Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sedona are well known for their abundance of resorts and spas that allow attendees to relax and unwind. And this long history of wellness has allowed the region, and other select areas in Arizona, to stay on top, and often ahead, of major wellness trends across the U.S.
“Arizona has spectacular indigenous history. It also has authentic cultural and social values,” says Mia Mackman, founder and president of the Arizona Spa & Wellness Association. “Furthermore, the state is home to a number of leading medical, health, hospitality and alternative healing institutions. This keeps our talent pool fresh and allows us to be on the frontline of global wellness.”
If you have wellness-minded attendees, there’s no doubt that Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sedona have plenty to offer your group, whether simply adding a wellness component to your meeting or actually providing a full-on wellness retreat. Here’s an update on what’s currently hot with the group market.
Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Escapes
Arizona’s capital city has the ability to compete with some of the larger meetings markets in the U.S., with its Phoenix Convention Center offering 900,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space.
The convention center is centrally located in downtown Phoenix, and offers attendees access to the city’s major convention hotels, shopping, entertainment, sports and arts venues. The Phoenix Convention Center has a dedicated stop on the METRO Light Rail line and is located within 15 minutes of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, making it ideal for national and international events.
“Authenticity is key—real cacti, blue skies and amber sunsets make Greater Phoenix a memorable and distinctive destination to convene,” says Douglas MacKenzie, media relations director with Visit Phoenix. “Great weather and a convenient close-in international airport make getting here a breeze.”
Move beyond the convention center and planners will discover an array of wellness-inspired offerings that make for an appealing addition to their meeting or event.
“Greater Phoenix offers an assortment of wellness offerings, from exploring food tourism (farms—yes food does grow in the desert!) to healthy eats from award-winning chefs to playing in our Sonoran Desert,” says Trish Lanteigne, media relations coordinator with Visit Phoenix.
Lanteigne recommends Flower Child, True Food Kitchen and The Farm at South Mountain as excellent options for groups simply looking to incorporate some healthy eating into their meeting or event. Both True Food Kitchen and The Farm at South Mountain offer buyouts for larger corporate functions.
Closer to the convention center, the 28-acre Phoenix Biomedical Campus has created a strong business for medical meetings, and many of those naturally have an interest in health and wellness. As a bonus, the campus’ mix of researchers, doctors, innovators and educators can make for affordable education.
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa Phoenix-Scottsdale recently revamped its spa services at the on-site Agave, The Arizona Spa. The desert-inspired retreat includes 20 treatment rooms and a full-service fitness studio for those looking to unwind (or keep active) after a day of meetings.
Within the Agave spa, a number of innovative services are available, including its Eastern Essence treatments, which combine traditional Chinese medicine, electro-medicine and other holistic modalities. And of course, there are also the signature agave plant therapies that the spa is known for.
“If somebody’s looking for an incentive program, the Westin is right next to Kierland Commons, and there’s lots to do on-property and within walking distance,” says Kimberly Ulrich, national sales and Canadian account manager with the Scottsdale CVB.
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The 732-room Westin Kierland Resort & Spa offers more than 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, and its on-site catering team can even cook up authentic Nuevo Latino cuisine.
Beyond the Westin, Scottsdale is internationally recognized as a top city for health and relaxation, with a number of intriguing options that can cater to individual group wants and needs.
The 648-room Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sits near Arizona’s McDowell Mountains, a relaxing location in itself, and its Well & Being Spa program was developed by Tieraona Low Dog, MD, a thought-leader in the field of preventative health and wellness, and a frequent conference speaker.
“They have a nutritionist on-site, so if you are interested in information on how to plan your meals and how to eat right, even though you are traveling, they can help with that,” Ulrich says. “They also offer aerial yoga, where moves are performed while elevated by a hammock.”
The Well & Being Spa concept focuses on nutrition, acupuncture and acupressure, and various integrative wellness methods. The Fairmont offers 156,000 square feet of event space.
Other major players on the Scottsdale resort and spa circuit that continue to lead the way in wellness (and meetings) services include The Phoenician, Talking Stick Resort and the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch. And that’s still just scratching the surface of what is available for groups.
Sedona Spirituality
Sedona is located about two hours north of Phoenix and Scottsdale, and its properties offer a retreat-like dynamic for groups to contemplate, tuning attendees in to the spiritual and natural sides of wellness.
“We really position ourselves as a spiritual destination,” says Jennifer Wesselhoff, president and CEO of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau. “So the idea of coming to Sedona as a place to reconnect is one of the biggest trends that we’re seeing within the meetings market.”
The Sedona COC recently launched a new brand campaign titled Sedona: The Most Beautiful Place on Earth (In So Many Ways) to showcase its natural beauty, including the unique red sandstone formations the area is known for. The natural desert backdrop provides the ideal setting for groups to bond.
“We definitely target the small meetings market, that’s really where we thrive. We don’t have a convention center; our largest properties have 225 rooms,” Wesselhoff says. “People have got to want to come to Sedona and have their meeting here…so we really have to offer something special.”
Situated on the banks of Oak Creek in the heart of Sedona’s Red Rock Country, L’Auberge de Sedona Resort & Spa takes full advantage of the local scenery. It also offers 3,500 square feet of meeting space for groups of up to 175, and the property recently renovated its award-winning L’Apothecary Spa.
“At L’Apothecary Spa guests can make their own blends of bath salts and aroma therapies that they can either take home with them or use during their treatments,” Wesselhoff says. “It ties more into that Millennial desire to actually be doing and creating and being hands-on, and experiential.”
As part of their wellness offerings, many smaller resort properties are also adding new experiential components that translate into fun group activities.
Amara Resort & Spa, a Kimpton Hotel, offers a program where guests can travel to the farmers market with the executive chef, pick out food, and then come back and create a three-course meal.
Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa encourages groups to get out and explore the Verde Valley Wine Trail or take part in other outdoor activities such as horseback riding and hiking.
For larger groups, the 218-room Enchantment Resort gets attendees in touch with the area’s Native American history and culture, and its Mii amo spa is frequently ranked as one of the best in the nation. The resort offers a variety of meeting facilities and 13,000 square feet of flexible indoor space.
The 219-room Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock is another top resort property in the area, with meeting space for up to 250. Its eforea spa offers a range of wellness classes for groups, from yoga to tai chi.
