AC Hotel Scottsdale North opened in January 2021.
By Alyssa Tufts | AZ Big Media
The tourism industry was thrown for a loop in 2020 as occupancy rates dropped as out of state visitors lessened and the normally high economic impact from Arizona’s resorts and attractions took a large hit unlike any in recent years. However, Scottsdale, one of the state’s biggest hospitality hot spots, continued to attract residents and visitors with the completion and openings of new hotels, restaurants and renovations of mixed-use properties, such as Fashion Square.
According to the City of Scottsdale’s annual tourism study, in 2019 Scottsdale-area hotels and resorts experienced a record-breaking 70.7 percent annual occupancy. That year, the city welcomed 11 million visitors who generated $3.3 billion in economic impact and $54.7 million in taxes. In 2020, the occupancy rate dropped to 40.1 percent. Hotel research company STR forecasts that Scottsdale-area hotels and resorts will experience just 49.5 percent occupancy in 2021, which could change as the pandemic evolves throughout the year.
