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Industry Insider

August 2022

HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS,

As we get ready to say goodbye to summer, we are excited to gather and share our goals for the next year along with current industry insight at our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13. We hope to see you there as we review recent accomplishments, discuss the state of the tourism industry and provide an update on the Albuquerque Tourism Marketing District. Mayor Tim Keller will also be speaking at the meeting.

Here at Visit Albuquerque we are busy preparing for a spectacular 50th Balloon Fiesta®. Please let us know about your special Fiesta events and offers so that we can help promote them to visitors. We are looking forward to a vibrant citywide celebration for the 50th anniversary. Be sure to watch for a few special surprises from Visit Albuquerque related to the Fiesta!

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner.

Tania Armenta 
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque
 

News

Register to Attend Visit Albuquerque’s Annual Meeting

Don't forget to register for Visit Albuquerque’s Annual Meeting on Sept. 13, 2022, from 4-7 p.m. at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The meeting will begin promptly at 4 p.m., followed by a networking reception with drinks and light hors d’oeuvres. All Partners are welcome to attend this free event to recognize the travel and tourism industry in Albuquerque and celebrate the opportunities for a landmark year ahead. Learn more about the implementation of the Albuquerque Tourism Marketing District, hear an overview of our industry’s performance during the past year, receive updates on exciting new marketing initiatives and network with Board members, fellow Partners and Visit Albuquerque staff. In addition, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller will provide an update on City projects that are of interest to the local hospitality community.

Register by Sunday, Aug. 28, to be entered into a random drawing to win one of two pairs of tickets to the Sept. 13 George Thorogood and The Destroyers concert at the Kiva Auditorium, courtesy of the Albuquerque Convention Center. The concert starts immediately following Visit Albuquerque’s meeting! Winners will be notified on Aug. 29. Click here to register.

Annual Meeting Save the Date 2022

Annual Meeting Sponsorships

Premier Sponsors

Premier Sponsor of 2022 Annual Meeting

Tier One Sponsors

Tier One Sponsor of 2022 Annual Meeting

Corporate Sponsor

Corporate Sponsor for 2022 Annual Meeting

Door Prize Sponsors

Door Prize Sponsorship for 2022 Annual Meeting

More Door Prize Sponsors for 2022 Annual Meeting

Visit Albuquerque Attends the Destinations International Annual Convention

Four Visit Albuquerque staff members attended the Destinations International Annual Convention in Toronto late last month. Visit Albuquerque staff had the opportunity to network with international tourism leaders and attend educational sessions on issues affecting the hospitality and tourism industry. President and CEO Tania Armenta participated in a panel discussion on tourism improvement districts and discussed the formation of the Albuquerque Tourism Marketing District.

DI Conference

Visit Albuquerque Attends Connect Marketplace

Albuquerque had a large presence at Connect Marketplace this year with Senior National Sales Managers Misty Jester and Tabitha Stallworth and Sports Development Manager Angela Gandy in attendance in Detroit, Michigan. Each had approximately 40 one-on-one appointments scheduled with specialty, association and sports meeting planners. Visit Albuquerque hosted a Tri-City reception with sales teams from Madison, Wisconsin, and Providence, Rhode Island, where meeting planners were able to learn more about the wonders and beauties of Albuquerque. In addition, Visit Albuquerque had a booth on the Connect tradeshow floor where Visit Albuquerque's Associate Director of Sales Larry Atchison met with attendees from all over the country. Bernie Herrera, the Director of Sales at the Albuquerque Convention Center, was also in attendance.

Connect 2022

Visit Albuquerque Thanks Event Services Professionals

The Visit Albuquerque Sales, Services and Sports department dropped off a sweet treat to some meetings and conventions hotels in Albuquerque to thank hard-working event service professionals. Rude Boy Cookies created some cookies with a QR code that led directly to a thank you video from Visit Albuquerque for Event Services Professionals Month.

