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ALBUQUERQUE
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A Destination Master Plan for Albuquerque
3,650 Opportunities to Make Albuquerque the Jewel of the Southwest
Recognizing the power of tourism to drive economic growth and enhance our quality of life, Visit Albuquerque has created a 10-year Destination Master Plan (DMP) that outlines strategies for creating compelling visitor experiences and elevating Albuquerque as a must-visit destination.
This plan, fueled by insights from over 2,300 stakeholders and rigorous research by industry specialist JLL, will guide our efforts to make Albuquerque a premier destination in the Southwest.
Keep exploring this website to learn more about the DMP and find out how you can play a role in making Albuquerque shine for visitors, residents and local businesses.
Priorities and Recommendations
The Albuquerque Destination Master Plan outlines several key priorities and recommendations to enhance the City's tourism industry over the next decade. These strategic focus areas have been developed through extensive research, stakeholder engagement, and analysis of Albuquerque's unique strengths and opportunities.
The priorities address critical aspects of destination development, including product enhancement, event programming, Downtown revitalization, infrastructure improvements, workforce development, venue upgrades, and organizational positioning. Each priority area is accompanied by specific recommendations, strategies, and best practices, when necessary, designed to leverage Albuquerque's assets, address challenges, and position the city as a premier destination for visitors. The following sections will delve into these priorities and recommendations in detail, providing a roadmap for Visit Albuquerque and its partners to implement over the coming years.
To clarify Visit Albuquerque's role in implementing the Destination Master Plan, this process has assigned specific roles to the organization for various strategies and initiatives. These roles are defined as follows:
Lead: Take primary responsibility for initiating, organizing, and directing tourism development efforts and strategies.
Support: Provide assistance and resources for initiatives and partners without taking a primary leadership role.
Advocate: Speak in favor of and actively promote tourism-related interests to decision-makers and relevant authorities.
Elevating Existing Products and Experiences
Objective: Elevate existing products such as Indigenous Experiences, Culinary Product, and Outdoor Recreation to generate demand and attract niche market segments.
Learn more about plans to elevate existing products and experiences
Indigenous Experiences
Albuquerque's strong foundation in collaborating with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) has laid the groundwork for immersive Indigenous experiences that authentically represent the Native American communities of New Mexico. To further enhance and promote these unique cultural offerings, continued collaboration with the IPCC and intentional inclusion of each Pueblo is essential. In addition to the numerous cultural events and notions that have been developed, there is significant potential to further enhance and promote these unique cultural offerings, particularly in the realms of Indigenous cultural experiences.
Expand Collaboration between Tourism Industry and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Advocate, Support
Expand Partnerships with City and State Entities to Target Niche High-Value Markets Interested in Unique Indigenous Experiences
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Support
Culinary and Brewery Tourism
Albuquerque's unique Southwest cuisine, characterized by bold flavors and local ingredients, can be elevated through collaboration with local restaurants and chefs. As the visitor survey demonstrated that local culinary experiences are the most popular activities for visitors, further showcasing the distinct flavors, immersive experiences, and traditional cooking techniques, can help the City create a captivating culinary experience for visitors. Culinary events and festivals provide an ideal platform to immerse guests in Southwest cuisine, offering cooking demonstrations, tasting sessions, and interactive workshops. To further promote Albuquerque's diverse culinary scene, curated culinary tourism packages can be developed in collaboration with local establishments, providing comprehensive food tours, cooking classes, and agritourism experiences. These efforts will engage visitors, allowing them to discover Albuquerque's hidden culinary gems while experiencing the unique flavors of the region.
Elevate the Unique Southwestern Cuisine in Albuquerque as a Signature Product
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Develop Food Trails and Culinary Tourism Packages that Highlight the Best Culinary Spots in Albuquerque
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Explore Partnerships with Local Farmers, Breweries, Wineries, and Food Producers to Create a Farm-to-Table Concept
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Outdoor Recreation
Albuquerque's strategic partnerships with the City of Albuquerque's Parks and Recreation Department and Economic Development Department provide a strong foundation for positioning the city as a destination for diverse outdoor adventures such as cycling, golfing, hiking, birding, horseback riding, off-roading, bouldering, snow sports, and river sports. Despite its proximity to skiing and outdoor recreation opportunities, Albuquerque is not commonly associated with these activities. While the city is among some of the largest metropolitan areas in the US with easy access to skiing, it remains relatively unknown in terms of its outdoor recreation offerings compared to its cultural attractions like Santa Fe and ballooning. The number of skiers visiting is significantly lower than the potential, resulting in a missed opportunity for economic impact, which could reach $20-30 million.
