March 12, 2020

Good afternoon,
So much is going on in the world right now, with tourism and the impact to our industry front-and-center in many stories. We’ve heard from so many of you and thank you for sharing your stories with us. We know you’re facing substantial challenges now and into the foreseeable future.

We want you to know that we’re with you every step of the way. With that in mind, I wanted to share the latest updates with you.

• As of noon Thursday, March 12, there are no travel restrictions within the United States.

• Yesterday afternoon, Governor Ducey issued a Declaration of Emergency, which is designed to provide fast access to the tools that health officials and administrators need to address the spread of COVID-19. The governor also issued an Executive Order focused on protecting Arizonans and high-risk populations from the virus. The governor and his team are committed to keeping COVID-19 as their top priority and will update the public accordingly.

• Last night, President Trump enacted a 30-day ban on inbound travel from European countries to the United States, starting at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 13. It is critical to note that U.S. residents will still be able to enter, but will be screened and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

• With support from the U.S. Travel Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Congress is considering several actions to provide COVID-19 relief, including paid sick leave, enhanced unemployment insurance, food security, medical testing and treatment and more for our industry.

• AOT launched the UnRealSpringDeals.com campaign this week to help boost travel from in-state and drive markets to support March visitation. Participation in this campaign is open to all. If you’re interested, please contact Gregg Butler-Gant at Expedia.

The Arizona Office of Tourism will continue to promote facts over fear. We recommend visiting the U.S. State Department advisory page prior to travel. For the latest information regarding COVID-19 we are continuing to direct people to the CDC and the Arizona Department of Health Services.

We are working alongside industry, state and national partners to provide you the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Please reach out to me or key AOT staff members with any questions or concerns:

Debbie Johnson, Director
djohnson@tourism.az.gov
(602) 625-3812

Josh Coddington, Director of Communications & PIO
djohnson@tourism.az.gov
(480) 438-4700

Alix Skelpsa Ridgway, Director of Government & Community Relations
aridgway@tourism.az.gov
(480) 272-4274

QUICK LINKS:
View Governor Ducey’s latest COVID-19 press release here.
View Governor Ducey’s Emergency Declaration here.
View Governor Ducey’s Executive Order here.
View details from the White House here.
View travel industry details from the U.S. Travel Association here.

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