Sedona Chamber Working with Partners on Destination Management
THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN THE RED ROCK NEWS
March 25, 2022
Thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday’s launch of the Sedona Trailhead Shuttle, an exciting new service providing free transport to Cathedral Rock, Dry Creek, Little Horse and Soldier Pass trailheads on new, very comfortable, 20-seat shuttles. The service runs from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday thru Sunday from the North SR 179 Park and Ride lot at 1294 SR 179 and the Park and Ride at Posse Grounds Park in West Sedona. The Forest Service is closing the parking lots at Cathedral Rock and Soldier Pass when the shuttle is operating to encourage ridership and make the hiking experience more enjoyable. Get more info at SedonaShuttle.com.
With the warmer early spring weather, now is the perfect time for us locals to try out the shuttle and enjoy being driven to our favorite hiking experiences. You will have less stress, no parking hassles and no fighting traffic, all while knowing you are taking personal action to reduce congestion. Try it out!
We at the Sedona Chamber want to congratulate our City Council, city management and transit manager Robert Weber for this crucial step in Sedona’s sustainability journey. It aligns perfectly with the Sedona Sustainable Tourism Plan and delivers a message to our visitors: Sedona is progressing in our environmental and quality of life commitments, and we expect our guests to literally get on board and be part of the solution.
The trailhead shuttle also aligns with our goal of educating everyone in responsible outdoor recreation. In recent months, we have discussed with the City Council how outdoor destinations like Sedona have exploded in popularity across the United States, a trend we experienced firsthand in 2021. Industry research shows no letup in the number of people traveling and their desire to visit the great outdoors, meaning our mission to educate visitors on respectful interaction with our community and environment is more critical than ever. For example, every day more Sedona businesses are supporting Leave No Trace, a partnership we launched in November. Together, we are sharing the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace through our Visitor Center, Sedona hotels, restaurants, retailers and other visitor touch points all over town. When put into practice, these easy-to-follow environmental tips, such as properly disposing of waste, leaving the natural environment undisturbed and minimizing campfire risks, help first time travelers new to outdoor recreation ‘leave no trace’ while experiencing Red Rock Country. You can review the Seven Principles for yourself at SedonaLeaveNoTrace.com.
I also hope you’ll review the Sedona Cares Pledge at SedonaCares.com. Not just for visitors, the Pledge is an excellent review of the right way to enjoy Sedona – whether visiting or residing here. Like our ambassador program educating OHV users on ridership safety and etiquette, the Pledge helps drive the message that Sedona supports environmental and social responsibility, and we expect visitors to participate.
You can count on the Chamber to share these and other education programs in the FY23 destination management strategy we are developing in partnership with Sedona City Council. Working as partners, we are continually refining plans to protect our natural resources, respect our resident quality of life and support our tourism-based economy. Because for Sedona, sustainability is not just a word, it’s our purpose.
–Michelle Conway, Interim President/CEO
Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau