The city of Sedona invites the community to a Listening Session on tourism on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Sedona Public Library at 3250 White Bear Rd. Community members will have the opportunity to voice their ideas and concerns about tourism while city staff and consultants listen. Input from this meeting will help inform the Tourism Strategic Plan, destination brand and marketing plan being currently developed by the city.

More specifically at the Listening Session, residents will be asked to answer specific questions about tourism, such as:

• What are the top strategic opportunities and challenges facing Sedona as a destination?
• What does a balanced tourism economy in Sedona look like?
• What should the mission of the city’s Tourism Program be?
• What is the single most important thing you’d like to tell visitors before they come or while they’re here?

Background
Starting Jul. 1, 2023, the city is Sedona’s official Destination Marketing and Management Organization recognized by the Arizona Office of Tourism. To develop the city’s Tourism Program, staff hired two agencies to assist with the following crucial building blocks:

1. Coraggio Group to develop a Tourism Strategic Plan with a focus on responsible visitation and destination management.
2. DVA Advertising and Public Relations to develop the destination brand and identity, and to assist with seasonal marketing campaigns.

Both agencies have collaborated on three surveys including a survey to residents about their sentiments on tourism, a survey to in-market visitors about their travel experience in Sedona and a survey to nation-wide travelers about sentiments on Sedona as a vacation destination.

Both agencies have also conducted interviews with over 15 stakeholders including both the Sedona Lodging Council and the Sedona Tourism Advisory Board. This Listening Session will be the final way these agencies will gather input before creating a draft of the Tourism Strategic Plan, destination brand and marketing plan.

More information
For more information on the tourism Listening Session, contact Kegn Moorcroft, city of Sedona special initiatives coordinator at 928-203-5179 or kmoorcroft@SedonaAZ.gov.