Travel information - Family Travel AssociationFamily Travel Association

October 22 – 26, 2016 • Westin La Paloma • Tucson, Arizona

Recap | Agenda | FAM tours | Summit Attendees | Networking Activities

Where is the Summit?

The 2016 FTA Summit will be held in Tucson, Arizona at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa.

Tucson-International-Airport-Front

Located in the heart of southern Arizona, in the diverse ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert, Tucson is about 110 miles (177 km) south of the state capital of Phoenix and only 70 miles (112 km) from the US-Mexico border. At an elevation of 2,389 feet (728 meters) above sea level, metropolitan Tucson covers nearly 500 square miles. Surrounded on all sides by five picturesque mountain ranges and nestled between Saguaro NationalPark (East & West), Tucson is a place that beckons families to explore without boundaries.

The Summit itself will take place at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa. This iconic resort is nestled on 250 acres in the high Sonoran Desert foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains with picturesque mountain, city and golf course views amidst stunning desert landscape and wildlife.

Time Zone

Arizona is in the Mountain Standard Time Zone and does not make the seasonal adjustment for daylight savings.

Getting There

There are many daily direct flights into Tucson International Airport (TUS), from cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas, just to name a few. For international visitors, multiple carriers feature flights to Phoenix, including British Airways which has a daily flight from London. Tucson is an easy 70 miles (112 km) drive from Phoenix.

Airport Transfers

The FTA has partnered with Arizona Stagecoach to provide you with discounted airport transfer rates:

Book online here
using Visa, MasterCard, Discover or AmEx

Use group code: FTASUMMIT2016

$29 one-way pp, $50 round-trip

$5 each additional adult passenger one-way or $10 each additional for round-trip
Children 6 and under ride free and and booster seats are available
Kids up to age 12 are an additional $4 per booking.

No need to call if your arrival flight into TUS is delayed on the same day as they monitor all arrivals (do call if your arrival time changes to after 11 PM or to another day)
After claiming luggage, please check in at the Arizona Stagecoach counter (between baggage carousels 4 and 5)
Drovers are ADOT certified, driving vehicles that are TUS permitted and authorized
Fleet is 100% Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Weather

On average, Tucson in October has an average high of 86 degrees F (29 C) and a low of 55 degrees F (14 C). The desert evenings can be chilly so packing long pants and a light jacket for evening activities is highly recommended. Some off-site activities will be on rugged terrain so sensible, closed toe walking shoes are encouraged (and cowboy boots in particular will be appreciated by the locals).

Accommodations

The rooms of the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa are spacious, airy and well-appointed. Standard room rates for Summit delegates are $169/night and wifi is included for all Summit guests. Suites for families are $150 (or higher) per night, depending on availability. You can cancel your room up to five days before your arrival date but the cut off date to reserve your room at this conference rate is Friday, September 23rd!

Book online here

Please note: neither the Westin La Paloma nor the FTA will be calling you, or using any subcontractor to call you, to book your rooms. Unfortunately there are people that will pose as Expo Housing Services and quote a ‘great rate’ for you for your hotel room, all to steal your credit card information. If you get such a call, know that it is a scam. The only way to book your hotel room is via the link above – or to call the Westin La Paloma directly.

Passports

Travelers coming from outside the USA must have a valid passport. We strongly encourage you to check the visa requirements or contact your local embassy.

Attire

The daily attire at the FTA Summit is business casual with nice pants/skirts (no jeans), comfortable office footwear, collared shirts, occasionally a sport coat, etc.. Some events, like the Cowboy Cookout on the last evening, have the option to come ‘cowboy casual’ with appropriate boots, jeans, flannel shirts, etc.