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HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS,

As Visit Albuquerque wraps up its fiscal year, we are happy to reflect on a period of success and adaptability. The tourism and hospitality industry has faced many challenges the past couple of years, and we are proud of our community coming together to persevere and thrive. With the summer travel season upon us and many new, exciting developments, we can’t wait to dive into the next year.

Each June, we celebrate Pride Month in Albuquerque. The diverse and dynamic population of our city makes it one of the best LGBTQ+ vacation spots in the Southwest during any month. 

This issue of Industry Insider includes updates from our Visit Albuquerque sales team, news about the City’s FY23 budget and an update about the extreme fire danger our state is facing.

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner.

Tania Armenta 
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque

News

VISIT ALBUQUERQUE RELEASES FY23 MARKETING PLAN

Earlier this month, Visit Albuquerque submitted its FY23 Marketing Plan to Mayor Tim Keller and members of the City administration along with the City Council. The plan outlines how Visit Albuquerque will implement sales and marketing campaigns to promote the city as a top destination for leisure travel, meetings and sports events. It describes our geographic and demographic targets, highlights our unique selling propositions and key messages, and explains how results will be tracked and evaluated. Initiatives described in the plan include paid advertising, social media, digital marketing, media relations, trade shows, sales missions and familiarization tours, as well as publication of an annual Visitors Guide and operation of two Visitor Information Centers. The Marketing Plan also includes a budget summary that illustrates how Visit Albuquerque will allocate the portion of its budget funded by public and Partner revenue in FY23. The budget and marketing programs were approved by Visit Albuquerque’s Board of Directors in May. The Albuquerque Tourism Marketing District will have its own budget and marketing plan, which are anticipated to be released in late summer or early fall. The two plans will complement and support one another. Contact news@visitabq.org for a log-in and password to view an online copy of the FY23 Marketing Plan.

 

 

FY23 Marketing Plan

Visit Albuquerque Attends the State of the City

The Visit Albuquerque team participated in the Community Expo during Mayor Tim Keller's State of the City on June 25 at the Albuquerque Rail Yards. Attendees had the opportunity to take a photo inside the Visit Albuquerque picture frame and sign up for the local ABQ365 eNewsletter. During his speech, Mayor Keller addressed the City's approach to reducing crime in Albuquerque, including the implementation of the Albuquerque Community Safety Department that is now responding to non-violent calls. He also highlighted the Albuquerque Rail Trail and other planned investments in Downtown. Several videos featuring City Councilors with updates on their districts including projects were also shared along with videos from City Department Directors with updates on key priorities.

Visit ABQ at State of the City

Visit Albuquerque Sales Team Attends Educational Summit

Visit Albuquerque’s Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester recently traveled to New Orleans to attend the Military Reunion Networks 2022 Educational Summit. There she had the opportunity to network, including one-on-one meetings with planners for over 22 different military reunion associations. During a breakout session, she also had the pleasure of giving a presentation on destination site visits to the reunion planners.

Misty at Military Reunion Network conference

Nominate Someone for the Visit Albuquerque Board

As a partner of Visit Albuquerque, you are encouraged to actively determine the Board leadership of this organization by participating in the annual selection of nominees for our Board of Directors. At our Annual Membership Meeting this September, we will elect a slate of nominees for fiscal year 2023.

We encourage you to participate in the process by identifying partners, including yourself, who you recommend to be considered as Board nominees. Only Visit Albuquerque partners in good standing are eligible to serve on the Board. There are three open seats for the FY23 Board from the following industry categories:

  • Hospitality/Accommodations (must be a general manager at a full-service hotel with at least 15,000 square feet of meeting space.)
  • Hospitality/Accommodations
  • Hospitality/Non-Accommodations

Both Hospitality/Accommodations seats are held by incumbents who qualify for a second term.

Qualifications and Expectations for Board Directors:

  • Business or organization must be a Visit Albuquerque partner in good standing;
  • Passionate about Albuquerque as a destination;
  • The primary decision maker of their company;
  • Willing to serve on a high-functioning, working Board;
  • Available for committee assignments, as needed;
  • Able to attend Visit Albuquerque events;
  • Available on the fourth Tuesday of every other month for a Board meeting (11:30 am – 1:30 pm) and one annual all-day board retreat;
  • Desire to work hard toward best possible leadership in the hospitality industry.

