Sedona News – A coalition of over 70 businesses and organizations located throughout Sedona and the Verde Valley have recently joined forces to create the Sedona Verde Valley Marketing Alliance (SVVMA). This new effort of the Sedona Lodging Council is united by a mission to reintroduce Sedona and the greater Verde Valley region as an ideal vacation destination. It is designed to attract visitors to the region during the slower summer months.
With a campaign slogan of “Rediscover Sedona,” the SVVMA’s marketing efforts are particularly focused on encouraging high-income individuals from the Phoenix area and Southern California to visit Sedona and the Verde Valley – not only for its profound natural beauty, but also for its world-class shopping, dining, wellness, and arts and culture scenes. The first phase of the marketing campaign will last through the summer of 2023 and will be followed by a long-term program intended to keep Sedona and the Verde Valley competitive with other destinations and help the region retain its market share of tourism spending going forward.
“This new marketing effort is a way for all our local businesses to have a say in how we promote Sedona,” said Cheryl Barron, owner of Whispering Creek B&B and lead for SVVMA. “Our goal is to encompass the destination and all it has to offer, as well as the responsibility to respect our red rock country.”
Funded by Sedona and Verde Valley businesses, as well as members of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau and the Sedona Lodging Council, the campaign will include a variety of digital marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts. The SVVMA is hiring the Sedona Chamber to administer the campaign, including invoicing and paying for the costs of the effort using the funds invested by the businesses participating.
“The SCC&TB’s mission is to help local businesses and bolster our economy, which aligns well with the SVVMA’s mission. As Sedona’s only certified Destination Marketing Organization, we are happy to provide marketing consultation, professional insight, and administrative assistance to support this program,” said Michelle Conway, President/CEO of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau.
The SVVMA is comprised of a diverse assortment of businesses and organizations. For instance, several of the area’s most well-known hotels have joined, including Arabella Hotel Sedona, Arroyo Pinion Hotel, Sedona Real Inn & Suites, El Portal Sedona Hotel, Enchantment Resort and many others. The shopping and dining sector is also well-represented, with members currently including Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village, Sinagua Plaza, Hillside Sedona Shopping Center and numerous boutiques, as well as Canyon Breeze, Open Range Grill & Tavern, El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano, Golden Goose American Grill and Sedona Pizza. Other members include art galleries such as Rowe Gallery, Exposures Fine Art and Mountain Trails Gallery, tour providers such as Pink Jeep Tours, Verde Canyon Railroad and Red Rock Balloon Adventures, and businesses in the wellness space.
“With the natural beauty of the red rocks, Sedona has been a creative center since the 1950s and continues to support a thriving community of award-winning artists and fine art galleries,” said Julie Williams of Mountain Trails Gallery, Tlaquepaque. “That tradition continues as art collectors will find a large variety of paintings, sculpture, glass, pottery, and other mediums to satisfy their artistic desires. We invite art lovers to visit Sedona and see for themselves what so many have known for years.”
As the first phase of its marketing campaign launches, the SVVMA is looking forward to fueling interest in Sedona and the Verde Valley as a vacation destination, as well as encouraging other businesses in the region to join in support of its efforts. To learn more, visit SVVMarketingAlliance.com.