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.

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

“Tim’s knowledge of the Tucson Region, his connections and relationships with key stakeholders and his experience in overseeing operations that include sales, marketing and PR as well as community affairs for several area attractions will be valuable assets to our organization,” said Allison Cooper, Vice President of Marketing for the MTCVB.

Vimmerstedt most recently served as the Director of Operations and Community Affairs for Pima Air & Space Museum. His extensive experience in tourism spans more than 20 years and includes roles within the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Old Tucson, Biosphere 2, Rawhide and the Agro Land and Cattle Company. He can be reached via email at tvimmerstedt@visittucson.org

The MTCVB, an accredited Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Tucson area as a convention, visitor and film production destination. Learn more at visittucson.org.

More than 100 college baseball and softball teams, along with parents & fans, will begin to arrive in the Old Pueblo this week for the Tucson Invitational Games.

Games will be played mainly at Kino Sports Complex (baseball) and Lincoln Park (softball.)

Baseball:

Begins February 28 at 7:00PM and continues daily through March 30

Kino Sports Complex South Quad Baseball Fields & Kino Memorial Stadium

For a full schedule and more information, visit TIGsports.com/baseball

Softball:

Begins March 1 at 9:00AM and continues daily through March 18

Abraham Lincoln Park 8100 East Escalante Rd.

For a full schedule and more information, visit TIGsports.com/softball

Admission $6 per day for persons 12 years of age and older (under 12 free)

$25 for 7-day, weekly pass. (Good for unlimited access to both baseball & softball games.)

Available for purchase at the gate.

Connect with TIG on Facebook & Twitter

Quick Facts:

• 3,000 athlete participants
• Around 7,000 spectators
• Approximately 9,000 hotel room nights generated
• Average stay in Tucson 6.2 nights*
• $7.9 million Estimated Economic Impact*

*Provided by Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tucson Sports

All Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game players and coaches will be greeting fans and signing autographs at the Main Gate Fan Fest. The first 1,000 fans will receive a free Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game poster. Also, former University of Arizona football coaches Dick Tomey and Ron McBride will hold a Q & A session with fans.

Main Gate Square is on East University Blvd. in Tucson. The Fan Fest is part of the Tucson welcome initiative through the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Tucson Padres front office staff is assisting the 2013 Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game operations. The game will be televised on the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN3 and WatchESPN.com. The game will be carried on radio locally on ESPN Tucson 1490 AM and 104.9 FM. Partners for the game include the Tucson Conquistadores, a charitable organization that supports youth in athletic programs throughout southern Arizona. Tickets for the 2013 Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game are available now by clicking here.

Film industry leaders from around Arizona will participate in an Industry Town Hall on August 16 at the University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography*.

The event is a call for business leaders and owners to join with film and television professionals who live in Arizona to craft new economic solutions together, it is sponsored by The Tucson Film Office (TFO) and the Arizona Film and Media Coalition (AFMC.) Doors open at 6:00 p.m., the panel discussion begins at 7:00 p.m. A Q+A session will follow. THE EVENT IS FREE and open to the public. SEATING IS LIMITED. RSVP to PCatalanotte@visittucson.org by August 13.

Panelists:
• Shelli Hall, Director, Tucson Film Office
• Mike Kucharo, President, Arizona Film and Media Coalition
• Barry Aarons, Aarons and Associates, lead lobbyist for incentive legislation
• Steve Kozachik, Ward 6, Tucson City Councilman

Moderator:
• Harry Tate, former Director of the Arizona Film Office at the Arizona Department of Commerce

The panel will discuss why state film incentive legislation has failed to pass two years in a row, and what is being done now to ensure the bill’s passage in 2013. A Multimedia Incentive Program has the power to create thousands of high wage jobs, generate millions of dollars in economic impact for Arizona-based businesses and enrich city, county and state coffers with new tax revenue.

*The Center for Creative Photography, 1030 North Olive Road, is located in the Fine Arts complex in the northwest corner of the UA campus. Convenient parking is available at the Park Avenue Garage on the northeast corner of Park and Speedway, with direct access to the Center’s front door via a pedestrian underpass.

***

The Tucson Film Office is a department of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Tucson and Southern Arizona as a convention, visitor and film production destination. It is financially supported by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the Town of Oro Valley and more than 500 individual and business members.

The Arizona Film and Media Coalition’s mission is to enhance the economic vitality of the Arizona film and media communities through public relations, education and legislation.

As part of his new role Garcia will take a lead in planning the MTCVB’s annual budget and developing a program of work. He will continue his duties from his previous position as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Mexico Marketing, which include managing the MTCVB Mexico Marketing department that is responsible for developing and implementing programs to enhance the relationship between Tucson and Mexico, as well as forming strategic partnerships with government officials, key stakeholders and organizations. Garcia has been with the MTCVB since 2004.

Garcia has an extensive background in international trade and tourism, investments and business transactions and holds a law degree from the Monterrey Institute of Technology (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey – ITESM) in Nuevo León, Mexico and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in international trade and investment law from the University of Arizona.

Garcia is currently on the board of the U.S. Department of Commerce District Export Council, the Arizona-Mexico Commission and Children’s Museum Tucson. He was recently appointed to the President’s Advisory Council for the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The Tucson Padres, The Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau and The Sonoran Sports Commission are bringing the Vamos a Tucson Mexican Baseball Fiesta back to Tucson for the second year in a row, October 5-7 at Kino Stadium.

The tournament has expanded this year to include teams from the state of Sonora, as well as Sinaloa. The two returning teams are the Naranjeros de Hermosillo and Yaquis de Ciudad Obregon. New this year, are the Venados de Mazatlan and Tomateros de Culiacan. The four teams from the Pacific Coast League of Mexico (Liga Mexicana del Pacifico) will play in a tournament at Kino Stadium. A full schedule of games will be announced closer to the tournament date.

Last year, the three-day baseball fiesta drew an estimated 11,000-12,000 fans from both sides of the border.

Ticket Prices will remain the same from 2011, and will go on sale in the near future.

Reserved Seats: $12
General Admission: $8 for Adults / $7 for children 6-16, seniors age 55 and older, and military (with ID)
Groups 20 or More: $10 for Reserved Seats and $6 for General Admission
Multi-Day Pass: $30 for Reserved Seat (same seat, all days)

For updates visit tucsonpadres.com or visittucson.org. For information in Spanish go to vamosatucson.com

Tucson offers a rich experience of the authentic Southwest and is an ideal summer getaway for visitors or residents who are looking to explore “haute” culture and “cool” summer deals.

Check in with George – the famous mountain lion, local celebrity and official summer mascot, who resides at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – for an inside look on the oldest, hippest and continuously inhabited city in the country and all the real deals that celebrate everything there is to see and do in Tucson and Southern Arizona.

Whether you choose to bunk in a real and rugged ranch, book a getaway at one of Tucson’s historic and elegantly appointed hotels and B&B’s or renew at any of Tucson’s spas or resort properties – the deal will be on TucsonRealDeals.com.

Follow @TucsonCat on Twitter. Like Visit Tucson on Facebook.

“These international visitors would spend an estimated $250 billion per year, creating jobs and spurring economic growth in communities across the country,” the White House press release cites. See the full release here.

MTCVB applauds these efforts to increase tourism nationally as we continue to partner with local and regional elected officials to increase the positive impacts of tourism in Tucson and Southern Arizona. Tourism contributes $2.6 billion annually in direct travel spending to our region. (AOT/Dean Runyan Associates 2010) Learn more about how tourism impacts our local economy.