The hospitality industry is everywhere in the valley, but how did a remote desert end up being such a draw for tourists? Here are a few reasons why so many people now come to stay and play in Phoenix and the opportunities it creates for employment.
1. Air Conditioning
In the 1950’s Phoenix saw explosive growth from advances and availability of air conditioning in the home. With the summer heat tamed by a flick of a switch, unprecedented numbers came to live, work, and play in the valley.
2. Transportation
In the 50’s another important innovation came to Phoenix. In 1952, Sky Harbor opened Terminal 1 and the airport (once nicknamed “the farm”) started becoming one of the country’s major passenger airports. As more people began choosing flight as the way to travel for work and pleasure, Phoenix invested heavily in accommodating this trend.
3. Events
Travel to Phoenix is encouraged through the many events that are held here. Marquee events like the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Fiesta Bowl, Barrett-Jackson, and two of the last nine Super Bowl games that draw huge crowds have established this city as an ideal location to host events, large and small with an average yearly temperature of 74 degrees.
4. Breathtaking Views
In other-worldly contrast to much of the country, Phoenix and the surrounding area provide a setting dotted with beautiful mountain ranges and unique plant and animal life. This exotic landscape inspired the graceful architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, which still houses his School of Architecture and showcases one of the valley’s many sweeping vistas.
5. Diverse Experiences
A quick day trip in Arizona can mean a huge change in elevation, temperature and the activities available to you. The Grand Canyon state offers (depending on the time of year) mountain skiing, water skiing, rock climbing, biking, hiking, and whitewater rafting. With so many ways to enjoy the natural landscape of the area, many visitors are surprised by all they can do in one short visit.
Employment Opportunities in Hospitality
Phoenix hosts more than 16 million visitors each year and has over 450 hotels and 40 resorts. Arizona has been on-track to meet predictions that it would create 23,300 jobs in leisure and hospitality in 2015 and 2016, a job growth rate of 8.2%. Demand for people to work to house, feed, and entertain the tourists and travelling business people that congregate here is high and the types of jobs available are varied. Hospitality jobs in Phoenix range from desk attendant, to server, to manager, to golf pro. If you are a people person interested in a quick-paced, customer-focused environment, hospitality work can be an exciting and rewarding career path.