Click here for more details of the nominations process. Submit nominations here.

 

 
Legislative Priorities for the Hospitality Industry During the 2023 Legislative Session

The New Mexico Hospitality Association wants your help in determining their priorities for the 2023 legislative session. Fill out this survey as soon as possible to identify the issues the hospitality and tourism industry is facing. Your input will help the NMHA better advocate for the industry when the State Legislature convenes for the 60-day session that begins January 17.

 

NM Legislature - Santa Fe

Mayor Signs City of Albuquerque Budget

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller signed the budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The $1.4 billion budget includes more than $11.5 million for raises and retention at the Albuquerque Police Department, $18.8 million for affordable housing, $5 million for the Local Economic Development Act fund and $1.2 million for improvements, technology and staffing to improve the development process in the Planning Department. The budget estimates total lodgers’ tax revenue collections of $14.987 million and Hospitality Fee revenue collections of $2.997 million in FY23, both about 20% higher than the FY22 budget estimates.

Mayor Keller signs FY23 budget

Study Lists Downtown Albuquerque as “Emerging”

A new study conducted by the International Downtown Association found that downtown Albuquerque is an “emerging” Downtown area. Emerging downtowns are characterized by having a low proportion of citywide jobs and population and lower densities. However, emerging downtowns have the potential to grow. According to the study, downtown Albuquerque is relatively small, covering less than a square mile of land. Downtown Albuquerque has one of the lowest total populations in the study, but one of the highest ratio of jobs to residents. To read the full study, click here

 

Downtown

 
 
National Forests Reopen After Extreme Fire Danger

After being closed for about a month due to the extreme fire danger, most of the national forests in New Mexico have reopened to visitors. The Lincoln, Santa Fe and Carson National Forests were completely closed, along with parts of the Cibola National Forest. Some areas in the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests affected by recent wildfires will remain closed. The Albuquerque bosque has remained open to visitors.

 

The All Together NM Fund is still open for those who want to assist with the ongoing recovery for those who have lost their homes this spring.

Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fire

Picture of Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fire | Photo Credit: Ester Nelson/USFS

Visit Albuquerque Hosts Tourism Business Leader from Moldova

For four weeks this spring, Visit Albuquerque participated in the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative and hosted Natalia Curnic, the owner of the only tourism business in Moldova. Over the course of four weeks, Natalia learned about Visit Albuquerque’s mission and operations, with the goal to enhance entrepreneurship and leadership skills and promote partnerships between business leaders in Europe and the United States. Global Ties Albuquerque helped bring about the partnership. Three other European business leaders were in Albuquerque participating in YTILI.

Natalia and Barbara for Industry Insider

Natalia Curnic with Visit Albuquerque HR Director Barbara Marcus | Photo Credit: LinkedIn

EVENTS

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

Visit Albuquerque’s 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:

Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Holiday Inn & Suites
5050 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque

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

Upgrade Your Marketing Photos With Your Phone

You don’t need a fancy camera to improve the images of your business on your website, social media or Google. Pull out your smartphone and get ready to snap some pictures to give you a boost. Destination Travel Network has some tips on making your photos more engaging just in time for the summer season!

How To Handle a Social Media Crisis

It can happen to the best of us. One minute everything is fine, and then your company is at the center of some intense hate on social media. It is important to have a plan in place when a situation arises. Hootsuite has a guide on how to manage a social media crisis, and how best to prevent a crisis in the first place.

Partner Opportunities

Promote Your Business to Balloon Fiesta Visitors

Balloon Fiesta is fast approaching, and we want to help bring customers to your business. For the 50th anniversary of the event, Visit Albuquerque is offering three ways to promote your business. You can submit a coupon to our City Guide, which will be distributed to more than 20,000 visitors during Balloon Fiesta. The guide will include a full calendar of events and helpful information about things to do in Albuquerque. Submit your coupon today to be included in the City Guide at no charge. Fill out this form no later than July 27, 2022. If you have any questions please contact marketing@visitabq.org or 505-222-4314.
 
