Industry Insider

May 2022

News
Events
Marketing Tips and Tricks
Partner Opportunities
Promote & Share
Partner Kudos
Featured Partners
New & Renewing Partners
Resources

HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS,

We are wrapping up a successful spring season as things continue to look up for the industry. We’re ready to welcome the warm weather, exciting events and even more visitors this summer.

Each May, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Our city is home to many museums and landmarks to explore and learn more about the impact Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures have had on Albuquerque.

We hope as visitors experience Albuquerque this summer, you will join them in taking advantage of the many events throughout the city, from ABQ Beer Week and the New Mexico Wine Festival to cheering on the Albuquerque Isotopes or the New Mexico United.

This issue of Industry Insider includes details on a Visit Albuquerque micro-influencer meetup, updates on conferences our staff attended and a recap of National Travel and Tourism Week.

I know you join me in sending caring thoughts to the New Mexicans affected by the devastating wildfires that swept through our state this spring. Thank you to members of the state’s hospitality industry who stepped up to provide emergency housing for displaced residents. To assist with the ongoing recovery, we encourage our Partners to consider supporting the All Together NM Fund. This fund provides food and water, shelter and other vital assistance. Donate at www.AllTogetherNM.org.

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner.

Tania Armenta
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque

News

Micro-influencers Visit Albuquerque for Gathering of Nations

During the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow at the end of April, Visit Albuquerque brought 16 social media micro-influencers to Albuquerque to experience a taste of the city’s excitement. In addition to the Gathering of Nations, the micro-influencers rode the Sandia Peak Tram, went aloft in a hot air balloon, watched a flamenco performance, visited Historic Old Town and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and enjoyed delicious meals at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm and several other Albuquerque spots. The influencers shared their experiences with their more than 460,000 combined followers between Instagram and TikTok, offering first-hand testimonials about the city’s culture, attractions, scenery and flavors. Visit Albuquerque appreciates our Partner businesses that assisted with the event, which was conducted in coordination with New Mexico True and Simply Social Media.

Gathering of Nations 2022 from Influencer trip

Photo Credit: Instagram

Photo Credit: Simply Social

Photo Credit: Instagram

Visit Albuquerque Sales Team Attends Business Conference

Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester attended the 2022 HelmsBriscoe Annual Business Conference in Las Vegas May 9-11. Misty was able to connect with valuable contacts from around the country at multiple networking functions as well as 25 one-on-one appointments with HelmsBriscoe reps.

Albuquerque Sports Commission Attends Sports Events & Tourism Association Conference

The Albuquerque Sports Commission attended the Sports Events & Tourism Association Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, May 2-5. The team had dozens of one-on-one appointments with sports event organizers, national governing bodies and decision makers from across the country. Angie Jepsen, our Director of Sports Development, was recognized during the conference for having earned her Sports Tourism Specialist accreditation. The STS certification encompasses 32 credit hours of leading-edge sports events and tourism industry education. It is one of the industry’s leading certification programs.

Visit Albuquerque Sales Team Networks with HelmsBriscoe Representatives

Visit Albuquerque’s Senior National Sales Manager Tabitha Stallworth traveled to Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, May 2-4. She spent Monday hosting a lunch and learn for six HelmsBriscoe Global Account Managers. Tuesday she exhibited at MJ Meetings Destination Celebration with the opportunity to network with over 60 planners, and shared a sweet treat with our signature biscochitos. Wednesday she hosted a breakfast for two new account managers with a renewed interest in hosting a citywide in Albuquerque.

Annual NMHA Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism Presented by NM True a Success

Hundreds of hospitality and tourism professionals gathered in downtown Albuquerque for the NMHA Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism presented by NM True May 16-17. Hosted by the New Mexico Hospitality Association, attendees got the chance to network with 20 exhibitors and attend breakout sessions on everything from mental health in the workplace to outdoor recreation. Three more inductees were welcomed into the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame: Laura Kesselman, President & CEO of Kesselman-Jones; Ken Riege, General Manager of Comfort Suites Gallup; and Ray Sandoval, Event Chair of Zozobra.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Visit Albuquerque Celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week

Visit Albuquerque celebrated National Travel & Tourism Week May 1-7 on social media by highlighting many of the reasons why Albuquerque is a premier travel destination, while celebrating the city’s travel and tourism industry. National Travel and Tourism Week is hosted annually by the U.S. Travel Association to celebrate the importance travel has on the economy, businesses and personal well-being.

