Two of the region’s long-time touring companies, Pink Jeep Tours and The Papillon Group, are launching a new venture. Marrying the concept of off-road adventure tours popularized by Pink Jeep Tours with the exhilarating experience of soaring through the skies on The Papillon Group’s helicopters and airplanes, this partnership is designed to carve a new niche within the region’s tourism market.
Pink Jeeps have been carrying visitors over Sedona’s red rocks for 52 years, while Papillon has been flying tourists over the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam since 1965.
“The Papillon Group’s tours are ideal for international travelers and they are the most recognized air brand in the tourism industry, with over 25 years of excellent reputation,” said Pink Jeep Tours Chief Marketing Officer Grant Ferguson. “We were motivated to form a strong partnership with an established leader in the international market by blending our tours to bring travel and tourism to the next level in the Southwest, and this partnership with The Papillon Group is a natural addition to our tour offerings.”
Recently voted “best ground tour company” by the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association (SNHCA), and the recipient of the “best local tours” award in Las Vegas by USA Today, Pink Jeep Tours is the longest running and largest off-road adventure company in the country.
“We operate seven days a week with customer service representatives on hand to answer questions, to schedule tours, and to provide the ultimate experience for visitors. We’ve driven a million miles accident free and we make safety a top priority,” said Ferguson.
The Papillon Group Vice President of Marketing Robert Graff says the partnership was predicated on the two companies sharing a similar vision and operational philosophy.
“We looked around the landscape and wanted to partner with a company that was reliable, had a solid reputation within the industry, and would offer a new dimension to current tour offerings,” said Graff. “Most of all, we wanted a like-minded tour company to work with that also cared about the customer service and experience as we do.”
The newly designed blended tours depart from Las Vegas and Boulder City, Nev., and from Sedona, Phoenix and Scottsdale.
“From Las Vegas, visitors will climb aboard a state-of-the-art Scenic Airlines touring Vistaliner featuring panoramic windows for a front row experience of the majesty and beauty of the Grand Canyon,” said Ferguson. “The flight will take visitors over beautiful Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the majestic Colorado River on their way to the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim, and upon landing there, visitors will then join Pink Jeep Tours in a signature open-air pink Jeep Wrangler for a tour of the South Rim on the Ultimate Grand Entrance Tour.”
“We are always pleased to see increased cooperation between local businesses,” said Sedona Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff. “Both companies have incredible brand recognition, not only domestically, but internationally as well.”
The international reputation built by both Pink Jeep Tours and The Papillion Group is expected to provide enormous benefits to Sedona and Flagstaff in terms of increased tourism spending, as both cities are located between the central hubs of Phoenix, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.
“The Grand Canyon currently attracts five million visitors a year, and this new product will enhance the natural connection between the two most beautiful places in Arizona,” said Wesselhoff. “That can only lead to increased visitation, which is why the partnership between Pink Jeep Tours and The Papillon Group is such a positive development for the Sedona tourism industry.”
Graff echoed this sentiment, explaining that Flagstaff has become a key destination along Pink Jeep Tours’ route from Sedona to the Grand Canyon.
“We have been fortunate to take customers on tours from Sedona to the Grand Canyon for the last seven years with Flagstaff being a focal point along the way,” he said. “People are fascinated by the history of Flagstaff and the culture of the town, and many visitors return to Flagstaff after a Pink Jeep tour to explore the town further on their own.”
“Guests will have a professional tour guide that shares fascinating facts on the flora, fauna, geology and history, deeply contributing to Pink Jeep Tours’ value, style, brand and success worldwide,” said Ferguson. “The Papillon Group will also offer an out-of-this world experience, and once guests board one of the most advanced and luxurious helicopters designed for sightseeing, they too will sit comfortably with unobstructed views of the desert Southwest.”
The partnership is expected to expand both The Papillon Group’s and Pink Jeep Tours’ regional reach. FBN