INDUSTRY INSIDER

April 2019

Partner Events
News
Partner Opportunities
Promote & Share
Partner Kudos
Featured Partners
Resources

HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS

We hope the spring winds are blowing nothing but success and warmer weather your way. We’ve experienced a significant increase in convention and sports business occurring as we start off the year, and we hope you are seeing the benefits of that strong first quarter in your business. As we begin to head into peak tourism season, we look forward to visitation to our city continuing to grow, and the overall outlook for 2019 is strong.

We were thrilled to see so many of you at our April Quarterly Luncheon and Global Meetings Industry Day celebration, which centered on recognizing the 2019 Meeting Heroes, an inspiring group of locals that encouraged the personal and professional associations and organizations to which they belong to bring their meeting or convention to Albuquerque. Collectively, the group of 14 Meeting Heroes will bring an estimated $4 million in direct spend to the Albuquerque economy.

In the coming weeks, we hope you have plans to attend the variety of signature events taking place in the city, from Gathering of Nations and American Indian Week to Isotopes and New Mexico United games and farmers markets all over the city.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership,

Tania Armenta
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque

Partner Events

Partner Orientation

We encourage you to attend our upcoming Partner Orientation where the staff of the Visit ABQ Development Department will guide you through our website and provide you with valuable information on how you can take advantage of the many benefits you receive with your partnership. Orientation is a valuable tool for new partners and a great refresher for long-time partners. Although complimentary, you must register in advance as space is limited. Please call 505-222-4307 or email PartnerEvents@VisitABQ.org.

Orientations are usually held the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

As an exception to the norm, the next orientation will be held on Wednesday, April 24.

Visit Albuquerque Office
20 First Plaza Galeria - Ste. 601
9:30 am - 11:00 am

ACE

New to Albuquerque or the hospitality industry? Maybe you are simply looking to enhance your customer service skills. If so, join our ACE class! ACE is a three-hour course that explores things to do and see in the Albuquerque area as well as dos and don'ts of customer service. Cost is $25 per student. Contact 505-222-4338 or email PartnerEvents@VisitABQ.org to register. The next ACE opportunity is:

Thursday, May 23, 2019
Explora
1701 Mountain Road NW
Registration Begins: 11:45 am/Class Begins: 12:00 pm

Note: Lunch is not provided

News

Visit ABQ Celebrates GMID at Quarterly Meeting

In conjunction with Global Meetings Industry Day (#GMID19), Visit Albuquerque, along with several local industry partner organizations, celebrated the impact meetings and events have on the Albuquerque community at our 2019 Quarterly Meeting, held April 4 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Visit Albuquerque extends our sincerest gratitude to all of you, our partners, for attending the event and for making Albuquerque’s tourism success possible.

At the event, along with our partners across the globe, we celebrated a vitally important sector of the industry—meetings and events. Visit Albuquerque alone hosts more than 350 meetings and events each year, which bring an estimated $90 million in direct spend to the city.

During the meeting, Visit ABQ leadership presented on a variety of organizational updates and accomplishments and touted impressive industry statistics, including data from STR (formerly known as Smith Travel Research), which illustrate the impact and continuing growth of meetings and events in Albuquerque, including:

Hotel performance indicators have seen consistent increases. Within the last seven years (2012-2018), occupancy has increased by 10.6 percent.
Through the second quarter of fiscal year 2019 (July through December of 2018), lodgers' tax is showing a 7.9 percent overall increase.

To learn more about the event program, the global impact of the meetings industry, and the strong start to 2019 in regards to meetings and events booked by Visit Albuquerque, read the full press release here.

