TOURISM DRY SPELL; ARIZONA THIRSTS FOR MORE DOLLARS TO MARKET STATE.

Byline: Michelle Rushlo Associated Press 

Spending fewer advertising dollars than other sunshine states dotted with golf courses, Arizona's share of tourism money is declining.

The amount spent in Arizona by tourists was up last year, but the state's percentage of the U.S. travel trade slipped from 2.5 percent to 2.4 percent. That adds up to an estimated $400 million the state missed, according to the Arizona Office of Tourism.

``It's a matter of marketing,'' said Mark McDermott, director of the tourism office.

Without more marketing, some Arizona tourism officials fear their state will lose even more tourists to California and Nevada.

``We can't market the state and our hotels. It's tough enough just marketing our hotels,'' said Tom Silverman, co-owner and general manager of the Scottsdale Embassy Suites.

But so far, the Arizona Legislature has been hesitant to shell out large amounts for advertising.

Confronted with a projected budget shortfall, Arizona legislators have proposed slashing $1 million of the $6.2 million they have been appropriating each year to advertise the state's sunsets, cultural history and sprawling golf courses. In all, the tourism office spent roughly $8.3 million in the 1997-98 fiscal year, including an additional $2.1 million from the hotel bed tax.

The amount is only slightly less than what Nevada's state tourism office spends, $9.1 million, but it pales in comparison to what the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spends on its own.

Rob Powers, spokesman for the authority, said his office spends $50 million raised locally to market Las Vegas.

Some of that money went to put a huge lighted sign in the Arizona Diamondbacks' ballpark, which prompted outrage among Arizona tourism officials during baseball season.

``They are after our people,'' said Silverman, who is also chairman of an advisory council to the Arizona tourism office.

But Powers said Las Vegas faces the same market pressures that other places do, and it is fighting the proliferation of tribal casinos which keep potential gamblers away from Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev.

Las Vegas is not, however, shy about marketing itself as a launching pad to the Grand Canyon, Arizona's premier tourist attraction.

It actively promotes air tours to the Grand Canyon, which is a short hop east.

That doesn't sit well with some Arizona tourism officials.

``Las Vegas is very good at promoting the Grand Canyon to foreign visitors,'' said Rep. Barry Wong, chairman of the Arizona Legislature's International Trade, Technology & Tourism Committee. ``We must market to them or they'll only look at the Grand Canyon and never get into central and southern Arizona.''

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Photo, Map

PHOTO Tourists enjoy a famous view from Mather Point at the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Jake Bacon/Arizona Daily Sun

MAP: Arizona

Dionisio Munoz/Daily News