Parker, Arizona - PARKER AREA TOURISM TIDBITS

PARKER AREA TOURISM TIDBITS
JANUARY 2003

TOURISM COMMITTEE LAUNCHES AGGRESSIVE MARKETING PLAN FOR FIRST QUARTER
Working on the theme of "Where you should be in 2003", the Parker Area Tourism Committee is coming off the starting line with a new and aggressive marketing plan for the first quarter of the new year.

JANUARY
The wheels are in motion for a media campaign in Los Angeles. Using the KTM Parker 250, (January 3-4), and Parker 425, (February 6-9), Off Road Races as the focal point, Parker should be "in the news" soon.

In parallel Parker will be well represented at a 20' booth display at the Arizona Boat Show, January 9th -12th, in Phoenix.

January will also feature the ever popular line dancing at La Paz County Park with a "Line Dancing Festival, Jan. 24th-26th.

FEBRUARY
February will be another exciting month as the Parker 425, presented by BlueWater Resort and Casino should bring back all of the big names in Off Road Racing.

February 20th, the Tourism Committee will welcome back La Mesa RV in a two event show. The first will be at Western Park, February 21st-28th, the second at La Paz County Park, March 5-16.

February 15th-23rd your Committee will again be at the Southern California Boat Show. This has always been a "benchmark event and we are looking forward to representing all of the wonderful assets in our area.

MARCH
March will feature a new event to the community, as La Paz County Park will play host to the first Parker Bluegrass Festival, March 7-9.

The committee has been working hand in hand with L and S promotions in support of this new and exciting event.
That same weekend Parker will welcome back one of the region's most significant races on the water. The fastest water ski racers in the world will race on the old Enduro course up and down the river in the Parker International Water Ski Races, March 8th and 9th.

Now we recognize that there are oh so many other activities going on in the area but these are but a few of those that the Tourism Committee is playing a major supportive role in helping to promote.

SHEA ROAD SPECTATOR AREA OPENS FOR PARKER 425!
As the Parker 425 gets closer, we wanted to be sure that our readers were clearly informed of the viewing areas for the event.

The race will start in front of the Chamber of Commerce and will proceed, (with some BLM slight course changes), through the normal designated Parker 400 course.

The viewing areas will involve SHEA ROAD, BOUSE SPECTATOR AREA AND MIDWAY, (maps will be available soon at the Chamber).

WELCOME NEW PLEDGE PARTNER-BULLDOG LOCK AND KEY
As many of you in the Parker area already know, Dave Shelton has acquired this outstanding business. Dave, a long time member of the Tourism Committee, has graciously joined the Pledge Partner program with his financial support. Dave and Bulldog Lock and Key may be reached at 928-669-6420 or via mobile at 928-669-4792.

PARKER TOURISM HAS NEW WEB ADDRESS!
It's a new address and will feature a new look in 2003. Your PLEDGE PARTNER SITE IS NOW AT WWW.PARKERTOURISM.COM
Watch for us with a new "hot link"... now on mad dog wireless's "e-press"

WEB SITE HIT REPORT
Another great month! TOTAL HITS... 11/04-12/16... 102,438 !
This brings the total from February to December to 887,845... WILL WE MAKE A MILLION???? Stay tuned!

SURVEY! SURVEY! SURVEY!
Over the next few months the Tourism Committee will be launching an in depth survey. The program will entail two phases. PHASE ONE will be a lodging visitor count. This will involve a simple questionnaire, (which may be done anonymously). The questions will be; Total number of annual visitors; a percentage breakdown of winter and summer followed by awareness of the Tourism Committees efforts and any suggestions anyone might have. These surveys are important to the annual funding available to our Tourism efforts and we strongly encourage that every entity fill out the forms when they are delivered.

PHASE TWO will be a merchant questionnaire. This will focus on both the Downtown and Up River merchants, and will ask two simple questions. (1) What percentage of your overall business is Tourism related ?.. And, (2), On a 1-10 scale, how important is tourism to your overall business success?

This survey will be conducted in person and is based on the premise that "you think you know what you know... but do you really know?"

We appreciate everyone's help in getting to the bottom of what we think we know... J

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