Jennifer Wesselhoff has described the development of a sustainable tourism approach in Sedona following its GSTC Destination Assessment in 2016.
Sedona applies the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Standard for Destinations as part of its approach to maintaining both resident quality of life and visitor experience in a context where tourism demand significantly exceeds the resident population on a daily basis, driven by approximately 3 million visitors annually and a tourism economy valued at around $1 billion.
The destination collaborated with the Arizona State University Center for Sustainable Tourism to develop a state-level sustainable tourism plan, informed by 18 months of community engagement including meetings, focus groups, and surveys.
