Personalizing the Tourism Experience With Debbie Johnson, Director at the Arizona Office of Tourism

Debbie Johnson is the Director at the Arizona Office of Tourism. She has extensive experience in the travel and tourism industry. Debbie served as President and CEO of the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association for 12 years after serving in the same capacity for the Valley Hotel & Resort Association for 20 years. What you’ll learn in this episode: When we got hit with the pandemic and the world shut down, people waited for the days when traveling was safe again. Travel habits have changed, and people want a more personalized experience. How can states meet the new demands and keep tourism alive and well in the wake of the pandemic?  During the first 18 months of the pandemic, Arizona had a record number of in-state tourists, according to the Arizona Office of Tourism Director Debbie Johnson. Her office realized people still wanted to travel, so they’re helping them do it safely. Now that the pandemic is largely behind us, Debbie’s office is working to personalize the tourist experience in Arizona by creating itineraries that offer five suggestions for out-of-state travelers based on what they’d like to see and experience. Debbie says that it’s a tool that people love.  On this episode of From Persona to Personal, Roger Hurni welcomes Debbie Johnson, Director at the Arizona Office of Tourism, for an in-depth conversation about personalizing tourism. She shares how her office develops campaigns to encourage travelers to come to Arizona and explore everything it has to offer. Debbie talks about simplifying the travel experience and how to make traveling to Arizona easy to create a better overall travel experience.