Graham and Greenlee Counties Analysis

Graham County has over 4 million acres of national forest and protected wilderness.

In Greenlee County, 92 percent of land is government owned. The U.S. Forest Service controls nearly 64 percent, U.S. Bureau of Land Management controls almost14 percent, and the state of Arizona controls just under 15 percent.

Roper Lake State Park, Graham County’s only state park, hosts about 78,000 visitors a year, saw visits decline by 3.1 percent in 2008, increase by 11.9 percent in 2009, and decline by 29.4 percent in 2010. Overall, visits in 2010 were down 18.2 percent from 2007.

There are no national parks in Graham County and no state or national parks in Greenlee County.

Travel-related spending down in 2009

According to research commissioned by AOT and conducted by Dean Runyon Associates, total travel-related spending in Graham and Greenlee counties combined was $35.7 million in 2009, down 25.5 percent from 2008.

This followed a decline of 0.2 percent in 2008. In 2009, overnight visitors who stayed in lodging establishments (including campgrounds) in Graham and Greenlee counties accounted for 53.2 percent of all spending by visitors.

Those who stayed in private homes, including vacation homes, accounted for 38.9 percent of total visitor spending, while day travelers accounted for 7.8 percent. In 2009, 58.8 percent of spending by visitors to Graham and Greenlee counties was for leisure and hospitality services (arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodations, and food service). Spending on retail (including food stores) accounted for 20.2 percent and transportation (including gasoline) accounted for 20.7 percent.

Approximately 930 jobs were generated in Graham and Greenlee counties in 2009 by travel-related spending, according to the Dean Runyon Associates study. More than 92 percent of those jobs were in leisure and hospitality services. Travel-related spending accounted for approximately $9.8 million in direct earnings and generated approximately $900,000 in direct local government tax revenue in 2009.

Lodging industry rebounds in 2010

Graham County‘s lodging industry rebounded in 2010, according to AOT lodging indicator data. In 2010, Graham County‘s lodging occupancy rate increased by 15.1 percent, rising from 31.7 to 36.4 percent for the year. This followed a decline of 48.8 percent in 2009.

Despite the increase, the county‘s lodging occupancy rate for 2010 was considerably below the statewide rate of 55.7 percent and the nationwide rate of 57.6 percent. The average daily room rate in Graham County declined by 3.5 percent from $70.46 to $68.00 in 2010.

Revenue generated per available room in Graham County was up by 11.1 percent from $22.31 to $24.78 in 2010. Lodging room demand was up by 14.7 percent and supply was down 0.4 percent in 2010.