Sky Islands | Collaborative Tourism Initiative
August 2021 Update
The Sky Islands Tourism Association (SITA) launched volume one of their new Small Wonders Map with 25 participating businesses representing many of the attractions that can be found in Sonoita, Elgin, and Patagonia. Through this initiative, Local First Arizona was able to secure 4 renewing members and 8 new members for SITA and to reenergize the organization in its role as the tourism convener for their region.
The Local First Arizona Small Wonders Maps act as guides that feature locally-owned restaurants, retail shops, hotels, area attractions, and tour experiences in rural Arizona communities across the state.
These high-quality, printed, and foldable maps are very popular with tourists and locals alike who are interested in discovering unique experiences while supporting local businesses in communities where it may be more challenging to know where to go.
Maps are distributed throughout the region and in Arizona Office of Tourism certified visitors centers across the state.
For more information on Small Wonders Maps, contact Braxton Hynes at braxton@localfirstaz.com.
Rico, the Road Pup - Courtesy of Braxton Hynes
“As SITA gears up to reopen the visitor center in the Fall a celebration is in order...we survived a challenging year (due to COVID) and now have a Small Wonders Map to share with our community and with visitors!”
Where It All Began:
Located in the heart of Southern Arizona and in the Eastern region of Santa Cruz County, the communities of Patagonia, Sonoita, and Elgin comprise “the Sky Islands.” The Sky Islands touts one of the most diverse environmental ecosystems in the nation and the first and oldest vineyard in the state. The Arizona Trail winds its way into and through Patagonia with a diverse array of wildlife and unmatched birding for the outdoor enthusiast to observe. Sonita and Elgin are home to 17 wineries and distilleries, with a historic hotel that honors local ranching families and Secretariat - the 1973 Triple Crown champion.
In the Summer of 2020, the Sky Islands Tourism Association reached out to Local First Arizona for assistance in creating better collaboration amongst the hospitality and tourism businesses in the region. The organization was struggling to maintain membership and wanted to provide clear value to local business owners. With funding provided by South32, Local First Arizona engaged over 50 businesses in the area to gain a better understanding of their sense of connection to each other, their hopes for the region, and their interest in collaborative marketing. Challenges identified included:
Geographic disconnection between Sonoita and Patagonia
Lack of signage or promotion of businesses in the area (Visitor Confusion)
Lack of funding for marketing and advertising
To address these challenges, five potential solutions were presented to the group with interest arising in (1) the creation of a Local First Arizona Small Wonders Map; and (2) Google My Business hands-on workshops to enhance the online presence of local businesses to help tourists discover them more easily.
South32 again stepped up to supplement the costs of these initiatives, covering the majority of the ad placement for each business along with printing and workshop fees.
