Industry Insider

Albuquerque City Council Approves Establishment of Tourism Marketing District

At their meeting on Monday, March 21, Albuquerque City Councilors unanimously approved the establishment of an Albuquerque Tourism Marketing District that will increase the amount of money available to promote the city as a travel destination. Councilors Isaac Benton and Brook Bassan sponsored the bill.

By adding a 2% assessment at guest check-out at about 150 lodging properties within the District, the ATMD will provide an important source of new funding to market Albuquerque as a top destination for leisure travelers, sporting events, meetings and conventions. The assessment will supplement marketing funds provided by the 5% lodgers’ tax and the 1% hospitality fee. Even with the additional 2% assessment, Albuquerque will remain below the national average for guest check-out fees.

The ATMD will be catalytic for our city’s travel, tourism and hospitality industry. It will lead to more visitors, higher occupancy at lodging properties and greater economic prosperity for businesses in the hospitality industry and across the city. 

Guests will begin paying the assessment on July 1, 2022, and the revenue raised will be used to expand marketing, enhance visitor services and develop destination assets. 

For additional details, read the full news release and comments from local hoteliers.

FAA Grants One-Year Exemption for Hot Air Ballooning in Albuquerque

On March 16, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced that hot air balloonists will be able to sign a letter of agreement that allows them to fly over Albuquerque for one year. The letter of agreement gives officials time to identify a permanent solution to address an FAA rule that requires pilots flying in certain airspace to carry a specific type of equipment to communicate with Air Traffic Control towers and other aircraft. The regulation was written for fixed-wing aircraft, but the Air Traffic Control tower in Albuquerque was also enforcing it for hot air balloons. Balloon pilots cannot install the equipment, however, because it must be wired into electrical systems that balloons do not have.
 
Balloonists can sign onto the letter that covers certain safety procedures pilots must follow. The letter will be in effect until March 2023.

Mayor Tim Keller, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and members of New Mexico’s Congressional delegation all urged the FAA to issue a permanent waiver from the rule for Albuquerque’s balloonists. Visit Albuquerque worked closely with the local ballooning community to advocate for a solution that allowed flights to continue and protected Albuquerque’s status as the Hot Air Ballooning Capital of the World. Special thanks to Scott Appelman of Rainbow Ryders for championing the advocacy effort along with the leadership of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta for their work to find a resolution.

NMTD’s Record Budget For Upcoming Fiscal Year

The New Mexico Tourism Department received a record investment in the FY23 state budget. The Legislature appropriated $19.6 million for marketing and advertising, including $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. The NMTD will be able expand the department's Cooperative Marketing Grant Program to provide a 2:1 match for participating partners. Visit Albuquerque participated in the co-op marketing grant program in FY22 and plans to leverage the program again in FY23 to promote Albuquerque.

Albuquerque Sees Top Job Growth in 2021

The Albuquerque metro area ranked in the top 10 for the most job growth in 2021. According to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the metro added about 24,300 new jobs between December 2020 and December 2021. That 6.56% increase put Albuquerque eighth in the United States for growth. The country’s largest metros averaged about 4% job growth.

Albuquerque’s leisure and hospitality industry showed the biggest job gains for the year, adding 6,500 jobs, for 20.1% growth. A total of about 38,800 people in the Albuquerque metro area were employed in the local leisure and hospitality industry at the end of 2021.

New Academy for Filmmakers To Be Established

The New Mexico Legislature has allocated $40 million to establish a Next Generation Media Academy in Bernalillo County. The academy will provide training for an array of careers in the film, television and digital media industry. The goal is to admit 1,000 students a year. An estimated 9,000 New Mexicans are employed in the film industry, and Albuquerque has earned accolades from Moviemaker Magazine as the best place to live and work as a moviemaker for four years in a row.

Promote Your Balloon Fiesta Specials & Packages with Us 

This year will bring the 50th Balloon Fiesta, and we are eager to start promotions for this landmark event right away. We want to include you in these Balloon Fiesta promotional efforts. If you are offering a Balloon Fiesta/Fall package, deal, special, tour, event or any other promotions, we want to know about it and share it! 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.  

NM Ice Wolves Poised to Wrap Up Historic Season

The New Mexico Ice Wolves will finish their regular season this weekend after an impressive third year for the franchise. The team’s wins include the first ever hat-trick in a game and the largest comeback in Ice Wolves’ history with a five-goal third period against El Paso. The team is set to end the regular season at the top of their division.
 

Heritage Inspirations Launches New Tours

Heritage Inspirations added three new full-day tours to explore Albuquerque. “The Volcanic Scenic Byway Cultural Tour” explores some of the beautiful landscape that makes the Duke City unique, including Soda Dam and Jemez Springs. “Touring the Turquoise Trail from ABQ” takes you on a road trip from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, immersing yourself in eclectic New Mexico towns along the way. The “Bienvenidos de Albuquerque Tour” gives a taste of everything Albuquerque, from the Petroglyphs National Monument to the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway.

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

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.