Promoting Tucson’s urban core through collaboration and partnership, Uniquely Tucson – Destination Downtown is a 16-page publication that features locally-owned businesses, heritage destinations, attractions, and historical buildings located along the Sun Link Modern Streetcar route.

This powerful marketing piece for downtown, 4th Avenue, and Main Gate represents real collaboration between Visit Tucson and Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, with supporting sponsors that include Downtown Tucson Partnership, the Tucson Historic Preservation Office, Pima County Historical Commission, and Parkwise.

Not only is the publication distributed at the Tucson Visitor Center, 100,000 copies have been inserted into Tucson Guide, 2013 Visit Tucson Official Travel Guide, and in Caliente to encourage increased patronage downtown.

Smartphone users can now explore businesses and special events throughout the downtown area using the new mobile-optimized site. UniquelyTucson.com features an interactive map and search capability to explore 176 historic buildings and nearly 200 locally-owned businesses and heritage destinations.

Tucson Visitors Bureau, the leader in destination marketing in Tucson and southern Arizona, teams with MMGY Global to re-brand region 

At the end of last year, the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau issued a request for proposals to re-brand Tucson and southern Arizona as a prime visitor destination and enhance the region’s presence within the global tourism market.

A committee comprised of local tourism, sports, economic development and marketing industry professionals reviewed 16 proposals submitted by agencies from across the country, including several from Tucson and southern Arizona.

“Essentially, the selection committee worked with us to find a company that can help us define Tucson and Southern Arizona’s top tourism-related attributes and package and deliver those elements in a compelling manner to our targeted customers,” said Brent DeRaad, MTCVB president and CEO.

MMGY Global, an internationally recognized leader in destination marketing, was unanimously selected to be the MTCVB’s agency of choice to lead the creation of a comprehensive brand positioning strategy for the destination. MMGY Global will employ a branding process grounded in proprietary consumer research. Insights into the habits and preferences of potential visitors will then help shape a brand for the destination that not only distinguishes Tucson from its competitors, but also connects with and inspires its target audience.

“The findings from both the in-market and out-of-market research that MMGY has presented to our partners and community leaders are critical to us in creating a brand foundation and position statement for the region that is believable among our stakeholders,” said Allison Cooper, MTCVB vice president of marketing.  “That is, the brand’s promise, essence, values and voice – can be clearly articulated and delivered in the visitor experience – and owned by all of us as a destination.”

The MTCVB is spending the first half of 2013 working with MMGY Global to incorporate consumer research and stakeholder input into a brand architecture for Tucson and Southern Arizona from which new advertising, positioning and messaging will be developed and incorporated into all aspects of the bureau’s marketing, promotion and sales programs. The extensive re-branding process will be completed in June, at which time the MTCVB will officially announce its name change to Visit Tucson and debut new marketing materials, including a new logo.

Regionalism and a unified voice for the destination have been recurring themes throughout the branding process.

“It is nice to see the collaboration,” said Rick Neter, director of marketing at Biosphere 2 and University of Arizona’s College of Science. “A lot of people are coming together with the goal of moving the community forward.”

Tourism in Tucson and southern Arizona is a $2.4 billion dollar industry. The habits of the American leisure traveler greatly contribute to tourism’s overall economic impact. In a subset of the 2013 Portrait of American Travelers, a national survey of more than 2,500 adults who have traveled within the last year, that tracks the emerging travel habits, preferences and intentions of American leisure travelers, MMGY Global revealed an in-depth look at the travel tendencies and influences of the American traveler as they pertain to the Tucson region.

“Tucson is the first destination to receive a subset analysis from this year’s study,” said Steve Cohen, MMGY Global vice president of insights. “MMGY is utilizing data from our 2013 Portrait of American Travelers to assist in crafting a new destination brand for the Tucson region, we are excited to provide this information for such a valued partner.”

Inspiring people to go places, MMGY Global helps travel companies grow revenue by motivating their customers, creating progressive marketing strategies based on research and applying the insights to measureable brand and channel marketing plans. Their portfolio includes The Beaches of Ft. Myers and Sanibel, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Mexico Tourist Board and the Colorado Tourism Office. The mission of the MTCVB is to drive and enhance the economic prosperity of Tucson and southern Arizona through tourism by promoting, selling and marketing the region for leisure, meetings, conventions, amateur sports and film production.

Tucson branding process to date:

September 2012

• MTCVB issues nationwide request for proposals to re-brand the region as a prime visitor destination.

