TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Coming to Tucson for the Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase is the best time of the year for Roman Gomez and his wife.
"I like the people, first of all. The weather for this time of year is beautiful. I like the show," said Gomez.
When they're not selling precious Colombian emeralds and minerals, they're exploring the Old Pueblo.
"When I come to the Old Pueblo I go to the Desert Museum. Tucson is a beautiful, beautiful place for tourists," said Gomez.
Just a mile down the road from the JG&M Expo is Hotel McCoy. They're one of the many local hotels benefiting from all the tourist traffic.
"We've been sold out already a couple of the days in the gem show. We have sold out a few in the past. Most of gem show, if we aren't sold out, we will only have like five or six rooms left," said Hotel McCoy Vice President of Content, Nicole Dahl.
Dahl said the show is the largest event to come to Tucson since the pandemic. While it's exciting to get back into the swing of things, there have been challenges.
"We take COVID really seriously, so anytime anyone exhibits any symptoms we send them home. That can sometimes cause the feeling of being short staffed," said Dahl.
The hotel is urging guests to be patient and understanding, so everyone can continue exploring Tucson for years to come.
"A successful gem show, where everyone was able to visit the exhibits safety and stay in hotels, does show that our city is prepared to host giant events again. We've thought it through and we have safety measures in place," said Dahl.
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