Visit ABQ Partners Celebrate GMID19

Visit ABQ VP of Convention Sales, Services & Sports, Kristin McGrath, Speaks at Quarterly Meeting

Visit ABQ Staff and Board Celebrate GMID19

Visit ABQ Announces 2019 Meeting Heroes

Visit Albuquerque’s Quarterly Meeting centered on recognizing 2019 Meeting Heroes, a group of local residents that encouraged the personal and professional associations or organizations to which they belong to bring their meeting or convention to Albuquerque. Collectively, the group of 14 Meeting Heroes will bring an estimated $4 million in direct spend to the Albuquerque economy. 2019 Meeting Heroes include:

Gabrielle Uballez and Dr. Shelle Sanchez – CULTURE/SHIFT 2018
- Nov. 1-3, 2018
- Estimated direct spend - $214,408
Sherri Brueggemann and Dr. Shelle Sanchez – 2019 Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit
- Feb. 7-9, 2019
- Estimated direct spend - $76,766
Liz Fernandez – 2019 USA BMX Spring Nationals
- March 15-17, 2019
- Estimated direct spend - $1,119,000
Michelle Melendez – Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) 2019 Membership Meeting
- April 15-18, 2019
- Estimated direct spend - $377,983
District Attorney Raul Torrez – 2019 IDP Conference
- April 29-30, 2019
- Estimated direct spend - $45,663
James Quick, Bill Lutz, Joe Sholtis and Dana Lehner – 53rd Annual Pacific Coast Amateur Championship
- July 23-26, 2019
- Estimated direct spend - $125,316
Dr. Monica Kowal
- Imagining America’s 20th Anniversary Gathering
  - Oct. 18-20, 2019
  - Estimated direct spend - $185,976
- International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement 2019 Annual Conference
  - Oct. 21-26, 2019
  - Estimated direct spend - $250,484
Steve Hiatt – Association of Independent Hospitality Professionals 2020 Knowledge Sharing Summit and Marketplace
- Feb. 20-27, 2020
- Estimated direct spend - $485,374
Dr. Nicole Tami and Pablo Torres – International Association for College Admission Counseling 2020 Annual Convention
- July 12-17, 2020
- Estimated direct spend - $1,062,205

2019 Legislative Session Brings Historic Budget Increase

The 2019 legislative session came to an end with exciting news for New Mexico tourism. In announcement after the session ended last month, the New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) said, “the department stands today with the largest marketing and promotion budget increase of $3 million. The Executive budget recommendation was a bold $6 million, clearly showing Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s confidence in tourism as an economic driver. This significant increase will allow NMTD to saturate current markets. NMTD will use the funding to expand the New Mexico True brand reach, increase visitation and grow our economies.”

According to NMTD, an additional $250,000 was allocated through special appropriations to fund much-needed research, which the department will utilize to fund their Brand Impact Effectiveness Study, Tourism Destination & Development Roadmap, and Return on Investment (ROI) Study. These projects will help to measure impact and grow the tourism industry.

An extra $710,000 in special appropriations was also allocated for the Virgin Galactic launch at Spaceport America as a result of undeniable effort made by Secretary Schroer. This funding will help NMTD work with industry partners to prepare communities for an influx of visitors at the Virgin Galactic launch and the resulting growth of tourism for years after.

Vote for Visit ABQ in HelmsBriscoe Partner Instagram Video Contest!

HelmsBriscoe is holding their annual Hotel & Destination Partner Instagram Video Contest, and you can vote for Visit Albuquerque with one click. Just head to the HelmsBriscoe Instagram account like our video.

Click here to see and like our video.

Vote Today! Three Albuquerque Companies Competing for USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Contests

Three Albuquerque companies are nominated and competing in several USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Contests. Vote now and daily for all three of our nominees:

Vote for Rainbow Ryders, nominated for Best Balloon Ride

Vote for World Balloon, nominated for Best Balloon Ride

Vote for Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, nominated for Best Scenic Train Rides in North America

Site Inspection and Disability Accommodation Checklist for Events

Working with Visit ABQ’s Assistant Director of Convention Services, Denise Suttle, Meetings Today published the piece, “Beyond ADA: A Site Inspection and Disability Accommodation Checklist for Events.”

While most hotels may be ADA compliant, this article and checklist was created to guide facilities to look at what makes a meeting or event accommodating beyond the ADA requirements. Read the full story here.