You also can purchase a half-page or full-page ad in the City Guide to boost your business even more during Balloon Fiesta. For more details on prices, take a look at the City Guide Rate Card. Premium positions have already sold out. To secure your place in the City Guide, contact Mary Brown at 505-222-4310 or brown@visitabq.org before Aug. 1.
 
In addition, you can share information on our website about Balloon Fiesta/Fall packages, deals, specials, tours, events and other promotions.  Packages and deals created around an event or a season are a great way to encourage visitors to your business. And Balloon Fiesta and the surrounding fall events create a great opportunity to do just that.

We encourage you to start thinking about 50th Balloon Fiesta offerings now. Get creative and think outside the box! Aside from coupons, some promotional ideas might include:

  • A special Balloon Fiesta cocktail or menu item
  • A tasting or featured menu 
  • A weeknight event at your restaurant or attraction
  • A dedicated tour
  • Expanded service hours 

Submit a package or a coupon to have your offer promoted on our webpage, which is highly ranked on search engines and receives an average of 140,000 unique visitors per month.

If you have an offering or special that is not a coupon or deal, email us at Marketing@VisitABQ.org.  

2019 Balloon Fiesta Frame

 

 

Visit Albuquerque City Guide Logo

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

Tabitha Stallworth, Senior National Sales Manager

Visit Albuquerque’s Senior National Sales Manager Tabitha Stallworth recently celebrated her three-year work anniversary. She says after coming from the hotel side of hospitality, it has been great to learn the role destination marketing organizations play in the hospitality industry. “I now see myself as an extension of the individual hotel teams and I enjoy being one of the first people to know about the enhancements we are making to boost tourism in Albuquerque,” Stallworth said. “Using this information to share how we can enhance a group’s experience, as well as spark excitement for future leads, has been invaluable.”

 

Tabitha Stallworth

Barbara Marcus, Director of Human Resources

Director of Human Resources Barbara Marcus recently celebrated 14 years at Visit Albuquerque. Her duties include employee relations, recruiting and hiring employees and professional development. She says the accomplishment she is most proud of has been hiring dedicated and loyal people who work hard to make a positive difference for Visit Albuquerque and the destination. “Working with Visit Albuquerque has given me the opportunity to continue to learn and grow within the HR field and bring that knowledge into the organization,” Marcus said. “Working in collaboration with other destination marketing organizations (DMOs), we have built a network of over 90 DMO HR professionals who share information and peer guidance, which has been invaluable as many of us are one-person departments.”

Barbara Marcus

Promote & Share 

 

Partner Kudos

Sumner & Dene and Pimentel & Sons Honored with Art Awards

Sumner & Dene and Pimental & Sons were honored with awards from the Albuquerque Art Business Association this month. Roy Johnson of Sumner & Dene received the President’s Award. Pimentel & Sons received a Lifetime of Excellence award.

New Mexico Rail Runner Express Wins Award

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express’s video “Catch the Bird'' won the People’s Telly Silver Award. The video has won local and two international awards so far this year. To watch the video, click here.

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Named One of Best Scenic Train Rides

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was named the second best scenic train ride in the United States by USA Today’s 10Best. To see the full ranking, click here.

Featured Partners

Discovery Map of Albuquerque 

Partnering with Visit Albuquerque to provide the Official Map of Albuquerque since 2016

Put your business on the map!

  • Visit Albuquerque Partners get 10% off!
  • Monthly payment option available.
  • 300,000 printed maps distributed at over 350 locations year-round, including Visit Albuquerque offices, welcome centers, Albuquerque International Sunport, car rental offices, hotels, motels, and RV parks.
  • 25,000+ digital viewers driving traffic to your website.
  • Full-color ad design free of charge.

Reserve your space now! Call 505-750-0076 or email jeffstevens@discoverymap.com

 

Discovery Map Logo

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

Renewing Partners 

Thanks To Our 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 renewed their partnership with Visit Albuquerque. We appreciate your commitment to making Albuquerque a great place to live and to visit!

Renewing Partners