Sebastian and Suganthi Gozdziewski

Commercial development along the Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe.

Tempe’s Tourism Office said the number of hotel room nights booked in 2018 was nearly 250,000 higher than in 2016. Sales increased 12 percent from 2017 to 2018.

The office credited the rise to a growing business community, Arizona State University, new flights and new marketing efforts.

In 2017, the number of rooms grew by more than 600. By early next year, two more hotels should be open in downtown Tempe bringing another 500 rooms.

In a prepared statement, Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell said the city is a top destination for people around the world.

“There’s always something to do in our community, like Ironman Arizona, Spring Training baseball and great outdoor festivals,” he said. “Business travelers come here to be part of leading-edge research being done by biotech companies and Arizona State University.”