PHOENIX — The Arizona Office of Tourism on Wednesday announced the launch of a digital passport designed to make planning a trip on Route 66 easier than before.

This past year, tourism numbers went up and the trend is continuing in 2017. But it's not just Arizona's major cities seeing an increase in visitors. Rural areas are benefiting as well.

The guide, which was 144 pages this year and is paid for with advertising, usually comes out in January. It's sent to prospective visitors who call the Arizona Office of Tourism or request it ...