Industry Insider

Remembering Scott Appelman

Visit Albuquerque is deeply saddened by the passing of Scott Appelman, founder of Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Ride Company, former Visit Albuquerque Board Chair and longtime supporter and champion of the hospitality industry. Scott was a treasured friend, a pioneer of the ballooning community both locally and nationally and helped ensure Albuquerque's reputation as the Hot Air Ballooning Capital of the World. Among his very long list of accomplishments, Scott created the first Balloon Glow at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta along with the Special Shape Rodeo, in addition to his company being the official ride concessionaire for our state’s largest visitor event for the past 25 years. Rainbow Ryders has been one of Visit Albuquerque’s longest partners, and we could always count on Scott to go above and beyond for any project or need we had.

We are forever grateful for his immeasurable contributions to the world of ballooning, his incredible passion and drive for advancing the tourism industry, and his steadfast partnership with Visit Albuquerque. He will be sorely missed but lovingly remembered. Our thoughts and support are with his family and the Rainbow Ryders team.

Visit Albuquerque Attends ASAE Annual Meeting

Five members of the Visit Albuquerque sales team attended the American Society of Association Executives’ Annual Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 10-13. Over 5,000 association professionals and industry partners were in attendance. Nearly 250 visited the Visit Albuquerque booth, where Jesse Sansom offered virtual reality hot air balloon rides. Mark Mares, Corporate Sales Manager with Heritage Hotels and Resorts, also joined us in the Visit Albuquerque booth.

Visit Albuquerque co-hosted a breakfast networking event with Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau and Destination Madison, which was attended by over 40 association meeting planners, including representatives from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Entomological Society of America, Solid Waste Association of North America and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

Advertise in the Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide

Production of the 2025 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide is already underway! The guide is a vital resource for travelers looking for ideas for where to stay, eat, shop and play in our city. We will distribute 150,000 copies of the publication beginning in January 2025. To advertise your business in the guide, contact Alisha Zierden at 505-222-4310 or Zierden@VisitABQ.org.

Former Visit ABQ President and CEO Inducted into Hall of Fame

Dale Lockett, the former President and CEO of Visit Albuquerque, was recently inducted into the Destinations International Hall of Fame. Dale contributed to the advancement of seven communities in his 40+ year career. He led Visit Albuquerque from 2004 to 2016, and was instrumental in helping build and create the thriving tourism economy the city has today. Honorees in the Hall of Fame have made significant contributions to the advancement of the tourism industry and shaped travel marketing and management. Destinations International is the world’s largest membership association for destination organizations and convention and visitor bureaus. Lockett along with the other honorees were celebrated during the Destinations International Annual Convention.

Apply For an Outdoor Equity Fund Grant

Applications are open for Outdoor Equity Fund grants. The OEF was created to ensure equitable outdoor access for youth. The grant supports transformative outdoor experiences that foster stewardship and respect for the state’s lands, water and cultural heritage. Awards range from $5,000 to $40,000. Applications are open now and close Aug. 31. Visit the Outdoor Recreation Division’s website to learn more about the grants and to apply.