Inductees to the NM Tourism Hall of Fame Announced: Visit ABQ Board Member Selected

The New Mexico Hospitality Association has selected the 2019 class of inductees to the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame. The New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame is the highest honor reserved for hospitality and tourism professionals in the state of New Mexico. Induction celebrates the career achievement and lifelong dedication to the preservation and development of the New Mexico tourism industry.

Among the new inductees is Visit Albuquerque Board of Director, Richard Holcomb. Richard Holcomb is the CEO of CliffDweller Digital. Along with Holcomb, other inductees named were Ed Pulsifer, Director of Sales at La Fonda on the Plaza, and Joanie Griffin, CEO of Sunny505.

All three individuals will be inducted into the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 30, at the Hall of Fame Dinner, hosted at the La Fonda on the Plaza.

Don’t Miss Visit ABQ’s Kristin McGrath on Upcoming Webinar

Visit Albuquerque’s VP of Convention Sales, Services and Sports, Kristin McGrath, will be speaking on the upcoming ESTO Webinar, “Innovation in the Meetings Industry.” The webinar takes place Thursday, April 25 at 12 noon MST. Click here to register.

Visit ABQ’s Misty Jester Featured Guest on Military Reunion Network Radio Show

Misty Jester, Visit Albuquerque’s Senior National Sales Manager, was recently a featured guest on the Military Reunion Network Radio Show. Misty had the opportunity to present Albuquerque as the ideal location for military reunions of all sizes.

Regional Dance America in Albuquerque

Twenty dance companies from the Southwest were in Albuquerque from March 28-30, where 700 participants attended master classes, seminars, and college roundtables during the day, as well as performed each evening. Dancers from member companies are seen by college and professional training program recruiters and have the opportunity to audition for awards and scholarships.

Pictured right is the ABQ Sports Commission (a division of Visit Albuquerque) helping with bag-stuffing for Regional Dance America.

National Senior Games Looking for Volunteers

Albuquerque is the host city for the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana. Over 12,000 athletes, ages 50 years and older, from around the globe will be joined by over 20,000 visitors. These athletes will participate in 20 sports as they compete for the Gold!

Join the team of 3,500 volunteers for the world’s largest sporting event for athletes ages 50 and over! Learn more here (LINK), and sign up to volunteer at NSGA.com/volunteer.

Partner Opportunities

Featured Partner Benefit: Photo Library

Did you know?

Visit Albuquerque has a photo library consisting of 42 categories with 535 photos. These photos are available for your use by simply following the steps below:

https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/partners/
Click on the down arrow on the Resources tab
From the drop-down menu, select ‘Partner Photo Library’
Create and register your account to access the photo library (it’s different from your Partner Plaza login)
Once registered, choose the photos you would like and click “Add to Request”
This action sends a message to Visit Albuquerque staff who will review your request and respond with approval
Please note, any and all photos approved for your use require that you credit the photographer

For further assistance, contact Jessica Campbell at Campbell@visitabq.org.

Sunset Travel Awards: Nominate Yourself and Albuquerque for One of these Categories

The Sunset Travel Awards are now live! Nominations are accepted in a formalized, paid submission process for the Travel Awards, charging $250 per submission.

You or your business could be eligible for one or more of the four categories: “Where to Go,” “What to Do,” “Where to Stay” and “What to Eat and Drink.” Albuquerque as a destination is eligible for the “Where to Go” category. Nominees will be vetted and voted on by Sunset’s editors based on relevance to Sunset’s audience, newsworthiness, uniqueness, aesthetic appeal, convenience and feasibility. Nominations are accepted through April 30, 2019.

In addition to the Sunset Travel Awards, Sunset Reader’s Choice Awards are also live. Entries are free and will be accepted through April 30, 2019. Following the nomination period, Sunset editors will narrow down the nominations and put the top candidates up for readers to vote on.