To meet the expectations of outdoor enthusiasts, Albuquerque needs to focus on developing and promoting exceptional outdoor experiences. This includes leveraging its unique geographical advantages, such as the nearby Sandia Mountains, the Rio Grande, and the sprawling desert landscapes. The following recommendations and strategies align with Visit Albuquerque’s 2025 marketing plan initiatives while at the same time incorporate stakeholder, resident, and visitor feedback throughout the planning process to focus on destination management as well.
Position Albuquerque as the Gateway to Outdoor Adventures and Raise Awareness of Existing Outdoor Recreation Products
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Foster Collaboration to Upgrade, Expand and Diversify Outdoor Recreation Demand Drivers
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Advocate, Support
Foster Sustainable Tourism Practices and Environmental Stewardship
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Development and Diversification of New Products
Objective: Develop new tourism products and critical mass with focus on cultural tourism and Route 66’s significant presence in Albuquerque.
Route 66
Route 66, the iconic highway that holds a special place in the nation's history, runs through the heart of Albuquerque and is of significant importance to the city. With Albuquerque boasting the longest continuous urban stretch of Route 66, spanning 18 miles, this historic road is a vital part of the city's tourism assets. From the Route 66 Center to key tourism corridors like Downtown, Nob Hill, Old Town, and Barelas neighborhood, Albuquerque offers a range of attractions and experiences tied to this famous route. As an integral component of the city's identity, Route 66 attracts both domestic and international visitors, contributing to Albuquerque's tourism industry and cultural heritage. However, to truly maximize the impact of Route 66 tourism, it is crucial to ensure that the overall experience rises to the level of inspiring an overnight stay.
Recognizing the significance of Route 66 and its potential to become a major tourism draw, investment and enhancement efforts should be prioritized to transform Route 66 into a destination of its own in Albuquerque. By preserving its historical charm while introducing new attractions and amenities to niche market segments, the city can capitalize on the allure of this iconic highway, attract more visitors, and create a memorable experience that celebrates the rich heritage of Route 66 in Albuquerque.
Declare And Enhance Route 66 As the Ultimate Experience
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Advocate, Support
Collaborate with UNM and National Route 66 Research Center
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Create Immersive Experiences and Itineraries for Elevating the Profile of Route 66
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Enhance Route 66 as the ‘Key to the West’ to Garner Investment
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Arts & Cultural Heritage Tourism
Albuquerque is a city that harmonizes the worlds of science and art, showcasing the contributions of notable figures in each realm. In the realm of technology, Bill Gates and Paul Allen famously founded Microsoft in Albuquerque in 1975, operating out of a small office in the city before relocating to Washington state. In the arts, renowned author Rudolfo Anaya, best known for his novel "Bless Me, Ultima," lived and worked in Albuquerque for much of his life. The city also nurtured the talents of Neil Patrick Harris, who began his acting career as a child in Albuquerque before achieving widespread fame. In the sciences, Albuquerque has been a hub for research and development, particularly due to the presence of Sandia National Laboratories. Notable scientists like Paul Hommert, who served as the director of Sandia Labs from 2010 to 2015, have contributed significantly to national security and energy research while based in Albuquerque. Additionally, the University of New Mexico has been home to numerous accomplished researchers and academics across various scientific disciplines, further cementing Albuquerque's place in the scientific community.
Albuquerque also embraces the rich diversity of its people. The city takes pride in various cultural expressions, such as the Hispanic low-riders cruising Central Avenue with admiration for their stunning cars. It also cherishes traditions like the annual Gathering of Nations, a Native American ceremonial gathering, and the Ty Murray Invitational, a prestigious cowboy rodeo event. Additionally, Albuquerque celebrates the Mariachi Spectacular, showcasing the artistry and performances of talented Mariachi bands; and boasts some of the finest Flamenco dance artists outside of Spain, further exemplifying its commitment to honoring diverse cultural expressions.
Develop and Promote Cultural Packages Around Key Signature Events
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Collaborate with Museums Along Museum Row to Create a Cohesive Museum Trail Experience
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Work With the City and State Governments to Secure Funding for Investment in Arts and Cultural Products and Expand their Volume to Enhance the Cultural Tourism Offerings
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Support, Advocate
Events & Festivals
Objective: Enhance and diversify the events and festivals landscape in ABQ by implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes collaborations with event organizers and regional partners and that leverages existing partnerships, with the aim of extending event programming beyond traditional busy seasons and establishing an additional signature event/festival.
