Tactic D2.1
Visitor Dispersion
Build on the success of Sedona’s Secret 7 to distribute visitor impacts and lessen environmental impacts on selected trails and areas.
The SCC&TB launched Sedona’s Secret 7 in 2017, bringing increased recognition of lesser-known experiences and helping disperse visitors from overused sites.
The campaign won a range of professional awards and was well-received by Sedona visitors interested in getting off the beaten path.
Additional steps should be undertaken to broaden this strategic approach.
This tactic will consider what has worked effectively – and what has not – in the Sedona’s Secret 7 program, and craft new initiatives that help ensure sustainability through dispersion.
IMPACTED PILLARS
TIMEFRAME Short-term (12-18 months)
LEAD PARTNER SCC&TB
SUPPORTING PARTNERS City of Sedona, Sedona Verde Valley Tourism Council, Verde Front Collaborative, Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization
ALIGNING RESEARCH Industry Best Practices
TARGET / STATUS TO DATE FY22
1. Number of website page views - SedonaSecret7.com TARGET = 200,000 / STATUS = 30,934
2. Benchmark visitor utilization at Secret 7 Hikes TARGET = TBD / STATUS = TBD
PROGRESS TO DATE
Visitor Dispersion
Build on success of Sedona's Secret 7 to distribute visitor impacts and lessen environmental impacts on selected trails and areas.
FY21: The SCC&TB continued to promote Sedona’s Secret 7 as a primary source of information for crowd dispersion. The site has been successful, and its popularity continues to grow. As of spring 2021, the fiscal year sessions stand at 2,953 and page views at 3,387. Since inception in July 2016, there have been 42,661 sessions on the site and 55,345 page views.
The SCC&TB promoted the VisitSedona.com’s Trail Finder site, which allows visitors to plan hikes based on criteria such as length, level of difficulty and popularity in its October in Media Newsletter to national media. The site was promoted to local audiences in the Local e-News and Business Bulletin in September and is regularly promoted on the VisitSedona Instagram and Facebook sites as well as the locally-focused SCC&TB Facebook pages. In the spring of 2021, the Sedona Trail Finder and Sedona Secret 7 sites were included as articles featured on the VisitSedona.com home page.
FY20: The SCC&TB finalized the new Secret 7 brochure in late FY20 and printed it in early FY21. Website updates went into effect in December.