TheTourism Edition
Sedona, AZ — Hello, Sedona Community!
I’m Bear Howard, your new unpaid field reporter, philosopher, and political culture enthusiast, ready to sprinkle some fun into your day with the latest buzz from Sedona! With decades as a self-proclaimed new-age guru and a treasure trove of Sedona wisdom, I’m here to share fresh insights and spark some lively discussions on the topics that matter to us all.
Let’s dive into the lively world of Sedona’s local chatter—especially that fascinating obsession on Next Door with traffic and how it ties into tourism. Now, let’s be real; facing the truth can be about as comfortable as wearing a cactus as a hat. It’s easy to ignore the elephant (or should I say the tour bus?) in the room. But here’s the scoop: that traffic you’re frustrated with? Yep, it’s the direct result of tourists flocking to our beautiful little slice of paradise. And guess what? That traffic means our economy is thriving, bringing loads of benefits to us locals!
And don’t forget, while tourists shell out a 3.5% bed tax on hotels and Airbnb’s, plus another 3.5% on everything they buy in the City of Sedona, we locals get off easy with just that same 3.5% on our local purchases. More tourists mean more bucks rolling into Sedona! And tourists bucks pay the majority of the bills Sedona City pays – not locals. Hallelujah!
Speaking of bucks, let’s talk Whole Foods. This grocery mecca doesn’t just pop up anywhere. They want areas with at least 200,000 people within a 20-minute drive and a well-educated crowd. With fewer than 10,000 residents, Sedona would not typically make the cut. But guess what? We’ve got a Whole Foods here! Hallelujah!
Why? It’s not just us locals filling their registers—oh no! It’s the thousands of tourists who swing by. If you’re curious, ask the store manager how much of their business comes from these fabulous visitors—even though they do love us locals!
Now, some folks are on a mission to dial down tourism and create a more tranquil atmosphere. But here’s the reality check: lose those tourist dollars, and we might say goodbye to Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and even our beloved Bashas’s and Safeway. Four grocery stores for 8,000 residents? Come on! Not to mention Harkins movie theaters, the Sedona Film Festival, and all those fancy restaurants and art galleries that thrive on tourism. If we rolled back tourism to the ’90s or early 2000s, imagine how many businesses would vanish into thin air!
Traffic has been the hot topic for over twenty years. Before they jazzed up 179, it was already a mess—especially during spring break, holidays, and fall. Thankfully, Google Maps has our backs, keeping us in the loop on traffic conditions. If I choose a route and know I’ll be stuck for a bit longer, I can plan accordingly. And if you want the lowdown on traffic, check out SedonaTraffic.com.
Getting all riled up about traffic won’t change the fact that living in a resort town with limited routes is part of the gig. As much as we wish we could wave a magic wand and make it disappear, it’s not in the cards.
Sure, they’re planning some changes around 179, like the Ranger Rd extension to 89A and the Forest Rd extension, but let’s be real—backups during peak times are here to stay. When you connect the dots, it’s clear how intertwined everything is. Our wonderful restaurants, shops, and theaters depend on tourists for support. So instead of viewing tourists as the enemy, let’s embrace them as our friends and allies!
Alright, that’s the scoop on traffic and tourism in Sedona! Let’s celebrate our vibrant community and work together to improve it for everyone—residents and visitors alike. Let’s be selfish, let’s use some of those tourist bucks to make improvements that add to the pleasure of living in Sedona!
And remember, the key to happiness in Sedona? Stop obsessing over Next Door! Get outdoors, take a stroll, catch a movie, and enjoy a delicious dinner at Mariposa, Café Jose, Gerardo’s, or your favorite dining establishment. And smile – you get to live in paradise while you are alive!!
Cheers!
Bear Howard
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15 Comments
Sales tax is almost 10%
Thank you Mr. Howard. I enjoy your positive vibe and realistic view on Sedona. Hope you are a regular contributer here! A breath of fresh air!
Hi Bear.
And welcome. I’m happy you found a platform to express your views.
But I’m a calling humbug on this one. And I find the endless strawman articles borderline deceitful. Everyone recognizes the financial benefits and increased amenities by living in a tourist town, just as the cons aren’t lost on anyone either.
