Arizona Forward, the state’s leading sustainability organization driving major initiatives for Arizona, is hosting a luncheon on sustainable tourism for northern Arizona on Thursday, July 18, 2019 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hilton in Flagstaff. Northern Arizona regions depend on tourism to support their local
economy. The luncheon will provide information for businesses and communities on current challenges, opportunities and solutions these regions are addressing as they welcome a rapid growth of visitors each year.

“This is an important topic for Arizona,” said Lori Singleton, president and CEO of Arizona Forward. “Arizona’s natural environment in our northern region is a global attraction. The more people we accommodate each year, the harder it becomes to manage the effects of visitors traveling in and out of the region. Each area has its own unique challenges and opportunities. We want to ensure there is an adequate balance of economic gain and environmental preservation.”

The following speakers at the luncheon will address issues in their respective areas and participate in a collaborative discussion:

Keynote Speaker: Office of Tourism, State of Arizona – Becky Blaine, Deputy Director

Northern Arizona University (NAU) – Joanne Keane, Executive Vice President, NAU Office of the President

City of Flagstaff – Heidi Hansen, Economic Vitality Director

Sedona Chamber of Commerce – Michelle Conway, Director of Marketing

Xanterra, Grand Canyon – David Perkins, Sustainability Director

Mother Road Brewing Company – Oliver Adams, Director of People and Culture

Navajo Nation – Jonathon Nez, President

“Over tourism happens when destinations respond too late to challenges,” said Jennifer Wesselhoff, president and CEO from the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism. “Just looking at traffic alone in Sedona, visitors comprise 75 percent of our weekday traffic and 82 percent on the weekends. We recently developed a Sustainable Tourism Plan to place Sedona ahead of the curve. The plan will create balance for the quality of our environment, the local economy, resident life and the visitor experience. We are excited to share our plan at this luncheon since it is the first of its kind in Arizona.”

Registration for the Arizona Forward Northern Arizona Sustainable Tourism Luncheon is now open to the public. Seats can be reserved at arizonaforward.org.