Why Tucson?
ADVANTAGES
ACCESS
Tucson has unique resources that make our city an ideal place to operate a business:
- Tucson International Airport, located 10 miles from the city center, offers nonstop service to 19 major cities.
- Over 150 transportation and logistics providers with the ability to serve over 55 million customers within a 1,000-mile radius.
- Interstates 10 and 19 connect Tucson with Phoenix, Los Angeles, El Paso, and Sonora, Mexico.
- The SunLink Modern Streetcar connects Downtown Tucson with the University of Arizona.
PROXIMITY TO MEXICO
Located just 66 miles from the international border and the Mariposa Port of Entry, Tucson holds a special geographic position for businesses engaged in international trade:
- In 2018, total trade between Arizona and Mexico exceeded $16 billion.
- Mexican tourists spend more than $20 billion per year in Arizona stores, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses.
- The Arizona-Mexico Commission (AMC) brings together business leaders, academics, policymakers, and others interested in strengthening Arizona’s ties to Mexico.
- Tech Parks Arizona Global Advantage business development program provides a broad array of business development services through its “soft landing program.”
LIFESTYLE
Tucson’s plentiful sunshine, natural beauty, and diverse culture lend to an active lifestyle rich in great food, gorgeous hikes, challenging biking trails, and unforgettable experiences:
- Tucson is the first North American city to be designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
- The Loop, a 131-mile network of paved shared-use paths, provides car-free recreational opportunities around and through the city.
- El Tour de Tucson, a 100-mile fun ride, attracts over 9,000 cyclists annually.
- Over 40 golf courses, including Omni Tucson National Resort, home of an annual PGA Tour Champions event.
- Hundreds of miles of hiking trails, from the Sonoran Desert, to the Sky Islands peaks 9,000 feet above sea level, provide breathtaking views, unforgettable sunsets, and access to nature for all ages and abilities.
EDUCATION
Tucson is home to the University of Arizona, a premier public research institution recognized for leadership and innovation in advanced energy, defense and security, bioscience, mining technology, arid lands agriculture, and water resources. Tucson is also home to Pima Community College, and a diverse constellation of public, private, and parochial K-12 education institutions:
- The University of Arizona enrolls more than 45,000 students across all academic disciplines, and ranks in the top 4% of all U.S. universities in research and development expenditures and No. 1 in astronomy and astrophysics, according to data from the National Science Foundation.
- The University of Arizona Center for Innovation is a startup incubator network with outposts across the Southern Arizona region and a mission to grow scalable startup ventures that fuel Arizona’s economy.
- The Pima Community College Center of Excellence in Applied Technology is one of six being developed by the college in partnership with industry to ensure seamless integration of education and training to meet workforce needs now and well into the future.
KEY INDUSTRIES
BIOSCIENCE
Tucson is a national leader in bioscience fields like precision medicine, cancer research, and diagnostics through innovative partnerships between the University of Arizona and the surrounding business community. The region hosts cutting edge research facilities at Tech Parks Arizona, and the University’s recently completed Bioscience Research Laboratory.
Notable Companies:
- Accelerate Diagnostics
- SunCardia Systems
- HTG Molecular Diagnostics
- NuvOx Pharma
AEROSPACE
With three military bases in the area, Tucson has long led the way for pioneering developments in the aerospace and defense industries. Tucson attracts aerospace employers through the outstanding programs offered by the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering, Pima Community College’s Aviation Technology Center, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Notable Companies:
- Raytheon Missile Systems
- Bombardier
- Paragon Space Development Co.
- L3Harris
OPTICS AND MINING TECHNOLOGY
Gaining notoriety as Optics Valley, Tucson is home to a high concentration of optics companies, as well as research activity tied to the University of Arizona and several astronomical observatories located in the mountains of Southern Arizona. Long known for hard mining operations and copper extraction, Tucson has now established itself as an industry leader in mining technology.
Notable Companies:
- Edmund Optics
- Caterpillar Surface Mining and Technology
- Hexagon Mining
- Bruker Nano
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
The University of Arizona is the lifeblood of Tucson, serving as a global leader in the arts and sciences and a source of innovation for the surrounding business community.
PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Pima Community College is one of the most innovative community college systems in the country, providing diverse and practical skillsets to the Tucson community.
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
U.S. News named Arizona State University (ASU) one of the most innovative universities in the country five straight years for its unique curriculum, faculty, campus life, and technology.
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
Located at the base of the San Francisco Peaks in gorgeous Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University (NAU) offers 171 baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of fields.
LIFESTYLE
Explore the full list of Tucson’s food and drink establishments here.
