ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Two Albuquerque events earned a place on the American Bus Association’s (ABA) 2012 compendium of the best events for group travel in the United States and Canada. Now in its 30th year, ABA’s “Top 100 Events in North America” is published as a guide for travel professionals and the general public to use when planning group tours and vacations.

The Gathering of Nations Native American Powwow was awarded ABA recognition by the Top 100 Selection Committee. The committee, which is comprised of group travel professionals, selects the winners each spring from hundreds of nominated fairs, festivals, parades, exhibits, theaters and shows. The Visit Albuquerque nominated Gathering of Nations for this recognition.

ABA also gives special recognition to "Annual Events," which have been consistently selected as part of the Top 100 Events list, attract continual group and motorcoach business and offer international appeal. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is permanently named to the Annual Events recognition list.

"On behalf of the entire American Bus Association, I would like to congratulate all of those involved in the events selected to be on the 2012 Top 100 Events in North America," said ABA President and CEO Peter Pantuso. "The events included in the 2012 Top 100 represent the best of the diverse array of group travel attractions available to motorcoach groups throughout the continent."

The Top 100 is published as a special supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine. Events are evaluated based on their broad appeal, accessibility to large groups arriving by motorcoach, and other criteria. You can find a full listing of the winners at http://www.buses.org/News-Publications/Top-100.