Since high school, Allison Wiltfong has known she wants to work in the hotel industry. She is now about to graduate from Northern Arizona University (NAU) with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) and live her dream. After working in restaurants during high school to make extra money, Wiltfong was instantly drawn to the industry. She came to NAU specifically for its HRM program because it is looked upon so highly. “I just chose the school for the HRM program,” Wiltfong said. … [Read more...] about Students Linking NAU and Tourism Economy
tourism economy
Winterfest and Growing Winter Tourism and Recreation Economy
Northern Arizona’s high-elevation winters have long been desert havens for snow sports like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and even dogsled racing. A growing number of visitors have been choosing Northern Arizona as their wintertime destination for more simple pleasures – enjoying local shops and restaurants and recreating at newly-opened snow play areas like Wing Mountain and Fort Tuthill. The recent growth in Flagstaff's wintertime tourism economy is no coincidence, according to Jacki … [Read more...] about Winterfest and Growing Winter Tourism and Recreation Economy
Fuel Prices Creating Bottom Line Challenges
The owner of Red Rock Cafe in Sedona is frustrated by the high price of gasoline. Jeff Wetmore says he made forecasts for 2011 based on positive upward trends he saw during the last quarter of 2010. "We thought our business would move up 10-12 percent over last year, but it is flat or even slightly down." Wetmore blames gas prices for keeping tourists at home. "There is a definite impact on my business and I think it is true of all restaurants and probably true of hotels and lodging … [Read more...] about Fuel Prices Creating Bottom Line Challenges