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| Visit Phoenix | |
|---|---|
| Name | Visit Phoenix |
| Type | Destination marketing organization |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Region served | Maricopa County, Arizona |
| Leader title | President & CEO |
| Leader name | Paul Lambert |
| Website | Official website |
Visit Phoenix is the official destination marketing organization for Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding Maricopa County, Arizona metropolitan area. It promotes Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and regional attractions to leisure travelers, convention planners, and media markets across the United States and international gateways such as Mexico and Canada. As a nonprofit entity interacting with municipal bodies like the Phoenix City Council and stakeholder organizations including the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, it coordinates with hospitality partners, sports franchises, and cultural institutions.
Visit Phoenix operates as a central marketing and sales hub linking hospitality providers such as the Arizona Biltmore (Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts), meeting venues like the Phoenix Convention Center, and sports venues including Chase Field and State Farm Stadium. It develops branding campaigns that reference regional icons such as Camelback Mountain and Papago Park, and collaborates with national travel media outlets and trade associations like the U.S. Travel Association. The organization liaises with major event organizers for conventions such as CES-related offsite events, corporate meetings for firms like Honeywell and Avnet, and leisure partnerships with attractions including the Desert Botanical Garden.
Originating in the mid-1970s as a visitor bureau responding to growth after the expansion of Interstate 10 and the development of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the organization evolved alongside municipal initiatives such as downtown revitalization and the construction of the Phoenix Convention Center expansion in the 2000s. Strategic shifts mirrored metropolitan changes driven by employers like Intel Corporation and American Airlines, and by cultural investments from entities like the Heard Museum and the Orpheum Theatre. Partnerships with state bodies such as the Arizona Office of Tourism and regional authorities including Maricopa Association of Governments shaped funding, hotel-motel tax frameworks, and destination planning.
Visit Phoenix markets a roster of attractions that spans historical sites and contemporary venues. Prominent destinations promoted include the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), the Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, and the Arizona Science Center. Sports and entertainment landmarks included in outreach lists are Talking Stick Resort Arena (now Footprint Center), Chase Field, and State Farm Stadium, which host franchises such as the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Arizona Cardinals. Outdoor landmarks such as South Mountain Park and Preserve, Camelback Mountain, Papago Park, and the Salt River corridor are emphasized for active visitors, while nearby day-trip sites include Sedona, Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park, and Montezuma Castle National Monument.
The organization promotes recurring events that draw regional and national audiences. Major festivals and events include the Arizona State Fair, Phoenix Film Festival, Barrett-Jackson Concours d'Elegance related auto auctions, and cultural celebrations organized at venues like Herberger Theater Center and the Symphony Hall (Phoenix). Sports events such as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (bowl games hosted in the region) and PGA Tour-aligned tournaments receive marketing support, as do seasonal events tied to institutions like the Desert Botanical Garden's Las Noches de las Luminarias and music series at Comerica Theatre.
Visit Phoenix highlights the metropolitan area's cultural assets including performing arts institutions like the Arizona Opera and the Phoenix Symphony. Collaboration extends to visual arts entities such as the Rosson House Museum at Heritage Square and contemporary galleries in the Roosevelt Row arts district. Programs often amplify exhibitions at the Phoenix Art Museum and traveling shows coordinated with national partners like the Smithsonian Institution. Culinary tourism initiatives showcase restaurants helmed by chefs connected to national competitions and appearances, and culinary neighborhoods such as Old Town Scottsdale are included in itineraries.
Outdoor promotion centers on destination-accessible recreation at preserves and trail systems: South Mountain Park and Preserve, Piestewa Peak, Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Trail, and the Arizona Canal Trail. River-based activities along the Salt River and managed recreation at Lake Pleasant Regional Park and Saguaro Lake are marketed for rafting, kayaking, and boating. Conservation partners like the Arizona Game and Fish Department and nonprofit stewards such as the Phoenix Mountains Preservation Council are frequent collaborators.
Visit Phoenix leverages connectivity via Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, regional light rail infrastructure like the Valley Metro Rail, and highway corridors including Interstate 17 and Interstate 10. Partnerships with transit agencies Valley Metro and airport authorities support convention routing and airport-to-downtown shuttles for groups. Accessibility messaging includes proximity to regional rail projects and links to long-distance services such as Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach connections.
The organization supports the lodging sector encompassing hotels affiliated with chains such as Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and independent boutique properties in neighborhoods like Biltmore and Arcadia, Phoenix. Economic impact efforts cite collaborations with the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity and financial analyses aligned with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics travel employment data. Visitor services include convention sales, destination training for frontline staff, and marketing campaigns targeting feeder markets including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas–Fort Worth. Category:Tourism in Arizona