Nogales chamber wins state visitor‑center certification; tourism numbers remain soft
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Summary
The Nogales‑Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce reported state visitor‑center certification and a new partnership campaign, but noted declines in international visitors that have reduced bed tax revenue; the chamber also described business onboarding assistance and a new "Lisela" onboarding tool.
Olivia Ainsa, president of the Nogales‑Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce, presented the chamber—s first quarter tourism activity report to the council on Nov. 5 and said the chamber has been certified as an official Arizona Department of Tourism visitor center.
Ainsa said the chamber will partner with the Arizona Department of Tourism and a vendor, Herman Global, on a marketing campaign called "Travel and Follow the Crowd" to promote Nogales and Santa Cruz County as a "hidden gem" destination for outdoor recreation; the overall campaign cost exceeds $10,000 and the chamber's share will be $3,000 with the state covering the balance.
The chamber reported declines in international visitors, which Ainsa attributed in part to fewer Canadian visitors and to travel hesitancy for cross‑border trips. Council members noted bed tax receipts have fallen sharply between months, reducing local tourism revenue.
On business services, Ainsa and councilors described a new onboarding and business assistance process coordinated between the chamber and city business office (the "Lisela"/Acela program) to reduce start‑up lag times and provide technical support to new businesses; the city funds the chamber at $50,000 annually and the chamber said it uses those funds to serve both members and non‑members with outreach and connections.
"This campaign is gonna be serving as a social media platform to highlight hiking, biking, RV exploration and outdoor adventure," Ainsa said. She asked council for continued collaboration and support for tourism and small‑business assistance.
