Arizona’s controversial new immigration policy is hitting close to home.

A concerned reader recently wrote to Peter wondering why he would “promote tourism” to Arizona by broadcasting his radio show from Phoenix.

Here’s what Peter had to say about the subject:

Before making any snap judgments, why not listen to the program? I do NOT promote tourism; I report on issues.

I did not promote tourism to Mexico by reporting on the swine flu fear from the Riviera Maya. I did not promote tourism to Asia by reporting live from Hong Kong in the midst of the SARS “crisis.”

The show in Arizona was scheduled eight to 10 weeks in advance, so why shouldn’t I report from there in the midst of the issue? I was in London 10 days ago, trapped with thousands of others by the volcanic ash, and I reported from Heathrow.

Was I “promoting” tourism? Hardly.

I was covering the news, and yes, travel is, more often than not, front-page news. In fact, it is the largest industry in the world and employs the most number of people, representing 9.5 percent of global GDP.

Again, I do not define myself, nor have I ever defined myself, as a promoter of tourism or travel. I am not the marketing partner of the travel industry, but rather am an investigative reporter who covers travel and tourism. That’s a distinct and significant difference.

By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com.

You can always get Peter’s take on topical travel issues in his Travel Detective Blog.

Learn more about Peter’s radio show from Phoenix here.