ESPA Thank You Cookies

Visit Albuquerque Hires New Vice President of Sales, Services and Sports

Visit Albuquerque welcomes Scott Craighead as its new Vice President of Sales, Services and Sports. Scott comes from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, where he worked for 14 years. He most recently served as the Vice President of Exhibitions and Events and the Vice President for the Center for Exhibition Industry Research. Visit Albuquerque is excited to welcome Scott’s 20 years of industry experience, expertise and knowledge to the team.

Scott Craighead

Visit Albuquerque Assists with Six Meetings and Conventions in July

The Visit Albuquerque sales team secured six meetings and events for the city during the month of July. These group events brought in close to 1,200 attendees and generated almost 1,800 room nights. The Albuquerque Sports Commission supported 10 sporting events in the city during July. Seven more meetings and conventions and two additional sporting events are scheduled for August. Groups that met in July include:

  • Golden Crown Literary Society

  • New Mexico Activities Association

  • City of Albuquerque Public Finance Administrators

  • High Plains Regional Education Cooperative

  • Fant-Washington Family Reunion

  • Astronomical League

Grants Awarded to Downtown Businesses

The City of Albuquerque’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency recently awarded $500,000 in grants to 15 local Downtown businesses. The grants are a part of the Downtown Store Activation Grant program to help boost commercial properties in downtown Albuquerque. Visit Albuquerque Partner Electric Playhouse was among the businesses that received a grant.

Downtown Albuquerque

Employment Up in the Leisure and Hospitality Industry

The leisure and hospitality industry was the fastest growing job sector in Albuquerque in June. According to data from the Department of Workforce Solutions, leisure and hospitality jobs grew by almost 14% from June 2021 to June 2022. There were about 45,000 people employed in the leisure and hospitality industry in the Albuquerque area at the end of June. Statewide, the leisure and hospitality sector had the second largest annual percent change in employment.

Spirit Airlines Begins Service at the Albuquerque Sunport

Spirit Airlines began service in the Albuquerque market for the first time on Aug. 3. Spirit offers a daily non-stop flight between the Albuquerque International Sunport and the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. Spirit is the Sunport’s first new domestic airline partner since 2016.

Spirit Airlines first flight ribbon cutting

Film Production Spending Reaches New High in New Mexico

Direct spending in New Mexico by the film, television and digital media production industry hit a new record in fiscal year 2022 of more than $855 million. According to state officials, that is an increase of 36% from the year before. Between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, 55 film productions and 54 television productions were filmed in the state. Albuquerque has been named a top city for film professionals to live and work in by MovieMaker Magazine multiple times.

NM crew filming a van

EVENTS

 
Ace Your Team’s Customer Service Skills and Knowledge of Albuquerque

Visit Albuquerque’s Albuquerque Community Experience (ACE) training program is designed to brush up your employees’ customer service skills and strengthen their knowledge about the city. Graduates of the program can answer guests’ questions about things to do and places to visit. The program also provides training on topics such as first impressions, effective communication and handling conflict.

Don’t miss your chance to attend an upcoming class:

Thursday, Sept.15
Main Event Albuquerque
4040 Pan American Freeway NE

Each class begins promptly at 9 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25 per person for Partner businesses and $40 per person for non-Partners. A continental breakfast will be provided along with water and coffee. To register, call Trish Hathoot at 505-908-8178 or send an email to TKHTrainingABQ@gmail.com.

Graduates will be recognized as Albuquerque Community Experience professionals and will receive a complimentary Community Experience pass that allows each of them and one guest to visit attractions throughout the Albuquerque area. The value of each ACE pass is more than $500!

Seating for upcoming classes is limited, so register your employees now!

MARKETING TIPS AND TRICKS

 
Social Commerce is Changing the Customer Experience

More customers are turning to social media to purchase products, and it’s changing the customer experience. Hootsuite explains what social commerce is and why it matters for your business.

Partner Opportunities

 
Submit Your Current Coupons 

Coupons can be a great way to drive traffic to your business. If you have a current coupon or special running, please submit it to us so we can list it on our highly visited and shared Specials & Coupons page. We also promote these specials and coupons during special events, meetings and conventions being hosted in Albuquerque.

Click here to submit your current coupons and specials. 

