Black Meetings and Tourism

Black Meetings & Tourism June/July 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 53 Department of Transportation, average round-trip airfare to and from Sky Harbor has been below the national average for the past 12 years. And Sky Harbor consistently has the most inexpensive round-trip airfare averages among of the nation's top 10 busiest airports." "The convention center is only six miles from the airport, and the average taxi fare for that trip is $16," MacKenzie con- tinues. "That's way less than in most cities. You can also ride the light rail from the airport to downtown for $1.75." MacKenzie calls Phoenix's year-round sunny weather its "biggest added value," noting that the summer off-season is ripe with special deals and incentives at local hotels, resorts and meeting facilities. The recession has also sparked a number of special offers. "High-end properties that typically charge $300 a night in peak season are offering rooms for $89 to $125," MacKenzie says. "There are also a lot of stay-two-nights-get-the-third-free deals out there." Standard convention services include site inspections, assistance with bid proposals and registration, a PassKey housing reservation system and promotional materials. Meeting groups and other visitors will find a wide array of things to see and do in the area, including African-American heritage attractions like the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, located in the former Phoenix Union Colored High School; the Black Theatre Troupe, which performs at the Helen K. Mason Center for the Performing Arts; the Swindall House, site of the only local hotel for Black guests during segregation; and Tanner Chapel African American Episcopal Church, the city's oldest Black church. Other possibilities for the leisure itinerary include the Phoenix Downtown Skyline with Capitol Dome in foregound Photo Credit: Phoenix CVB

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