because of $$$. Go to Florida it only has gators that can eat you. Or go to Texas where they still have Southern hospitality. Arizona is getting crowded and corrupt. Plus the Mexican Nationals are a big problem with bringing drugs across the border into this country. Go to Colorado and get away from it all up high and get that Rocky Mountain High John Denver use to sing about. It really is beautiful still. Just stay away from Denver it is crime ridden and currupt.
Connie H
:
I've been coming to Arizona every year for many years and all I see is changes everywhere. It's a wonderful place in the winter and I expect more and more will come every year.
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