Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) announced the release of the 2017 Arizona Wine Study carried out by the NAU Alliance Bank Business Outreach Center. The media has begun to pick up on the growth of the economic impact, especially when compared to the 2011 report.
Arizona Wine Tourism Contributes $56 Million in Economic Impact
In partnership with Northern Arizona University and 11 local co-sponsors, an update to a 2011 wine tourism study was conducted this year to measure the economic impact and growth of Arizona’s wine industry. Visitors to wineries and tasting rooms across the state were surveyed from February to May 2017. NAU estimates those visitors contributed $56 million in economic impact for the state, a significant increase from the $37 million estimated six years ago.”
View the full 2017 Arizona Wine Study report here: tourism.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/AHRRC-AZWineTourismStudy-2017-report_07-18-17.pdf
The KJZZ 91.5 release:
The Grand Canyon is most often associated with tourism in our state, but Arizona’s wine industry is flexing more muscle. A new report finds the annual economic impact of wine tourism is $56.2 million, up nearly $20 million since the last study in 2011.
The report produced by the Alliance Bank Business Outreach Center at Northern Arizona University uses a formula to include direct, indirect and induced spending and a multiplier effect…
The ABC15 release:
A newly-released study by Northern Arizona University shows Arizona wine tourism generates more than $56 million a year. State and local municipalities are un-corking $3.6 million in tax revenue. Surprising even tourism officials, more than 40 percent of winery visitors come from out of state.
“They get to come here and have an experience at an Arizona winery that can rival California,” said Debbie Johnson, Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “It’s great news,” she said.
The study found nearly 80 percent of wine tourists had an experience “exceeding” their expectations.