Industry Insider

December 2024

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As another calendar year comes to a close, we want to extend our gratitude to all of our Partners for helping promote Albuquerque and welcoming visitors into the city and through your doors. We can’t wait to work with you in 2025 to continue our mission.

The new year is also a great time for Partners to refresh your knowledge and engagement with Visit Albuquerque. Attend a Partner Orientation and learn how Visit Albuquerque can help your business thrive. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or needs.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner!

News

Study Examines Effectiveness of Visit Albuquerque’s Marketing

Visit Albuquerque recently conducted a Brand Health and Marketing Effectiveness Study to examine the impact of its FY24 leisure marketing efforts. Travelers in nine key markets were surveyed to determine if they recalled seeing Visit Albuquerque’s marketing, whether those messages influenced their opinions of Albuquerque, and whether they traveled to Albuquerque after being exposed to our marketing. The markets studied were Phoenix, Denver, Colorado Springs, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Austin, El Paso and Amarillo. The study showed:

38% of target travelers recalled seeing at least one element of Visit Albuquerque’s integrated marketing campaign in FY24.
36% of those who had seen Visit Albuquerque’s marketing said they were interested in traveling to the city in the next 12 months – a full 10 points higher than those who had not seen our marketing.
Our paid advertising campaigns influenced 207,196 trips to Albuquerque and $105 million in direct spending.
Our paid advertising resulted in a 21-point increase in travelers who agree that Albuquerque has a vibrant arts scene, a 16-point increase in travelers who agree that Albuquerque has unique local cuisine, a 12-point increase in those who agree the city offers a variety of outdoor activities, and a 12-point increase in those who agree the city has a rich cultural heritage.

Visit Albuquerque Launches Shop Local, Get Local Campaign

Visit Albuquerque has launched a campaign to encourage local shopping this holiday season. Shoppers who spend $100 or more at a local small retailer between Dec. 1 and Dec. 24, 2024, qualify to receive a $10 gift card to an Albuquerque business. To claim the gift card, participants must bring their receipt(s) to Visit Albuquerque’s Old Town Visitors Center at 522 Romero St. N.W. between Monday, Dec. 9, and Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. Gift cards are limited to the first 100 participants. According to New Mexico’s Taxation & Revenue department, in order for a business to qualify as local and small, it must maintain its primary place of business in Albuquerque and employ no more than 10 employees at any point during the year. Businesses that operate under a franchise agreement do not qualify.

Submit Your Current Coupons for the New Year

The beginning of the year is a great time to submit your coupons. 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 and on our digital savings pass. We also promote these specials and coupons during special events, meetings and conventions being hosted in Albuquerque. You get to set the dates the coupon is valid, so you can submit coupons year-round for specific events or seasons.

Click here to submit your current coupons and specials.

Teams Announced for the Isleta New Mexico Bowl

TCU will take on Louisiana in this year’s Isleta New Mexico Bowl. The game kicks off at University Stadium on Dec. 28 at 12:15 p.m. MT and will be aired nationally on ESPN and ESPN Radio. Tickets are on sale now. Visit Albuquerque will have a presence at the game, taking pictures of fans in a life-size frame. Visit Albuquerque will also have a table at the Fan Fest before the game, and the Visit Albuquerque balloon will be anchored in the parking lot.

Attend the NMTD Tourism Commission Meeting

Attend the New Mexico Tourism Department FY25 Q2 Tourism Commission Meeting on Dec. 20. Hear from leaders in the tourism industry and take a picture in the Visit Albuquerque photobooth. You can also experience the thrill of the ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® like never before with a virtual reality adventure sponsored by Visit Albuquerque and created by eVRgreen Arts. This immersive 360-degree experience lets you soar above Albuquerque, surrounded by a vibrant sea of colorful balloons without ever leaving the ground. See the agenda here.

Dec. 20, 2024
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors Event Center
1635 University Blvd. NE, 87102

Attend an ACE Class to Improve 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. Graduates will receive a commemorative lapel pin and a certificate recognizing their completion of the program.

