SIERRA VISTA — High gas prices aren’t stopping tourists from coming to Cochise County. At least for now, said local tourism officials.
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After her recent trip to Page, she saw some positive signs of tourism in that Arizona city.
“I was surprised, honestly surprised, about how many people are still traveling,” she said.
Figures from last year and the first few months of this year have shown promising growth.
Sierra Vista, Benson, Bisbee and Douglas all had an increase in the number of visitors to their visitors centers. Tombstone still drew the most number of visitors, nearly 61,000, but both the Tombstone and Willcox visitors centers saw a decrease in visitors in 2007.
In Bisbee the total number of visitor center walk-ins grew 14 percent in 2007. Those figures are one way of keeping count of tourists coming to city but isn’t necessarily representative of the total number of visitors, said Ilona Smerekanich, Bisbee Visitor Center coordinator.
In spite of high gas prices and economic worries, the weak dollar tends to be good for local tourism, Smerekanich said. Foreign visitors come to take advantage of the exchange rate and locals stay closer to home.
Foreign visitors from France, Switzerland, Australia and six other countries accounted for nearly a quarter of visitors at the center in February, excluding those from Canada, who accounted for 18 percent of the visitors.
And in March, the Bisbee Visitor’s Center in the Copper Queen Plaza and Convention Center, had a record high number of visitors in March with 10,504, Smerekanich said.
Their Web site traffic has also been reaching highs, she said.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean somebody is going to visit, but it does mean they are looking at us,” she said.
A continuance of high gas prices might have an effect on travel next year, and there’s cause for concern since travel spending has a large impact on the local economy.
In 2006 visitors spent about $327 million in Cochise County, according to estimates by Dean Runyan Associates. In June the Arizona Office of Tourism will release countywide tourism impact figures, Daggett said.
About $177 million of visitor dollars went to local retail stores, restaurants, bars and hotels in 2006. Day travelers spent the most out of other groups, accounting for about $115 million of total visitor spending.
To keep local tourism strong, the Sierra Vista vistors center is continuing efforts to target travelers with interests in birding and local history, the top draws to Sierra Vista, Daggett said.
The center also hopes to peak potential visitors’ interest with a new ad campaign: “Sierra Vista: It’s cooler than you think.”
Expanding Web marketing and bringing more tour groups to the area are others goals, Daggett said.
Just The Facts
Visitors
Cochise County Visitor Information Center visitation counts.
City/2007/2006
Benson/14,809/14,095
Bisbee/57,776/50,785
Douglas/9,591/5,796
Sierra Vista/22,288 /17,020
Tombstone/60,953/83,349
Willcox/4,878/17,597
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