October 2012

• Selection committee reviews 16 proposals from top marketing agencies across the country, including Tucson and southern Arizona

November 2012

• Proposals narrowed to five, agencies invited to Tucson to make final presentation to selection committee

December 2012

• Committee unanimously selects MMGY Global to lead the creation of a comprehensive brand strategy for the destination

January 2013

• MMGY Global is officially awarded the MTCVB contract
• MMGY Global returns to Tucson to conduct key stakeholder interviews and gather community input through town hall forums
• MMGY Global presents the process by which the research and brand will be developed to partners and stakeholders at the MTCVB Open House event

February 2013

• MMGY Global gathers research through focus groups comprised of potential visitors in Tucson’s key markets of Chicago and Denver

March 2013

April 2013

• MMGY Global presents to a group of MTCVB partners and stakeholders, a subset of the 2013 Portrait of American Travelers that specifically relates to Tucson and southern Arizona
• MMGY Global presents key findings from the interviews conducted in Chicago and Denver
• MMGY Global presents Brand Architecture, an overview of the process the agency has followed to develop a strong brand for Tucson

May 2013

June 2013

• MMGY Global and MTCVB will present the new brand, logo, marketing materials at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort on June 13
• MTCVB will officially become Visit Tucson

Tucson has been named one of the Top 10 Spring Break Destinations for Families 2013 by Livability.com, a national website that highlights more than 500 of America’s best places to live and visit. 

The list is the second installment of an annual listing of America’s top spring break destinations and features communities that offer families a budget-conscious, amenities-rich vacation that can be enjoyed over the course of a few days. To narrow down the list, Livability.com editors looked at cities with plenty of parks, green spaces and outdoor recreation opportunities as well as family-friendly attractions, such as zoos, aquariums, amusement parks and museums.

Tucson was chosen because it offers families a host of activities for all age groups – both indoors and out – as well as a number of other travel amenities for families, such as hotels with pools, vacation deals and kid-friendly restaurants.  Read more here.

Top 10 Spring Break Destinations for Families 2013
1. Santa Cruz, CA
2. Tucson, AZ
3. Portland, OR
4. Omaha, NE
5. Indianapolis, IN
6. Birmingham, AL
7. Charlotte, NC
8. Tulsa, OK
9. Boise, ID
10. Cincinnati, OH

An estimated 50,000 people will visit Tucson for the opportunity to explore 43 shows at 41 locations during the upcoming Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, February 2-17. To coordinate all aspects of this multifaceted annual event, the MTCVB continuously collaborates and communicates with all participating City of Tucson departments as well as Pima County and the State of Arizona. The MTCVB is the only entity that touches every aspect of the Gem Show and serves as the repository for all information.

Here are some show highlights and resources:

• The “Gem Show” is much more than a single event at one location. Rather, there are thousands of participants and attendees atmore than 40 sites around town. Dozens of shows take place at the same time – in giant white tents, at hotels and resorts and at exhibit halls.

• Most of the gem and mineral shows around Tucson are free and open to the public, hours vary. There are several “wholesale only” shows that require a badge and tax-exempt number for admission.

• Details, including show listings, hours of operation, parking locations and transportation options (accurate shuttle schedules and maps) can be found on tucsongemshow.org
• Download the Gem Show shuttle map
• Download the Turquoise Route shuttle map (includes Doubletree Reid Park, Windmill Inn, Gem Mall, Holidome, TCC, Simpson Street Shuttle Hub)

• Bookmark the mobile friendly site (tucsongemshow.org) for up to date listing, parking and transportation information and shuttle routes. Simply open the link on any smartphone and “save to your homescreen” for one-touch access to the Gem Show online.

• Follow the Gem Show on Twitter @TucsonGems or use hashtag #TucsonGemShow

• Got a question? Call the Gem Show Hotline at 520-622-GEMS (4367)
• Scan and share this QR code for quick access to the official Gem Show website

Parking

• Limited parking is available at most shows (please check with individual shows for details) and parking will continue to be available at Congress St. and I-10 frontage road (West side), open daily 8am-8pm.
• Daily fee for most lots (public and private) is $5.
• Additional downtown parking is available in numerous locations. For more parking information, call ParkWise at 520-791-5071 during business hours, Monday-Friday.

Downtown Construction

• There will be construction during the show as Tucson prepares for its SunLink Modern Streetcar, and delays and inconvenience should be minimal.
• Please see the Tucson Modern Streetcar website for more information, and download this PDF map for best routes to navigate downtown.

