The pandemic struck at the worst time for the Phoenix hotelmarket—during spring training and snowbird season. As expected andmuch like the rest of the country, the event devastated Phoenixhotel performance—but there is hope. While these two tourist groupsare important to Phoenix's travel industry, the market hasdiversified in recent years. Increased leisure travel and limitedreliance on convention travel will help to fuel a swiftrecovery.

"In its favor, Phoenix, has a growing convention business and asteady number of international travelers, but those only make up asmall potion of the areas overall visitors. It is more diverse. Itisn't reliant on a certain type of demand," BrandenWhite of Western Division of CBRE HotelsAdvisory tells GlobeSt.com. "That should help to offermore flexibility moving forward compared to the other largemarkets."

Julie Purnell of Western Division of CBREHotels Advisory agreed that a limited convention business wouldhelp the local recovery, particularly compared to larger markets."Phoenix demand is well distributed and not reliant on thatconvention market. Our view is that the convention traveler, as oneof the travel segments, will be the last to return because of thesocial distancing that is required going forward," she tellsGlobeSt.com. "Those very large conventions that fuel major cities,like Las Vegas and Anaheim, will probably take longer to recoverthan Phoenix, which is better distributed."