Thread: Ariz. panel recommends good PR to deal with fallout

Ariz. panel recommends good PR to deal with fallout

Mary Jo Pitzl -
Jun. 30, 2010 06:26 PM
The Arizona Republic

There's no need to rebrand Arizona to counteract negative publicity from the state's new immigration law, a tourism task force has concluded.

But a little publicity on what Senate Bill 1070 does - and doesn't do - would help, the task force concluded. Its members on Wednesday recommended to Gov. Jan Brewer that the task force hire a public-relations firm to develop and disseminate a fact sheet on the law, which takes effect July 29.

SB 1070 makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It requires police engaged in a lawful stop, detention or arrest shall, when practicable, inquire about an individual's immigration status when there is reasonable suspicion that the person is in the United States illegally.

Since Brewer signed the bill into law in April, boycotts - both real and threatened - have besieged the state's tourism and convention business. Two weeks after the signing, the governor met with tourism officials to discuss rebranding and repositioning the state with both national and international markets.

But after six weeks of work, the task force decided Arizona doesn't need a new marketing campaign, said Sherry Henry, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. The factors that entice people to Arizona, from its mild winter weather and resorts to the Grand Canyon and recreational opportunities, still exist.

"It isn't about rebranding Arizona," she said. "It's about telling our story."

Henry said the volunteer task force of lodging, restaurant and hospitality representatives hopes to have a public-relations firm on board within a month. The plan already is developed by those volunteers, she said. It includes targeting the markets where Arizona recruits for tourism business, and using news articles, opinion pieces and in-person visits to highlight Arizona's attributes.

Key areas will be Chicago and Washington, D.C., home to most of the large business- and membership associations that book conventions.

Henry said tourism officials also want to meet with groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, that have been painting the state as an unfriendly and bigoted place.

"Those are exactly the people we want to talk to," she said. "We want people to understand what's going on."

In addition to working outside state boundaries, the plan calls for state officials, from the governor on down, to bring tourism recruits to Arizona to tout the state's benefits.

Henry acknowledged that Brewer's recent comments that illegal immigration has spawned beheadings and rampant drug trafficking in the state will need to be reconciled with a message that Arizona is a premier tourism destination. But, she said, the tourism message is separate from the policy message.

Eileen Klein, the governor's chief of staff, will be the liaison between Brewer's office and the tourism task force to ensure a consistent message, she said.

The task force has $280,000 to spread its SB 1070 message: $250,000 from the state Department of Commerce and $30,000 from hotel interests.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/ ... tions.html

Restoring Arizona's Image Following Immigration Law

Updated: Wednesday, 30 Jun 2010, 6:54 PM MDT
Published : Wednesday, 30 Jun 2010, 6:54 PM MDT

PHOENIX - Cities across the country are boycotting Arizona by canceling travel and business contracts. But Arizona is fighting back to regain those tourism dollars.

Officials spent about a month coming up with a plan. Industry leaders have come together to determine that despite all the protests and boycotts, Arizona's brand is still very strong. There is still a desire among tourists and businesses to travel here.

The challenge is trying to convince them not to change their mind.

"We would like to get into a proactive mode instead of a reactive mode," says Sherry Henry with the Arizona Office of Tourism. Since mid-May, her office has brought together tourism leaders from all over the state to construct the plan.

Gov. Brewer said the state will provide $250,000 for the marketing campaign, to be augmented by $30,000 from the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.

With that, the tourism task force will start a major public relations push. The major focus will be on the convention business, and the organizers of large events will be able to meet face-to-face with the governor.

They're also working to create an SB 1070 fact sheet, hoping to separate the facts from the myths.

"We want to make sure that when people ask a question, we have very specific answers to those questions."

Through that major PR push, they hope to focus on a few target markets from coast to coast, hoping to reverse their boycotts.

"We have to focus on the mission, which is to continue to reach out. We are not going to boycott back -- boycotts are not the answer," says Henry.

Henry said it's too early to say if there has been an impact on tourism.

In addition to areas in the U.S., tourism leaders are planning to reach out to cities south of the border. Mexico has already issued an Arizona travel alert.

The law takes effect July 29, barring an injunction.

www.myfoxphoenix.com