I don’t think we need to put too much weight on people complaining about traffic like it’s a special thing. While we may have some unique challenges—especially around evacuation planning—dishing on traffic is an American pastime from coast to coast.
And very few people are advocating for significant reductions in tourism. But many of us are concerned about growth. It’s the unending growth that articles like this routinely ignore. I think it’s purposeful.
So I ask you: when is it enough? You mentioned all the delights we have at current levels; do you need more? 10 grocery stores perhaps? What’s your limit or should there be none?
Destinations all over the planet are putting limits on tourism growth because the “never-enders” went too far. The glossy pictures vs. the actual experiences have massively departed for so many places, including some of our own.
I haven’t been back to Devil’s Bridge in a few years, but I took some visitors I had in town the last time I was there. The number of people was unfathomable to me, and very different from just a few years prior. It was like a slow line at an overcrowded amusement park. It was so terrible that one of my guests commented “This sucks” and wanted to go off trail instead. It is possible to ruin this place.
So, do we build 5 more massive hotels? 50 maybe? More businesses that hire many dozens of employees at lower wages who will have difficulty finding homes?
If a business can’t pay enough to attract employees, it’s okay if they fail. Other entrepreneurs can take their place—ideally smaller, local businesses with lighter staffing needs. It shouldn’t be a problem at all. We don’t need unending growth, and many of us don’t want it. That’s what cities are for. You yourself seem quite satisfied today. I am as well.
I’m not a doom slinger or against business growth but articles like these mischaracterize the conversation.
Agreed with everything you wrote up until this:
“If a business can’t pay enough to attract employees, it’s okay if they fail. Other entrepreneurs can take their place—ideally smaller, local businesses with lighter staffing needs.“
It may be ok with you if people don’t have or lose work, can’t afford their staff or lose their livelihood businesses but people who care about others are definitely not ok with that. Not everyone has money to shite! Otherwise the rest of your post makes fairly good sense.
I’m not as cold around the heart as you might think. (But it is chilly.)
It’s interesting: Sedona used to have far less homes but was more assessable to different income levels. Someone with the data would have to do the analysis, but I’m guessing STRs aren’t the biggest driver. I could be wrong. I’d be curious to know how many new units have been built in the VV in last 10 years verse the number converted to short term rentals.
I think the biggest driver is increased demand. In my view, limiting massive new developments that require many dozens of new workers will make it easier for the people who are already here to find homes. If a massive new hotel pops up and fails, I really don’t care.
Not always, but too often for me, City Council and Staff seem to favor these large developments (and their developers) knowing full well the knock-on effects. It’s difficult for me not to think it’s purposeful at this point—cause a crisis and use it to overdevelop further. Solve nothing, pave the whole place with 5 story buildings. And so on it goes.
It seems more plausible when you notice that there is never an adult conversation about limits. Every conversation is about more. In one of the most embarrassing moments I ever witnessed at a Council meeting, a former member threw their hands in the air and announced “The people are coming!” as if we were agentless victims with no ability to be purposeful about growth and tourism.
Ok thanks for clarifying.
I understand your frustration with the way things have and are growing in and around Sedona. I have lived all over our country and in numerous other countries and the problem of growth overwhelming housing availability is the same everywhere except for the well off who can afford to build isolated homes and gated communities in a few rare places that haven’t been developed. Water availability is likely going to be the determining factor of where people who can afford it move to. Those who cannot afford to move around will be screwed and ultimately parish. Housing availability will be largely based upon water. For example there are thousands of homes available in the town around the Salton Sea in SOCAL. This is because there is no potable water and the water land and air in and around the “sea” are highly contaminated from overuse and agricultural chemical usage from farming. Phoenix is headed in the very same direction and so is Salt Lake City.
For now why can’t we take care of the homeless workers of Sedona by providing them at least the bare minimum in the form of the safe park until the city can persuade the nay sayers to allow a more permanent housing solution to be developed? The people are coming, they are also leaving. I’ve seen numerous homes up for sale in West Sedona over the past two years. This indicates people in one way or another have left. Their homes while competitively priced are way out of price range for the average person desiring to work and live here, so they usually end up sold to monopolized STR companies.
