Tag: Travel and Tourism

We’ve noticed some items disappearing from our hotel rooms. (Don’t even get me started on the disappearing shower cap. No one but me seems to care.) So we asked, which could you live without?

• Bathtub. Only showers for me. 53%

• Coffee pot. I don’t drink coffee or I’d never use one in a hotel room. 27%

• Closet. I never hang up my clothes and a few hooks would work for me if I do. 9%

• All of them: 9%

• None of them: 2%

Visit our homepage to take our next poll: How do you rent a car when you travel?

– Jan Schroder, The Travel 100

Is it okay to take toiletries from your hotel room? Here’s what some readers said.

• Yes. They are there to use or take home, whichever I prefer: 80.33%

• I only take them if I’ve partially used them as I figure they will throw them out anyway. 14.75%

• No. You shouldn’t take anything from a hotel room. 4.92%.

You can continue tucking those cute little conditioners in your bag with your conscience clear.

Take our next poll: We’ve been in rooms without a coffee pot, closet or a bathtub. Which of the three would you give up first?

– The Travel 100 staff

TripAdvisor named Cottonwood’s Tavern Hotel, owned by The Haunted Group, as among the top 15 hotels in the United States for romance in 2019.

In addition, the Arizona Office of Tourism named The Haunted Group executive chef Michelle Jurisin – who oversees the brand’s Crema Craft Kitchen & Bar, The Tavern Grille, Pizzeria Bocce and Nic’s in Cottonwood – as among the top five female chefs to watch.

On the heels of this, The Haunted Group recently announced it will add a pool, fitness facility and enhanced amenities to the Tavern Hotel by year’s end. It will also expand Pizzeria Bocce this summer.

– Andrea Pedersen, The Haunted Group

With more than 44 million visitors annually, tourism is a key economic driver in Arizona. In fact, it is our leading industry export. Starting now through about mid-May each year, Arizona is abuzz with visitors.

It’s great to see multiple airlines and airports announcing new flight options for our incoming guests in recent weeks, including American Airlines announcing a new seasonal non-stop flight to and from London, and Swoop, a subsidiary of Canadian air carrier WestJet, announcing it will begin winter service flights between Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and Edmonton, Alberta, starting Oct. 27, 2018. Welcome to Arizona!

– Abbie S. Fink, HMA Public Relations

A new daily international flight is coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. American Airlines announced it will partner with British Airways to offer travelers a nonstop route between Sky Harbor and Heathrow Airport in London.

The seasonal route will begin March 31, 2019, and will run until Oct. 26, 2019. Passengers on the flight will board a Boeing 777, which has over 270 seats and is equipped with Wi-Fi and television screens for entertainment.

Ticket sales are now open and include three cabin options: business, premium economy and economy. Total flight time will average just under 10 hours.

– American Airlines reports

Scottsdale’s hotel count is climbing. Coming soon are:

The Edition at Waterview: Camelback Road and 73rd Street, 246 rooms.

Don and Charlie’s: Camelback Road and 75th Street, 181 rooms.

Southbridge Hotel: Scottsdale Road and Camelback Road, no room details.

Winfield Hotel: Scottsdale Road and Fourth Avenue, 244 rooms.

Canopy by Hilton: First Street and Marshall Way, 178 rooms.

Museum Square: Second Street and Marshall Way, 190 rooms.

Element at SkySong: Scottsdale Road and SkySong Boulevard, 153 rooms.

Papago Plaza: Scottsdale Road and McDowell Road, no room details.

Fairfield Marriott at DC Ranch Crossings: Pima Road and Trailside View, 125 rooms.

– Randy Grant, City of Scottsdale

Last year, more people visited Arizona than ever, spending record amounts of money. The state welcomed 43.9 million overnight visitors who collectively spent $22.7 billion in 2017. That equals $62 million in tourism spending daily.

Visitor spending directly supported 187,000 jobs in the state in 2017. Those tourism-related jobs generated $6.9 billion in employment revenue and $3.4 billion in tax revenue.

Each of those performance indicators – jobs, employment earnings and tax revenue – represented a historical high for Arizona’s tourism industry. In addition, nearly $2 billion of the tax revenue benefited state and local governments.

– Debbie Johnson, Arizona Office of Tourism