Top 10 Reasons
to Meet in Arizona

1. affordability

The summer in Arizona may be hot, but it’s the perfect time to cool off your budget. Arizona resorts used to shut down during the hot summer months, but now they open their doors to amazing savings and amenities packages, and you can save between 50-75% off regular rates. Escape to the resort pool or spa to cool off between breakout sessions – you’ll find great deals there too.

2. scenery

The Sonoran Desert is home to thousands of species of plants and animals offering the most diverse desert habitat in the world, probably due to the fact it gets more rainfall than any other desert. That said, the Sonoran Desert boasts more than 330 days of sunshine each year, making almost every day a good day to explore. Among the stunning wildflowers and succulent plants, the towering Saguaro with its human-like arms reaching up to 50 feet tall has become the most recognizable and unique symbol of the Sonoran Desert.
The Sonoran Desert’s beauty can most easily be experienced through sanctuaries and botanical gardens around the state. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson is world-renowned for its presentation of native plants and animals in habitats replicating natural environments. In Phoenix, the Desert Botanical Garden is one of only 44 botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums and hosts one of the world’s finest collections of desert plants.

3. golf

With over 5,400 inviting fairways, 5,400 manicured greens and 5,400 appropriately named roughs, Arizona is definitely one of the world’s prized golf destinations. The state’s 300-plus courses have been ranked among the best in every American golf publication. The popularity of these courses is quite simple. The scenery and course design are unlike any other destination on earth. Nowhere else do holes cling to rugged mountainsides and saguaro cactuses flank fairways and raise their mighty arms, seemingly in homage to the game of golf.

4. grand Canyon

It’s the Grand Canyon. It’s on life’s to-do list. And it’s Arizona’s crown jewel.
A photographer’s dream and a poet’s delight, it only takes one glimpse to understand why Grand Canyon National Park is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Located entirely in northwestern Arizona, the Canyon, incised by the Colorado River, is immense, averaging 4,000 feet deep for its entire 277 miles. Nestled within are numerous side canyons abundant with greenery, wildlife, waterfalls, raging rapids and calm, glassy pools.

5. convenience

As the 5th largest city in the country, Phoenix has countless resources to help you in all of your meeting planning needs. With some of the top rated CVBs in the country, the cities that make up the Valley of the Sun have a plethora of people who are available to assist you and answer any questions you may have. Arizona’s CVBs are listed on page 15; it has never been easier to utilize these free resources.

6. top-Ranked Hotels and Dining

For 2011 AAA again recognized Arizona as a leader in the industry by awarding 68 Dining and Accommodation properties the prestigious Four Diamond Award and six properties the Five Diamond Award. In fact, the Camelback Inn is one of only three properties in the country to hold the Five Diamond distinction for 35 consecutive years. When choosing these ratings, AAA considers high levels of service, comfort and standards of excellence, which you can guarantee will translate to your meetings’ needs.

7. accessibility

Arizona and the Valley of the Sun are some of the destinations in the country to visit. On a typical day Sky Harbor International Airport sees more than 1,200 airplanes arrive and depart carrying over 100,000 passengers. Reaching over 100 destinations worldwide, Sky Harbor is the easiest way to start your trip. Other airports include Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Tucson International Airport, and the Scottsdale Airport.
The introduction of the METRO light rail system makes getting around the Valley of the Sun a breeze, with affordable all-day passes, frequent trains and stops in multiple valley cities this is a convenient option for your group.

8. scenic Options

The beauty of a meeting in Arizona is that it’s anything – and everything – you want it to be. From the Ponderosa pines and 7,000-foot elevation of Flagstaff to the sagebrush-and red rock-filled high deserts of Sedona and Prescott to the cactus-covered mountain slopes of Greater Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona offers every natural backdrop imaginable. There are even rivers and lakes with beaches in the northern and western parts of the state.

9. entertainment

Whether it’s opera, drama or ballet, the performing arts in Arizona are rich and diverse. If spectator sports get your blood pumping, Arizona has a major professional sports team in every sport including baseball, hockey, football, basketball (NBA and WNBA), and even professional soccer and lacrosse teams.

10. wine & Dine

The Wall Street Journal wrote, “Arizona wines topped nearly every category in our tasting.” Arizona has many wineries, some in Southern Arizona’s Santa Cruz and Cochise counties, and some as far north as the Verde Valley and Sedona. Many restaurants and resorts offer a taste of the Southwest with a fine wine pairing suggested by a world-class sommelier, cooking classes, and chef’s tables.