Arizona is doubling down on its plans to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Yesterday, the Arizona America250 Commission, in partnership with the Arizona Office of Tourism, launched Passport250, a nifty mobile pass that's all about guiding folks through the state's heritage on their smartphones.
Initial features of the Passport250 include 25 select locations sprinkled throughout Arizona, with the promise to regularly add more leading up to the big 250th celebration. Users can quickly sign up and then immediately begin to virtually mark their trail through places such as Sharlot Hall Museum and Canyon de Chelly. Despite being freshly launched, the app will soon let users to even snag prizes by checking into locations. This tidbit was shared by Alix Skelpsa Ridgway, Interim Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism, in a statement obtained by Arizona Office of Tourism.
The new pass categories are quite the mix, too. There's Treasures250, Dark Skies250, Indigenous Travel250, and others like Dine250 and Cheers250 on the horizon. Each is designed to unfold a piece of Arizona's story and to offer up a slice of its culture, history, or distinctive environment. And as if to underline Arizona's commitment to accessibility, the state is also offering free admission at certain Passport250 locations through the Act One Culture Pass program, according to the Arizona Office of Tourism.
Amid all the planning, there’s an open call to Arizonans to contribute to the slate of locations featured on Passport250. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Arizona America250 Commission, Adrian Fontes, took the opportunity to express the importance of this call to action, stating, “We are helping everyone celebrate our Five C’s in 250 ways while we elevate the stories that define us. This pass is just one more way to strengthen our civic faith and remind us how history can bring us together.” This statement was provided by the Arizona America250 Commission, as reported by the Arizona Office of Tourism.
If you’re ready to explore Arizona’s history—from stargazing at Lowell Observatory to visiting the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza—the new mobile pass can be your digital guide. It supports heritage tourism and helps protect historic sites. To get yours, visit AZpassport250.com. In 2024, tourism supported over 193,800 jobs and brought in more than $4.3 billion in tax revenue, so it’s a big deal for the state, as per the Arizona Office of Tourism.
