Phoenix is a top location for planners due to its easy airlift, walkable downtown, world class venues, arts & culture and favorable weather, along with beautiful views. Photo courtesy of Visit Phoenix

From its awe-inspiring canyons to its sweeping desert landscapes, Arizona’s beauty inspires. The Grand Canyon State serves as a dramatic backdrop for a wide range of meetings and events. Not only is the state a mecca for those seeking outdoor adventures, but it also serves up sophistication with one-of-a-kind venues, fine dining and outstanding entertainment.

SCOTTSDALE

For many, Scottsdale’s combination of luxury resorts and inspiring natural landscapes make it a superb destination for incentive programs. Michelle Dehne, executive sales and event manager with Dura Supreme Cabinetry, LLC & Bertch Cabinetry, LLC, brought a dealer incentive group of more than 80 attendees to Scottsdale last fall. They were based at The Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection.

“Scottsdale was highly appealing to us for several reasons,” Dehne says. “The proximity to the airport allowed for quick and easy transfers, the cost was very reasonable and inclusive of numerous amenities for our attendees and the lodging and service were exceptional. The Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale checked all the boxes. It offers pools, golf, a spa, hiking and more, making it a one-of-a-kind, extremely enjoyable destination for our program.”

Dehne calls the resort’s golf a standout feature. “It allows for unique events like the ‘Dine and Dash,’” she says. “This event takes place on the golf course, with multiple food stations and music set up at different locations. Attendees navigate the course in golf carts, making it a fun competition to get to the next hole quickly. This is a rare and over-the-top experience for attendees.”

Another reason why the group chose the property was that they were looking for something different. “We were seeking a change from our typical five-star resort experiences. We found the unique landscape and layout of the resort to be a refreshing departure. And Hilton Curio Collection was an easy sell to my managers.”

Beyond all that, Dehne says, “The function spaces are decorated in beautiful desert earth tones and are all updated, and there are so many amenities — from the bellman, shuttles and spa to the restaurants, room service, pools, fitness center, Wi-Fi and wheelchair accessibility.”

Experience Scottsdale, the city’s CVB, was instrumental in assisting Dehne. “I attended a site-visit tour of resorts in the area organized by Experience Scottsdale in the spring. Not only did they show me the amenities and offerings of each resort, but they also arranged for me to tour The Boulders Resort & Spa separately with a guide, allowing me to confirm my interest and choice in that location. Experience Scottsdale’s exceptional service and the valuable networking opportunities with the group made this an awesome experience.”

She found the wait staff to be very accommodating, from the catering/sales manager, who she says was “incredible to work with,” to the spa supervisor, who she says was “helpful and kind.”

The person she worked with from the AV department, she adds, was involved from the beginning and helped them throughout, ensuring that one of the team members was always on-hand. “The resort’s chefs and bartending staff,” she adds, “were attentive, professional and helpful, and attendees noted that guestroom housekeeping staff provided amazing service.”

Dehne also worked with a local DMC. “MC&A is a preferred vendor, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with them and their various regional branches over the years. They provide unparalleled service and upfront costs to help groups manage their budget.” From start to finish, she says, “This trip allowed us to give an out-of-the-box type experience for our attendees. And in spite of the 112-degree heat each day, it was one of our best trips to this point.”

Her primary recommendation for planners considering The Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale is to get a site visit for a firsthand feel for the experience. “Once onsite, the venue will sell itself. Be sure to utilize the resort’s preferred vendors to help manage costs, and maintain close relationships with all department heads during your event planning,” she says. “I also highly suggest hosting an offsite visit or event at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West; our attendees were blown away by the location and views during our dinner event there. It was an absolutely topnotch and amazing experience.”

Dehne reiterates that local resources in Scottsdale are excellent. “Experience Scottsdale and local DMCs are well-equipped to guide your planning options and decisions. As residents of the area, they possess in-depth knowledge of the local landscape, including the positive and negative aspects of hosting events. You can rely on them to leverage their expertise and resources to help make your event an incredible experience.”

