Posts Tagged ‘tucson hotels’

From our friends at Inside Tucson Business:

“Underrated’ Tucson”

Posted: Friday, March 25, 2011 5:00 pm | Updated: 3:44 pm, Thu Mar 24, 2011.

“According to the editors of Travel + Leisure magazine, Tucson ranks among the most underrated destination in the world.

“It’s not just rodeos and golf courses,” according to the magazine, specifically noting the efforts to revive downtown with top-notch dining.

Other underrated destinations included Detroit; Nara, Japan; Bratislava, Slovakia; Galsgow, Scotland; and Taipei, Taiwan.”

This is not really good news, as the ITB puts it.  It means we have a great destination that no one really know about.  A big contention of whistleblowers at the Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau is that Mr. Walker has built up a army of employees at the expense of actually marketing the destination.

Preliminary findings of the Pima County Tourism Audit Commission are pointing to an % increase in payroll over the last several years(except the last year or so)  at the MTCVB.  Over the same period, there has been a % decrease in the actual marketing expenditures.  I am sure that the MTCVB’s Board Members who see this article might be encouraged, but they shouldn’t.

It’s time for a change at the the top of the MTCVB.  Mr. Walker and Mr. Vahaugn have worn out their welcome. After a decade of them and their rubberstamping boards of directors, they have achieved quite a goal:  Tucson is a best kept secret.  I am sure that makes all the business owners in Tucson who rely on the tourist dollar very happy.  This March is going to go down as possibly the worst March (tourism revenue)  in the last 20 years. It is time to find some new people with new ideas.

(Pictured:  The CVB Brass Enjoying a Cocktail in Scotland)

Maybe Bratislava looking for new arrogant 1-2 combo at the MBCVB.