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

Jan. 9, 2025
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
CoCreations Candle Bar & Decor
1761 Bellamah Ave. NW, Suite A, 87104

Feb. 6, 2025
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co.
5601 Eagle Rock Ave. NE, 87113

The cost is $25 per person for Partner businesses and $40 per person for non-Partners. Snacks 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 experience pass is more than $500!

Seating is limited, so register your employees now!

Sales & Marketing Updates

Visit Albuquerque Team Attends Trade Shows

Expo! Expo!, Dec. 16-19, Los Angeles, California

Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester is attending Expo! Expo! in Los Angeles, California. The trade show and conference includes a marketplace for networking and education sessions.

U.S. Sports Congress, Dec. 8-11, Punta Gorda, Florida

Senior Sports Development Manager Angela Gandy attended the U.S. Sports Congress earlier this month. This meeting of destinations and sports events rights holders included education sessions, networking and one-on-one meeting times.

Holiday Showcase, Dec. 4-5, Chicago, Illinois

Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester attended Holiday Showcase in Chicago, Illinois, earlier this month. The event included education events and networking opportunities.

A picture from the Visit Albuquerque booth at Holiday Showcase.

National Tour Association Travel Exchange, Nov. 17–20, Huntsville, Alabama

Visit Albuquerque’s Director of Communications & Public Relations Brenna Moore and Group Tour Sales & Services Manager Nikki Baca attended the National Tour Association (NTA) Travel Exchange, held in Huntsville, Alabama, from Nov. 17-20. NTA’s annual conference features buyers of all types and specialties who meet with tour suppliers, DMOs, DMCs, and receptive operators to build partnerships, collaborations, and creative itineraries. Visit Albuquerque conducted more than 20 appointments with group tour suppliers, building awareness of the destination and our partners. Our booth featured virtual reality balloon rides in partnership with eVRgreen Arts. As part of the conference, NTA announced Albuquerque as the host destination for the 2028 Travel Exchange, to be held at the Albuquerque Convention Center from Nov. 8-15, 2028.

Brenna Moore and Nikki Baca at the Visit Albuquerque booth at the National Tour Association Travel Exchange.

Brand USA Travel Week, Oct. 21-24, London, U.K.

Visit Albuquerque’s Director of Communications & Public Relations Brenna Moore joined the New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) for the 2024 Brand USA Travel Week, held in London from Oct. 21-24. As part of the event, NMTD and Visit Albuquerque conducted appointments with over 40 international tour operators interested in selling bookable travel products that include Albuquerque and New Mexico. Our participation in this event occurred during a time in which we are continuing to build a sustainable travel trade program for Albuquerque, with an added focus on the upcoming Route 66 centennial in 2026.

Upcoming Meetings and Sports Events

In January 2025, about 3,800 people will participate in meetings and sports events booked and supported by Visit Albuquerque. These events will generate an estimated $1.36 million in direct spend. Some of the noteworthy events include:

Dates	Group Name	Est. Attendance	Meeting Location
Jan. 24-25	UNM Track & Field Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Indoor Track Invitational	1,120	Albuquerque Convention Center
Jan. 25-26	New Mexico Youth Soccer Association EA Leagues-2	1,426	Mesa Del Sol Soccer Fields
Jan. 31-Feb. 2	Encore Performing Arts Showcase Albuquerque	350	Albuquerque Convention Center
Jan. 31-Feb. 1	UNM Track & Field UNM Team Open	1,520	Albuquerque Convention Center

Bolded events are citywide events, defined as events that require a minimum of 400 room nights on peak, and will take place across the city. Although each of these events takes place in one part of town, the people who attend them will visit businesses throughout the city for shopping, dining and entertainment.

Let's come together to make their stay memorable, showcasing the best of Albuquerque’s hospitality. Your welcoming spirit can contribute to a positive experience for these visitors and foster a lasting impression of our community.