Full contest rules can be found here: https://www.sunset.com/travel/travel-awards-2019-official-rules

Tell Us What’s New

Here at Visit Albuquerque, we’re always developing new marketing initiatives and we want to talk about you! While summer is on the horizon, we’re collecting as much information as possible so we can share what’s new in ABQ in 2019.

Do you have an upcoming anniversary? Did you just remodel? New name? New tour? New feature? New photos or videos? New concept? New specialty dish? Have you moved, or are about to? Grand opening? Send anything and everything to Media@VisitABQ.org.

Promote & Share

ABQ in the News

Check out VisitABQ.org/GoodNews for this season's biggest stories about ABQ.

» The Seattle Times - Weekend getaways: Soak up the sun and culture of Albuquerque

» Travel Channel - 50 States of Fun Festivals

» USA Today 10Best - 10 of the most interesting chile dishes in Albuquerque

» Travel Mamas - Enchanting Things to Do in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Kids

» TripSavvy - The Top 14 Restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico

» Travel Channel - 10 Unexpected Bachelorette Party Destinations

Partner Kudos

Congratulations to Albuquerque’s 2019 Events That Made USA Today 10Best Lists

Two of Albuquerque’s most popular events have landed spots in the 2019 Festivals USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice contests. The National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show was voted 10th in the Best Specialty Food Festival category, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta was voted into the third spot in the Best Cultural Festival category.

See the full list of Best Specialty Food Festivals

See the full list of Best Cultural Festivals

Hip Stitch Wins Top Shop by Quilt Sampler Magazine

Congratulations to Hip Stitch, the locally owned independent quilt shop, on being chosen as one of 10 shops across North America to be featured in the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Quilt Sampler Magazine. Hip Stitch—and Quilt Sampler’s other nine winners—beat out almost 3,000 shops eligible for this year’s honor.

Congrats to ABQ Trolley Co. on 10-Year Anniversary

Congratulations to ABQ Trolley Co. on ten years of success and tourism leadership in Albuquerque! Ten years ago, Mike Silva and Jesse Herron started their trolley company. Since then, they have created an umbrella organization called Albuquerque Tourism and Sightseeing Factory which has six different tour companies under it. They sure have come a long way in 10 years!

Congratulations to Visit ABQ’s Brittney Flores, Named One of the 2019 Destinations International Foundation 30 Under 30

Visit Albuquerque’s Interactive and Graphic Designer has been named one of the 2019 Destinations International Foundation’s 30 Under 30. We are proud to have Brittney on our team at Visit Albuquerque, and the honor is much-deserved.

The 30 individuals, 30 years of age and under, will have the opportunity to engage in professional development opportunities throughout 2019 and beyond. The honorees originate from a variety of destination organizations of all sizes and from varying countries.

Congratulations to Adrian Montoya, Named One of Albuquerque Business First's 2019 40 Under Forty

Congratulations to Adrian Montoya, General Manager of Hotel Albuquerque, a Heritage Hotel, and member of Visit Albuquerque’s Board of Directors, on being named one of Albuquerque Business First’s 2019 40 Under Forty.

These honorees shape the future direction of our state and will continue to do so for decades to come. See the full story and list here.

Congrats to Mike Silva, Winner of an Ethics in Business Award

Congratulations to Mike Silva, Co-Owner of Rude Boy Cookies and ABQ Trolley Co., on being honored with the Ethics in Business Award, in the individual excellence category. These annual awards honor individuals, businesses and nonprofits that show a devotion to ethical principles. The 20th annual award presentations will be the focus of a banquet on April 25 at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque. The program is hosted by Central New Mexico Community College.

Featured Partners

Join the 12th Annual EXHIB-IT! Expo and Educational Roundtables Today!

Join us today, Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at Isleta Resort for EXHIB-IT!’s B2B Expo. This Expo is New Mexico’s premier Expo and networking event. The event’s mission is to foster economic development by creating a prosperous learning environment through a network of leaders. Want to Exhibit? Sign up for a Booth Space as space is limited. Tickets are on Sale Now! To find out more about the B2B Expo visit http://b2bexponm.com/.

Learn More