Gem Show Guides

• When visiting gem shows, look for our newly branded information racks containing the following free information from the Tucson CVB and partners: Official Gem Guide, the Visit Tucson Official Travel Guide, the new Uniquely Tucson Destination Downtown guide, and gem show shuttle maps.
• For guests’ convenience, scan the QR code on the rack for quick access to the official Gem Show website.
• The Tucson CVB distributes the only “Official” guide to the Tucson Gem Mineral & Fossil Showcase. Information is all-inclusive, accurate and continuously updated online at tucsongemshow.org
• A PDF of the Official Gem Guide is available for download on tucsongemshow.org
• The printed gem show guide is available at all show locations, the Tucson Visitor Center, Tucson International Airport, Tucson Convention Center, select City offices such as Parkwise, and from the concierge at area hotels.

Gem Show Hotline

• The Tucson CVB will again help host the “gem-show hotline”, 520-622-GEMS
• Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday – Friday, February 2-17
• Outside of these hours, the line will roll over to the City of Tucson’s non-emergency 911 number. This means visitors will be able to reach a representative for assistance any time of day.
• Visitors may also obtain personal assistance at the Tucson Visitor Center, in La Placita Village, seven days a week.

Welcome Program

• The MTCVB Welcome Program spans nearly 300 businesses across the metro area with colorful window clings, information tables and special offers by select merchants and CVB partners.

Economic Impact and Factoids

• The Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase attracts tens of thousands of buyers, collectors, dealers, curators and guests forthe premier event of its kind in the world.
• Dozens ofshows at varied locations and venues throughout metropolitan Tucson make up the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase.
• Centerpieces of the showcase include the American Gem Trade Association‘s (AGTA) wholesale-only AGTA GemFair Tucson, at Tucson Convention Center, and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society‘s (TGMS) public show (the show that started it all in 1955), also at Tucson Convention Center.
• Other shows take place in hotels, conference centers, and temporary tents, from one end of town to another.
• Future Dates: February 1-16, 2014, January 31-February 15, 2015
• Estimated attendance: 55,000
• Estimated economic impact: $100 million* (*Read the 2007 Economic Impact Report)

Misc

• Gem Show Frequently Asked Questions
• History of the Gem Show
• Gems & Minerals year-round

Photo: MOCA Tucson

Peter Young: Capitalist Masterpieces, an exhibition of large-scale paintings by noted painter Peter Young opened last month at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in downtown Tucson.

Young, who emerged in New York in the 1960s and quickly rose to prominence on the global art scene, has lived in Bisbee since 1972. His paintings, which examine a range of experiments in abstract painting from the 1960s to today, can be seen in the permanent collections of the MoMA The Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, and many others.

MOCA Tucson will re-open from holiday hiatus on January 9. Normal hours are Wednesday-Sunday 12-5pm; admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. For more information, visit moca-tucson.org.

The “Book of Fun” gets you more than $400 in savings, for only $18!

Travel the region with your Tucson Attractions Passport – an exclusive pocket savings guide to the best there is to see and do in Southern Arizona. Enjoy money-saving 2-for-1 offers plus other great discounts. Purchase here for only $18 or pick one up at the Tucson Visitor Center or one of several other distribution locations.

New this year – The ”Book of Fun” mobile app

Now you can purchase and download the Tucson Attractions Passport right to your Android or iPhone! Just go to your smartphone’s specific App Store/Marketplace and search for “Tucson Attractions Passport.” Or click here for quick links.

Download the Book of Fun for FREE and purchase the offers in-app, safely, via Paypal. Each Passport purchase includes all 52 fantastic offers and discounts which can be redeemed by visiting the attractions with app in-hand.

The Attractions Passport is made possible through a collaboration between the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Southern Arizona Attractions Alliance, a nonprofit organization of regional attractions dedicated to cooperatively promote tourism and visitation in southern Arizona.

The dead never truly leave us and they are more alive than ever during a variety of events centered around the centuries old tradition of Dia de los Muertos. The custom of honoring the dearly departed dates back hundreds of years and is an important ritual for thousands of people throughout Latin America, Mexico and the southwestern United States. From now through November 4, a handful of performances, processions, exhibits and celebrations are taking place throughout the Old Pueblo, including the popular All Souls Procession, a two-mile-long march, made up of thousands of people, that winds its way through Downtown Tucson.