Until the state reverses the damage Ducey did to this community and all Arizona communities the problem of un housed employees will exist. So why not do right by them and support the safe park as a temporary solution?
Yeah, it will be interesting to see where that lands. I am glad we’re having a referendum on it. I think it’s important for residents to have direct input on significant decisions.
While a car park isn’t my preferred option today, I’ll be happy with what the town decides. Consider this: the City and Staff are spending like $30,000,000 on a small parking garage in Uptown that many residents don’t want. My neighbor just built a 1br casita in her yard at a cost of about $150,000. If there were ways to deal with regulatory hurdles, and if that $30M was to be spent, I’d much prefer those dollars go to grants for willing homeowners to build casitas for LTR purposes for a set number of years. Using my neighbor’s numbers, which are high, the City could have covered 200 full builds instead of the garage. Residential properties would become more valuable, low density housing stock would be added, and units distributed so not to cause additional bottlenecks for evacuations. But again, that’d only be impactful if massive new developments were slowed.
A long-term idea like this might not be for everyone, but because the City shut out meaningful resident participation by removing resident commissions (etc.) we’ve been stuck with “their way or the highway” for a long time. And given that choice, I believe more and more people will take the highway.
“we’ve been stuck with “their way or the highway” for a long time. And given that choice, I believe more and more people will take the highway”
So despite elections and despite having had GOP and DEM Mayors there is no input from locals on local decisions made by mayors and staff of all political parties and economic ideologies?
It’s been a nonpartisan council since I’ve been here, but I understand your point. And I think it’s an important one.
For me personally, I’ve had good relationships with many councilors and staff. They’ve been engaging with me and generally put in some time to listen. It was disappointing to read in RRN how they refer to people like me in private, but I’ll live.
But how nice or cruel, how engaging or repelling, is entirely beside the point. The question is how much say should residents have on highly impactful municipal projects? When it really counts, city government seems to become far less open and, at times, borderline hostile. Again, see RRN or note the times they’ve used admin procedures instead of legislative ones, which avoids potential veto referenda. I get it; lots of folks on here are in to that. That’s fine. I’m not. It’s my view that we should have more referendums, more resident commissions, more meaningful engagement.
And I think that’s especially important now as Sedona is at a crossroads when it comes to development and the massive changes being contemplated. Those types of changes should be voted on directly. And if the Council and Staff knew those changes would be voted on, they’d likely be far more eager to do the hard work of building real consensus ahead of time.
I agree 100% that residents should have a vote on all major projects. The safe park is ultimately being voted upon. Makes it easier than people making excuses for not wanting to help our un housed employees by claiming only a brick and mortar location over a temporary in vehicle (which is where they currently live without amenities or security) location when they know darn well they’d shout and vote down any other options to include a brick and mortar location. If they would just confess that they do not want any homeless people seen in Sedona ever that would go a long way rather than all the excuse making.
Hopefully the City government has learned some lessons from this proposal and how to make these large projects something we all can vote upon since we all have to live with or without whatever is proposed.
I feel they’ve done the right thing by putting the proposal on the ballot rather than caving to hysterical boogie man nonsense the ney sayers pick up on from foreign influence propaganda.
When we came here in 1995 .. Sedona was considered a small town… familys and generations of residents.. NOT A TOURIST TOWN… how did this happen?? PEOPLE WAITING A HOUR AT DEVILS BRIDGE TO HAVE A PHOTO TAKEN…. WHY??”
I am a senior and am sad to see the closing of Big Park school why ?? the tourist trade has really changed the Vib.. AS a reader in uptown.. I remember people saying which way to the Vortex??? and getting there as quick as POSSIBLE before Lunch.. !! Oh well…Thanks and Love…..LL
The world got bigger and faster that’s how and why.
Funny you dont think that Air B&B didnt do enough damage to neighborhoods over just 5 years time? In 1986 is when everything started to change with the Harmonic Convergence! Without any base, room, or good locations to highways you think industry was made for Sedona? Tech sure wasnt big or the internet either. You talk old, and think old. Look at cottonwood, everything has been about the wine industry/tourism.