Submit Your Events to the ABQ365 Events Calendar 

Visit Albuquerque’s ABQ365 Events Calendar offers a great opportunity to promote your events! The one-stop, all-ABQ encompassing calendar features primarily arts, entertainment and culture-focused events, appealing to both locals and visitors. 

Event listings offer a great opportunity for additional exposure and promotion, and can help keep your business top-of-mind – for free! 

Click here to get started.

Tell Us What’s New

We want to help you share your new initiatives. If you are offering a new type of service or concept, a new product, or have anything else exciting or new going on, we want to hear about it! Send anything and everything to Media@VisitABQ.org. 

Visit Albuquerque Staff Spotlight

Larry Atchison, Associate Director of Sales

Associate Director of Sales Larry Atchison recently celebrated his 30th anniversary as a part of the Visit Albuquerque team. He works with organizations from the Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., region along with meeting planners in the religious/faith-based and diversity markets. Larry’s favorite part of the job is helping organizations bring their meetings and conventions to Albuquerque, and he’s most excited about helping bring great opportunities to Albuquerque and the hospitality community. Larry had some wisdom to share with somebody starting out in the industry. “Listen before offering a solution,” he said. “Be open to learning!”

Larry Atchison Headshot

Promote & Share 

 

ABQ in the News

Local

National 

Partner Kudos

 
McKee Wallwork + Co. Celebrates 25 Years

McKee Wallwork + Co., Visit Albuquerque's agency of record, is celebrating 25 years in business this month. They have won numerous awards of the highest caliber over the past two-and-a-half decades of providing top-of-the-line advertising and marketing. McKee Wallwork + Co. has been named Advertising Age's Southwest Small Agency of the Year, won its B2B Campaign of Year award and has been named one of Advertising Age's Best Places to Work in the country.

Turquoise Museum Hosts Turquoise United Conference

The Turquoise Museum successfully hosted its first Turquoise United conference with in-depth information about the turquoise industry. Turquoise United 2023 is already being planned for next August. Congratulations!

New Mexico Restaurant Association Wins Award for Innovation

The New Mexico Restaurant Association won the Innovation Award at the New Mexico Society of Association Executives Association Excellence Awards. Congratulations!

Eldora Wins Awards at the Academy of Chocolate Awards

Eldora Chocolate won a silver medal and two bronze medals at the Academy of Chocolate Awards. With more than 900 entries across all categories, Eldora’s Ecuador Puerto Quito 85% bar won silver and the Ecuador Puerto Quito 70% bar and the white chocolate chai bar won bronze. Congratulations!

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Celebrates 46th Anniversary

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center celebrates its 46th birthday this month. The IPCC first opened its doors in the summer of 1976 in a single building. Since then, the IPCC has grown into the thriving cultural corridor we know today.

Red Horse BnB Wins Family Business Award

Red Horse BnB received a Family Business Award from Albuquerque Business First. The awards honor businesses continuing their families’ legacies, who demonstrate excellence, innovation and ethics. Congratulations!

Featured Partners

Unbelievable Pass

Calling local breweries, entertainment and restaurant businesses to participate in a digital passport program developed to help local businesses with no cost to participate. The Unbelievable Pass will be the premier deals pass for Albuquerque and the perfect cure for cabin fever.

Email support@unbelievablepass.com for more information.

Unbelievable Pass Logo

Corporate Partners

Corporate Partners invest in Visit Albuquerque’s mission and support the local hospitality, tourism and meetings industry. Our thanks to Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) for teaming up with us as a turquoise-level Corporate Partner.

PNM logo

New & Renewing Partners 

 
Thanks To Our New And Renewing Partners  

Visit Albuquerque’s Partners help support our mission to market the city as a top-choice destination for leisure travel, meetings and sporting events. Our thanks to the following Partners that recently joined or renewed their partnership with Visit Albuquerque. We appreciate your commitment to making Albuquerque a great place to live and to visit!

New Partners

Renewing Partners

Resources 

July's President Report

July Leisure eNewsletter

July ABQ365 eNewsletter

September-October Conventions with 500+ Attendees

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