Another premier venue chosen by many planners in the area is Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale. Besides offering a convenient location, the resort features plenty of amenities onsite, including fine dining, live entertainment, two championship golf courses and a world-class spa, fitness center and two luxurious pools. Of course, one of their biggest draws is their 300,000 sf casino with everything from slots and table games to sportsbook. Planners can create everything from an intimate gathering to a large-scale event here with breathtaking mountain views and state-of-the-art AV capabilities. The resort can accommodate groups up to 2,000 attendees. They have 22 rooms available boasting more than 100,000 sf of flexible meeting space overall. Their 25,000 sf Grand Ballroom can be divided into eight separate rooms.

From gaming and golf to arts and entertainment, Talking Stick Resort & Casino in Scottsdale has amazing options to delight meeting and conference attendees. Photo courtesy of Talking Stick Resort & Casino

PHOENIX

KeHE, national distributor of natural, organic and specialty foods, held its 2025 Summer Show in Phoenix. Sheraton Downtown Phoenix served as headquarters hotel, though many hotels were used to accommodate the group of 5,000. Ari Goldsmith, vice president of marketing, digital media and communications, says Phoenix is a prime location with easy access, adding, “Phoenix is a major hub in the Southwest, making it a convenient destination. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport offers extensive airlift with nonstop flights, ensuring seamless travel for exhibitors and attendees.”

She says the destination has a lot more going for it as well, including the fact that it’s cost effective, offers high-quality lodging and world-class venues and has favorable weather and year-round appeal. “Compared to other major destinations, Phoenix provides a strong value proposition. Many hotels are within walking distance of the convention center,” she notes, “reducing the need for additional transportation.”

Goldsmith says Phoenix can also boost attendance. “With its central location, affordable travel options and desirable weather, especially in fall and winter, Phoenix tends to draw higher attendance. And attendees are more likely to extend their stay, combining business with leisure, further enhancing engagement and exhibitor ROI.”

All of that comes with an excellent CVB, Goldsmith says. “The partnership determination and might of the CVB and hotel partners were second to none. They made us feel like we were their only client, and they were really aligned to our company’s strategic plan. Visit Phoenix was an incredible partner. They helped us with planning expertise, hotel and venue coordination, marketing support, transportation assistance and cost savings, and they facilitated community connections.”

Goldsmith has high regard for the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix. “Our sales representative was fantastic and easy to work with,” she says. “He was invested in the success of the event and ensured that we had the opportunity to easily navigate through the hotel. We are already booked again for 2027.”

For anyone considering Phoenix for an event, Goldsmith advises connecting with Visit Phoenix from the start. “They’ll guide you to achieve your goals and satisfy even the most difficult attendees. By choosing Phoenix, your event will benefit from outstanding accessibility, affordability, world-class venues and an environment that encourages both business and leisure. It’s a destination that delivers value, engagement and increased attendance,” she says.

A Meritage Collection hotel recently broke ground downtown and is slated to open in late 2026, and the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa completed its renovation. In Glendale, VAI Resort is set to become the largest resort in Arizona and is slated to open this year.

TUCSON

While Phoenix and Scottsdale are always popular, Cindy Rosbrook, president and owner of Conference Solutions, LLC, in Anthem, AZ, says many of her groups prefer Tucson, explaining, “They like the excellent, reasonably priced four-star and four-diamond luxury resorts that are unique and provide memorable experiences. Tucson is also substantially more affordable than Scottsdale and Phoenix, especially in peak season.”

Rosbrook has booked multiple corporate groups in Tucson over many years, with conference size ranging from 55 to 200 attendees. Her primary go-to hotels are The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. Not surprising, she says most Tucson meetings take place in Q1, Q2 and Q4.

For Rosbrook, Tucson is truly magical. “With mountains, golf courses, pools and even a natural waterfall, Tucson resorts provide stunning views along with amazing service. The culinary experiences onsite are among the absolute best in the country for corporate conferences. Most of all,” she adds, “I’m absolutely enamored with Tucson because you’re not a number there, as you often are in big-box or big-chain hotels. In Tucson, you’re treated like family.”

She calls the teams at Tucson resorts “amazing,” and says they welcome corporate groups with open arms. “This is when you absolutely know that your clients and attendees will be well taken care of. It’s not just the exceptional hotel ambiance, views, service and memorable locations, it’s every detail from food and beverage to guestroom cleanliness. In most cases, these are newly renovated guestrooms that are among the best in the industry. There’s also the front-desk staff, meeting space set-up crew, AV staff — even the gift shops and coffee shops onsite offer exceptional experiences.” These, she says, “are the golden nuggets that you often do not find in a big city or other destinations. This is why I return to Tucson time and time again for my group meetings.”