Proactively Implement JLL’s Event Matrix for Existing and New Events
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Segment Visit Albuquerque’s Tourism Grants Program to Dedicate Funding for Event Development
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Develop a Regional Event Calendaring Approach to Target Low Seasons
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Support the Creation of a Signature, Week-Long Cultural Festival That Showcases Albuquerque's Diverse Artistic and Cultural Assets
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Downtown Development & Activation
Objective: Revitalize downtown Albuquerque to create a vibrant, safe, and attractive urban core that serves as a focal point for tourism and economic growth.
Advocate for and Support Downtown Development Projects to Encourage Revitalization on Behalf of the Tourism Industry and Through the Visitor Lens
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Support Legislation and Funding Solutions Proposed by the City for Downtown Development and Revitalization
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Support
Collaborate with City Partners on Streamlining the Permitting and Licensing Processes for Small Tourism-Facing Businesses
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Infrastructure and Facilities
Transportation & Connectivity
Objective: Collaborate with transportation partners to connect Albuquerque neighborhoods for better resident and visitor accessibility.
Support Enhancements to Transportation Services by Engaging with Applicable Entities and Providing a Visitor Lens
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Collaborate with the City on Establishing a Neighborhood Circulator Shuttle System
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Advocate for Upgrades to Albuquerque's Tourism Infrastructure
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Support, Advocate
Improve Capture of Visitors to Santa Fe by Raising Awareness of Transit Options Available in ABQ
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Workforce Development
Objective: Collaborate with City and educational partners in the broader region to develop, train and expand the hospitality and tourism workforce in Albuquerque by promoting the benefits and opportunities available in the hospitality industry, highlighting successful career paths and providing support for hospitality education and training.
Collaborate with the City and Hospitality Industry Partners to Establish a Comprehensive and Standardized Workforce Development Pipeline
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Leverage Albuquerque’s Unique Appeal as a Destination to Attract Skilled Individuals to the Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Pool
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Establish a Robust Pipeline of Talent by Fostering Partnerships with the Local Academic Institutions
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Safety & Security
Objective: Act as an active participant and the voice of visitors to bring stakeholders together for a more robust advocacy presence of the tourism industry to prioritize safety.
Partner with Albuquerque Entities to Advocate for Comprehensive Safety Solutions
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support, Advocate
Venues and Facilities
Objective: Take a central role in advocating for new, expanded, and upgraded visitor-facing venues, amenities, and facilities in Albuquerque.
Albuquerque Convention Center
As part of the ongoing strategic plan for the Albuquerque Convention Center (ACC), it is recommended to continue evaluating the Center's performance using the optimization tool utilized during this process. This tool should be used to measure and report performance on an annual basis. By doing so, stakeholders can track progress toward the established goals, including increased occupancy rates, improved booking of high-priority events (P1 and P2) and overall economic impact.
Implement Annual Evaluations Using the Established Optimization Tool, Continually Adjust Strategies Based on Results and Maintain Facility Updates Aligned with Industry Preferences
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead
Convention Center – Headquarter Hotel
Based on comprehensive analysis of Albuquerque's lodging and convention landscape, this strategic plan reaffirms a critical opportunity to enhance the city's position in the competitive convention market. While similar recommendations have been made in the past, findings from the Destination Master Plan study present a compelling case to revisit and potentially implement previously proposed recommendations. Incorporating the latest data and market trends, we strongly urge the City of Albuquerque to initiate a thorough feasibility study and site selection process for a new headquarter hotel. A headquarter hotel for a convention center is a large, full-service hotel that is typically located adjacent to or very near a convention center. It serves as the primary accommodation and event space for major conferences, trade shows and other large gatherings.
Initiate a Comprehensive Feasibility Study and Site Selection Process for a New 500+ Room Headquarter Hotel, Which Would Increase the City's Capacity for Larger Events and Drive Economic Growth, While Ensuring Thorough Economic Impact Assessments and Community Engagement Throughout the Process.
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support
Sports and Multiuse Venue Development
Albuquerque has experienced overall success in the sports market, attracting various tournaments and events. However, there is untapped potential to further enhance sports tourism in the city. This can be achieved by upgrading the current facilities and developing new facilities that cater to the diverse needs of hosting a wider range of tournaments.
To fully realize the potential of the sports market, it is crucial to have a number of different Indoor and outdoor sports venues. These facilities will enable Albuquerque to accommodate a broader spectrum of events, attracting more tournaments and maximizing the benefits of sports tourism.
Conduct a Feasibility, Market Demand and Site Selection Study for Development of a Multiuse Complex
Visit Albuquerque's Role: Lead, Support