The state's tourism office is launching its first new marketing campaign in four years, titled [Un]Real Arizona.
"The unreal campaign itself is really showcasing two things -- the unreal natural wonders in Arizona and the very real experiences you can have when you get here," said spokesman Scott Dunn.
The office conducted extensive research to pick four target cities -- Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Francisco and Seattle. The [Un]Real Arizona campaign has been running in those markets since October. Among many factors, those cities were selected for their residents' likelihood to travel, online search history and cost and availability of nonstop flights, Dunn said.
Last year an estimated 43-million people visited Arizona, setting a record for overnight stays. Visitors collectively spent $58-million -- or more than $40,000 a minute -- generating around $3-billion in local, state and federal taxes. According to the tourism office, visitors eased the tax burden for the average Arizona household by around $1,200.
Dunn said the office is also working to change the perception of the state through this new campaign.
"We're very careful to show some alpine setting and a lot of water," he said. "We want people to know that Arizona has a diverse geography, a diverse landscape."
Since October, tourism officials told ABC15 21,000 people exposed to the campaign's online advertisements have booked flights or hotels in the state.