Day of the Dead: Through the Eyes of Children

Recurring daily through November 09, 2012

Address: 420 S. Main Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: 520-882-7454

Visit Website

La Pilita Museum’s Diá de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibit features the art and language of youth, with papier-mache butterflies, skulls, masks, and drawings.

Dia de Los Muertos-Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery

Recurring weekly on Friday, Saturday

November 02, 2012  — November 26, 2012

Address: 218 E. 6th. Street, Tucson, AZ 85705

Phone: 520-881-5335 or raicestaller222@aol.com

Visit Website

Acultural celebration in the tradition of the Hispanic Southwest, with personal tributes in the form of altars, ofrendas (offerings), paintings, sculpture & mixed media work at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop.

Procession of Little Angels

November 03, 2012

Address: 220 S. 5th Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701

Visit Website

The All Souls Procession’s family-friendly event for children acknowledges and celebrates deceased loved ones from the perspective of the child, starting at Armory Park.

23rd Annual All Souls Procession

November 04, 2012

Address: 745 N. 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85705

Phone: 1-800-638-8350

Visit Website

A public procession, inspired by Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos holiday, of walkers, dancers, drummers, and stilt-walkers through downtown Tucson.

All Souls Procession 6th Annual Photography Exhibition at Studio 455

Saturdays through November 04, 2012

Address: 455  N. Ferro Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85705

Visit Website

This photography exhibition includes images of past All Soul’s Processions as well as any and all images that related to Death.

Dance of the Dead at The Rialto Theatre

November 04, 2012

Address: 318 E. Congress St., Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: (520) 740-1000

Visit Website

The celebrated Los Angeles Latin rock-band Ozomatli will perform at the all-ages Dance of the Dead concert at the Rialto Theatre, following the All Souls Procession grand finale.

Populated with haunted houses featuring special effects, pyrotechnics, and ghoulish creatures performing terrifying stunts, Nightfall-20 Years of Terror! offers a Hollywood-style celebration of Halloween that may be too scary for the little ones, Thursdays-Sundays in October at Old Tucson western film location and theme park.

The Halloween Howl at Colossal Cave Mountain Park hosts family-friendly hayrides and candlelight cave tours, October 19. Guests can help save the world from monsters at the 89th Halloween Haunted Ruins, featuring a trip through Tucson’s Valley of the Moon, weekends in October.

Old Bisbee Ghost Hunt is the newest monthly tour offered at Old Bisbee Ghost Tours, in Bisbee, Arizona, 93 miles southeast of Tucson. This four-hour tour includes a training session, use of ghost-hunting equipment, investigations of haunted locations, and a potential evidence DVD. Guests will investigate who is haunting these buildings and why; afterward, data will be downloaded and sent on a DVD to each participant. Cost is $40 per person. Upcoming tour dates: October 19, November 3.

For more spooky events and fall fun, check out visitTucson.org/events.

Located along the migratory path between Canada and Mexico, in an area at the north end of the tropical zone and the south end of the temperate zone, Tucson and Southern Arizona is one of the best bird-watching destinations in the United States.

More than 500 bird species have been observed here at different altitudes throughout the year. Hummingbirds are especially plentiful; more than 150 species have been seen in a single day during the spectacular spring and fall migrations.

Late summer monsoon rains bring the greatest number and diversity of bird species to Tucson and Southern Arizona, one of the premier bird-watching regions in the United States. Visitors can enjoy this seasonal abundance at two upcoming festivals:

Discover the region’s birds and butterflies at the Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival, August 1-4, in Sierra Vista. Take part in 35 field trips throughout southeastern Arizona, including overnight trips to the Chiricahua Mountains and Madera Canyon as well as a children’s program and a writer’s workshop.

Then explore Tucson and the surrounding area at the Tucson Bird and Wildlife Festival, August 15-19. The event includes The Sky Islands Birding Cup (Big Day competition) in addition to a Nature Expo, workshops, a youth birder outing, and field trips to nearby birding hot spots.

More than 1 million annual visitors to five Tucson-area attractions can benefit from a program that is providing sunscreen and sun safety information.

The Skin Cancer Institute at the University of Arizona is working with Biosphere 2, Pima Air and Space Museum, Reid Park Zoo, Tohono Chul Park, and Tucson Botanical Gardens to install sunscreen dispensers in public restrooms at each venue.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has provided sunscreen and sun-blocking umbrellas to its guests, for the past six years, as part of a partnership with the institute. Visit azcc.arizona.edu/sci for more information.