WS Dave what kind of tech would you like to see come to Sedona other than a good reliable and fast internet provider? Just curious.
I like tech that is useful and am a gadget head. When I left the Army I began seeing many things in the civilian sector that we lacked or had extremely outdated versions of. I saw ski goggles with built in HUD which displayed location, direction and a few other things I can’t recall. In the Army we just began using GPS and SINGARS, we didn’t have eyewear that could tell us pertinent info live. The military has been working on mixed reality combat goggles-
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2022/09/27/new-rollout-for-the-armys-22-billion-mixed-reality-combat-goggles/
But they’re having issues with weight causing neck stress but batteries and gps units are getting increasingly smaller.
I’m an avid ruck marcher and used to do military orienteering competitions in the Swiss Alps, Tiroli Dolomites and Appuani/Apennine-mountain ranges. Also did winter warfare training in all those places. As students we had Korean War Era Mickey Mouse boots, finger mittens, parkas while our instructors donned new Gortex everything over bear suits. We didn’t have the fantastic compact lightweight electrolytes and energy gels, tabs, capsules or even protein stroop waffles. Instead our medic lugged a bottle of Pedialyte, maybe some salt tabs and we each carried an MRE or LRRP ration as we did on missions. Now there are entire meals that come in powder pouches with replaceable twist tops, just add water and you get all of the nutrients of a well balanced meal. How I wish we’d had that kind of stuff. Life would have been much lighter. Instead we jumped 120lb rucks laden with a 80lb Laser Range Finder, Combat Medic Aid Bags, Ammo, Prick and Tab B radios for calling support units with. One quickly learns weight matters and the smaller and lighter the gear the better.
Drones were coming out and I had an opportunity to learn to fly them and also test out a bunch of uniforms and equipment in various climates from extreme cold weather in Norway, Jungle in FL, Desert in Yuma. I got deployed before I had the chance. But despite also being terrifying weapons platforms they are valuable to many first responder missions and can carry things like AED’s, Insulin etc. They are used in de mining and firefighting missions, can help law enforcement and SAR units.
I wasn’t a big fan of computers when they became utilized by most everyone in the military around 85-86. The Signal and Admin folks used them on a regular basis and our Fire Direction Centers had rudimentary computers to formulate targeting trajectories, range and so forth. We started with 1970 era computers with the font in tritium green. The explanations on how to use them went straight over my head. Then when I left the Army and became a SWAT Team Leader for a new Federal Team I had to develop and write all news SOP’s, Training Manuals and do in focus presentations. Fortunately one of my snipers was also a computer geek and had great patience with me. He taught me all the basics in plain speak and I fell in love with the ability to research anything I could think of with a push of a few buttons rather than physical finding and reading manuals, law books etc.
I also recognized that as with the drones that technology can be horrific. Future wars will consist of Bukes and Chemical Weapons being launched, Critical Infrastructure being hacked and shut down or caused to malfunction, AI swarms of unmanned vehicles in space, in the air on the land, on and below the seas will follow. They will decimate everything they can for weeks possibly months before humans (if there are any remaining) step foot on the battlefield(s) and then they will fight with a continued combination of manned vehicles and all of the aforementioned methods.
Definitely not anything I’d wish anyone to experience but sadly we have morons seeking power who’d do exactly that.
Cottonwood is my preferred place to have a nice meal over Sedona anytime. They are doing things right down in Old Town to be sure.Have a good Veterans Day before I forget.
JB….it was more answering a old person’s view of Sedona from the 90s. Most of Arizona is tourism….so to think we would ever have heavy manufacturing or tech( which wasn’t around in the 90s) beautiful views usually are touristy…..
For some reason people hate change….my whole life nothing was ever safe,easy……if anyone who didn’t grow up here, I will bet 99.99% they visited and decided to move here.
And yes my internet absolutely sucks here…so bad I can’t rely on it to stream anything….so I still have a dish….and cable here is a unreliable joke.