Rosbrook found Visit Tucson to be an invaluable partner, adding that the national sales manager was the best CVB staff member she has ever worked with in 26 years. “She makes wonderful suggestions, schedules the site visits and itineraries and provides airport pick-up for our attendees. She accompanies us on all site visits and ensures that we are her attendees for dinner, which gives us ideas for offsite dining options,” says Rosbrook.

She adds, “There’s also the hotel/resort sales and convention services team, whose goal appears to be ensuring that your group has such an amazing experience that they can’t wait to return. They all do such a good job; I never wish anything were different.”

Rosbrook also partners with Tucson DMCs, including working with the managing director of Destination & Conference Services for DMC needs, such as transportation, décor, parties, etc. “He’s truly one of the best DMCs in the industry,” she says.

Tucson already has many options, but it is not resting on its laurels. Rosbrook is excited by what is coming next and some of the renovations that have been made. “We’re all very excited about the new guestroom products and other major renovations at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, as well as the upcoming completion of the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa. Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa also has gorgeous large guestrooms, as does Omni Tucson National Resort & Spa,” she says.

To planners considering Tucson, Rosbrook says it’s essential to conduct an in-person site visit. “Visit Tucson often has promotions such as ‘You Fly, We Buy,’ where they’ll reimburse your company up to a certain dollar amount for your site visit. It’s also important to plan ahead, not just for your meeting but also for your site visit because Tucson fills fast, especially during peak season. I would also suggest that for onsite visits you’re accompanied by your Visit Tucson representative, as well as a site-selection agency, so you’re certain you’re viewing the best resorts to fit your needs at the lowest available pricing and maximum available concessions.”

Additionally, she says, “Be aware that rebates to your master account are sometimes available from Visit Tucson.”

Between the Tucson resorts and Visit Tucson, Rosbrook says, “The city will provide an amazing corporate meeting or incentive experience. As one VP told me during the awards dinner at their national sales meeting, “Best national sales meeting — ever!”

MESA

When companies are hosting a meeting with attendees from many different places, they sometimes choose to set the meeting close to home and headquarters. That was the case last spring when an aerospace and defense supplier held its supplier conference in Mesa for 125 attendees, with most meals, meetings and functions at the Delta Marriott Mesa. The certified purchasing manager for the company says Mesa has a lot going for it.

“We planned this event in April to avoid the spring training baseball. This is an ideal time of the year for visitors from around the country to visit Mesa. The weather is quite nice and there’s a lot going on in the surrounding cities before the heat arrives. We had one reception outdoors and it was warm, but not unbearable. Once the sun went down, it was perfect.”

With company headquarters close by, he says, “It was easy for our employees to facilitate the meeting and have other representatives there.”

The CVB was able to help with the RFQ process, as well as finding the right venue for the event. The Delta Marriott Mesa worked well. He says, “We liked the proximity to our office, and we liked the room rate for our out-of-town attendees. We also liked the fact that the hotel had a refresh recently. The feedback was good. The ballroom and catering were a good fit.”

The group used the hotel’s Wi-Fi and AV, and décor was provided by the hotel as well. The location was a plus not just because the hotel is close to company headquarters, but also because it kept the group close to the light rail and to Mesa’s downtown restaurants.

As to why planners and groups should choose Mesa for their meetings, there are several reasons. Mesa is lower priced than other Phoenix suburbs, but there are still options for a resort-style experience. Key benefits are also proximity to the airport and the fact that Mesa hotels are quieter.

TEMPE

Tempe is another great destination for hosting meetings thanks to its accessibility, not far from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and its range of modern venues. The city offers a variety of spaces, from the sleek meeting rooms at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, which offers 30,000 sf of space, to the expansive, high-tech facilities at ASU’s SkySong Innovation Center, which has more than 14 conference rooms and two outdoor areas to choose from. Attendees can enjoy a unique blend of urban amenities and desert charm, with plenty of dining and entertainment options nearby.

The Grand Canyon State has many cities for planners and groups to choose from, each with its own personality, conveniences and amenities. There’s sure to be (at least) one that works for your group. C&IT