Events & Festivals

Destination Development

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.

Events are vital to Albuquerque's tourism landscape, serving as powerful catalysts for economic growth and cultural vibrancy. They not only attract overnight visitors but also inject significant economic activity into the local economy, showcasing Albuquerque's unique offerings to a wider audience. The importance of events extends beyond mere attendance figures; they create lasting impressions, foster community pride and contribute to the overall appeal of Albuquerque as a destination.

Proactively Implement JLL’s Event Matrix for Existing and New Events

Strategy 1: Implement the Event Matrix as a standard assessment tool for evaluating current and potential events, ensuring alignment with Visit Albuquerque's goals and maximizing impact. This will support proactively reaching out to existing events with potential to grow, as well as the development of new events. It is recommended that Visit Albuquerque meet individually with the relevant event organizers and establish specific joint marketing and operational support plans. The key to these plans is focusing on evolving the events in programming (if needed) and enhancing targeted marketing to drive audiences with a propensity to have a multiple-day experience in Albuquerque.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Lead	Partners	Progress Made
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers Event Venues Indian Pueblo Cultural Center National Hispanic Cultural Center City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture
Strategy 2: Expand the usage of Destination International’s Event Impact Calculator (EIC) to make it the accepted standard for all event reporting metrics and share the benefits and outcomes with all event organizers in the region. The EIC is a nationally recognized measurement tool currently used by over 300 destination management/marketing and marketing organizations nationwide. The implementation of an EIC will allow event organizers to track the economic impact and benefits generated by their events accurately. This tool is essential for quantifying the value and success of events and providing valuable and consistent data that can be used to attract future events and secure additional funding and support. Visit Albuquerque can leverage the EIC data to make data-driven decisions regarding investments and partnerships with specific events.
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce’s Convention & Tourism Department City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department

Segment Visit Albuquerque’s Tourism Grants Program to Dedicate Funding for Event Development

Strategy 1: Enhance and restructure the Visit Albuquerque Tourism Grants Program to maximize its impact on the city's event landscape. Clearly segment the existing Tourism Grant fund to create a dedicated events-related grant pool, with a clearly designated limit on funding per event, as well as a timeline (e.g. up to 5 years), for funding the same event. This specialized fund should be designed to support events that demonstrate strong potential for driving tourism and economic impact and can demonstrate a path to self-sufficiency. It is recommended that Visit Albuquerque fully integrate the Event Matrix criteria into the grant application and evaluation process, ensuring that funded events align with Albuquerque's tourism goals and brand identity.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Lead	Partners	Progress Made
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers
Strategy 2: Allocate a portion of Visit Albuquerque’s grant program funds toward "transformative" event ideas – those with the potential to become additional signature events for Albuquerque, attract national or international attention, or significantly boost off-season visitation.
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers

Develop a Regional Event Calendaring Approach to Target Low Seasons

Strategy 1: Collaborate with event organizers and create an event programming and business development strategy that extends beyond the traditional busy seasons, targeting low seasons, especially from November to March, to drive visitation during these periods.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Lead	Partners	Progress Made
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers
Strategy 2: Work with regional partners to expand Visit Albuquerque’s internal event calendar to a regional schedule, to further identify seasonality gaps and overlapping events and assess potential areas for joint marketing.
	Visit Albuquerque	Indian Pueblo Cultural Center National Hispanic Cultural Center Bernalillo County Santa Fe Tourism Sandoval County Tourism Alliance Visit Taos City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture New Mexico Arts New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs New Mexico Tourism Department
Strategy 3: Meet with event organizers on a regular basis to exchange ideas for further programming or marketing to enhance the overall experience and target and measure success with targeted audiences.
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers

Support the Creation of a Signature, Week-Long Cultural Festival That Showcases Albuquerque's Diverse Artistic and Cultural Assets

Strategy 1: Collaborate with local and statewide partners to develop a multi-faceted event similar to Austin’s South by Southwest (SXSW) or Art + Sol in Santa Fe, leveraging existing venues and talent in performing arts, flamenco and other cultural expressions. This festival should aim to become a major draw outside of the Balloon Fiesta season, filling a gap in the city's event calendar. Several ideas that were surfaced and repeated throughout the master planning process included a headline culinary event centered around green chile, capitalizing on the city's renowned cuisine and creating a new gastronomic tradition; and a cutting-edge science and technology fair that positions Albuquerque as a vibrant tech hub, attracting industry professionals and innovators. Tactics include: Utilize Event Matrix analysis to identify and invest in events that show growth potential and align with Albuquerque's brand identity. Create and implement a strategic outreach program to educate event organizers on the Event Matrix and its role in boosting overnight visitation. Establish Destination International's Event Impact Calculator (EIC) as the gold standard for measuring and reporting event performance. Conduct a comprehensive analysis to pinpoint events capable of drawing overnight visitors during off-peak seasons. Support assembly of a diverse coalition of stakeholders to brainstorm and develop concepts for a flagship event that elevates Albuquerque's profile and increases tourism. Participate in crafting a detailed proposal and operational framework for the new signature event. Help build community and stakeholder support to ensure successful implementation of the signature event. Work with event organizers and stakeholders in finding potential public and private funding partners. Support the execution of the inaugural edition of the newly created signature event.
Visit Albuquerque's Role	Lead	Partners	Progress Made
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers Indian Pueblo Cultural Center National Hispanic Cultural Center City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs New Mexico Tourism Department Albuquerque Economic Development Department Private Investment and Development Partners Local nonprofit arts organizations
Strategy 2: Encourage development of "pop-up" events that occur Downtown during conventions and meetings to bring vibrancy to the area for meeting attendees.
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department
Strategy 3: Work with the City of Albuquerque, the program producers, local event producers and concert promoters, and regional or national sponsors to help expand "Bands of Enchantment" into a multi-day music festival.
	Visit Albuquerque	Event Organizers Entertainment Promoters City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture Albuquerque Film Office New Mexico Tourism Department
Strategy 4: Collaborate with New Mexico Tourism Department to secure investment from various sources, such as the State Capital Outlay funding for event infrastructure improvements, including venue upgrades, parking facilities or outdoor event spaces, to accommodate a wider range of events.
	Visit Albuquerque	New Mexico Tourism Department New Mexico Arts New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs Private Investment and Development Partners Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department City of Albuquerque Parks & Recreation Department Bernalillo County EXPO New Mexico

Events & Festivals

Destination Development

Proactively Implement JLL’s Event Matrix for Existing and New Events

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Lead

Partners

Progress Made

Segment Visit Albuquerque’s Tourism Grants Program to Dedicate Funding for Event Development

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Lead

Partners

Progress Made

Develop a Regional Event Calendaring Approach to Target Low Seasons

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Lead

Partners

Progress Made

Support the Creation of a Signature, Week-Long Cultural Festival That Showcases Albuquerque's Diverse Artistic and Cultural Assets

Visit Albuquerque's Role

Lead

Partners

Progress Made