New residents aren’t the only ones who flock to Phoenix. Tourism is one of the metropolitan area’s leading businesses. and employs about 300,000 people year around to support this thriving industry. Those who live here find the relationship with tourism is a profitable one both financially and personally. As a result, restaurants, retail centers and recreational outlets targeted to tourists are available to them all year.
Large scale conventions and trade shows are held in the Phoenix Civic Plaza as well as the Cardinals Stadium, when they are not playing of course. The convention and meeting industry is an important one, injecting more than $7 billion into the area economy.
The ease of getting to and from the Valley boosts its status as a popular vacation and convention destination. Once visitors find they have arrived there are approximately 60,000 motel and hotel rooms available in properties ranging from five-star resorts in Scottsdale to bed and breakfast inns to sleek business hotels in downtown Phoenix. The airport system includes Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is the eleventh busiest in the country for passengers and takeoffs and landings.
Nearby, Deer Valley and Goodyear airports are busy and contribute to the more than 400,000 jobs that are provided by the Phoenix airport system.
