As Tusayan’s Mayor and Town Council work to effectively market the community to potential visitors, a new National Park Service report shows that 4.7 million visitors to Grand Canyon National Park in 2023 spent $768 million in communities near the park.

The study says that spending supported 10,100 jobs in the  area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $1.0 billion.

The Town of Tusayan is finishing a new promotional video as well as engaging in multiple social media campaigns. It has also been using new software to determine what areas and tourists are most likely to have been prior to visiting Tusayan.

Tusayan recently took over marketing duties from the Grand Canyon Convention and Visitors Bureau, which had been using resources to promote communities outside of Tusayan such as Valle and Williams.

The National Park Service report, 2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. This spending supported 415,400 jobs, provided $19.4 billion in labor income and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.

“We’re excited to see how the Grand Canyon continues to drive economic growth in our local communities,” said Grand Canyon Superintendent Ed Keable is quoted in a news release on the study. “The spending by our visitors not only underscores the park’s allure but also highlights its vital role in supporting jobs and boosting the regional economy.”

Tusayan is working with the Arizona office of Tourism to develop a multi-year, multi-channel approach to a strategic marketing plan. The Town anticipates targeting airports in Phoenix and Las Vegas where Placer software suggests that visitors are most likely to travel from to the Canyon.

The ad campaign, with some assistance from the AOT would likely include:

• Print Media
• Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube)
• Billboards
• Airport Billboards
• Trade Shows
• Trade Missions
• Website Design (Redesign Explore Tusayan)
• Video Services
• Radio