Arizona’s tourism was ‘clearly in pain’ as revealed by new figures

Figures revealed by the Arizona Office of Tourism displayed the consequence of the global economic crisis on the Phoenix area and the state.

Being conducted at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, the Governor’s Conference on Tourism was attracting industry officials and hoteliers from all over Arizona. The numbers announced to complete the event display the effect of crisis on the multi-million dollar hospitality industry of the state.

“The lodging industry is clearly in pain. Hotel economies track what is happening in the rest of the world”, declared Sherry Henry, the Arizona Tourism Director.

The Arizona figures account for the 37.4 million people who visited the state in 2008, showing a 3% decline from 2007. Approximately 26 million travellers stayed in Arizona, having a decrease of 3.3%; and business travel went down by 7.6%, amounting to 6.3 million visitors.

In addition, direct expenses by visitors decreased by slightly over 3% in 2008 — about $18.5 billion.

The figures also reveal the effect of residents visiting closer to their residents. While non-residents who visited the state decreased by 4.7; and approximately 9.8 million Arizonans travelled throughout the state, a decrease of only 2.9%.

And although visitors from abroad only made up 2.8% of Arizona’s total visitors, over half a million Canadians travelled to the state, mostly from Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Visitors from Mexico also played importantly in those totals, with over 3.85 million travelling to the state.