Visit Albuquerque Welcomes New Vice President of Finance and Operations

The Visit Albuquerque team is excited to welcome William "Bill" Schudlich as the new Vice President of Finance and Operations. Previously, Bill worked for almost 30 years with Outside Interactive, previously Outside Integrated Media, which publishes Outside Magazine. He served as their Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance. We are looking forward to working with Bill and all that he brings to Visit Albuquerque.

Learn How to Move Downtown Albuquerque Forward at “For The Love of Downtown”

Join the City of Albuquerque for an inspirational afternoon to ignite a passion for downtown Albuquerque. “For The Love of Downtown: Exploring the Present and Future of Our Downtown” will take place June 1 at 3 p.m. at the Kimo Theatre. The keynote speaker is Peter Kageyama, the author of “For the Love of Cities: The Love Affair Between People and Their Places”, and his latest, “The Emotional Infrastructure of Places”. He is a Senior Fellow with the Alliance for Innovation, a national network of city leaders that is dedicated to improving the practice of local government. Peter is an internationally sought-after community development consultant and grassroots engagement strategist who speaks all over the world about bottom-up community development and the amazing people who are making change happen.

Other speakers include Mayor Tim Keller, Hakim Bellamy, and Kalika Davis and Henry Jake Forman of NM Community Capital.

A hosted bar and appetizers to follow are included in the ticket price. To register, click here.

New Mexico True Searching for Proposals to Help with Tourism Exchange Program

The New Mexico Tourism Department sent out a request for proposals for a vendor to design, develop and implement the Tourism Exchange for New Mexico. The Tourism Exchange program will give tourism businesses the ability to make their products bookable through different distributors using one platform. Businesses will only have to update one listing on one platform instead of on each separate booking site. Proposals are due June 17. For more information, visit the NMTD’s website.

Route 66 Visitors Center Searching for Operators of Banquet Facility and Taproom

The West Central Community Development Group is accepting proposals for operators of a banquet facility and a taproom to be located in the Route 66 Visitors Center currently under construction. The Visitors Center will include an event hall with an outdoor patio, and a taproom for visitors and locals to enjoy a beer. The Visitors Center is located on Central near Nine Mile Hill. The deadline for proposals is June 1. For more details, visit the WCCDG’s website.

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:

Friday, June 24, 2022
The Albuquerque Museum
2000 Mountain Road NW, 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

Use Your Customer Reviews to Your Advantage

Take some time to go through your Yelp and Google reviews to see what your business could improve and identify good reviews to share. Learn more about “social listening” that will give you the tools to boost your marketing and your bottom line.

Tips To Make The Most of Your TikToks

TikTok is one of the latest social media platforms that you can use to promote your business. It can be difficult to figure out how exactly TikTok can work, and how best to beat the algorithm. Hootsuite compiled a list of some of the best TikTok tools to improve your marketing. Learn how to remove the TikTok watermark on your videos if you want to share them on another app.

Partner Opportunities

Promote Your Business in the Visit Albuquerque City Guide

Visit Albuquerque is creating a brand-new publication for attendees of the 50th Balloon Fiesta. The City Guide will give visitors an overview of everything Albuquerque has to offer, from places to stay and shop to the best restaurants and activities. Purchase an 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. Reserve your space by August 1.

Sold – Full-page, back cover
Sold – Full-page, inside front cover
Sold – Full page, inside back cover

To secure your spot, contact Mary Brown at 505-222-4310 or brown@visitabq.org.

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.

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.

Promote & Share

ABQ in the News

Local

Visit Albuquerque provides Mother’s Day gift ideas - KRQE

National

These 7 Small Cities Are the Perfect Basecamp for Outdoor Adventures - Matador Network
Best Cycling Tour (Routes Bicycle Tours & Rentals named in the No. 4 spot) - USA Today 10Best

Partner Kudos

Explora a Finalist for 2022 National Medal for Museum and Library Service

Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum is a finalist for a 2022 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from The Institute of Museum and Library Services. This is the country’s highest honor given to museums that demonstrate excellent public service. The winners will be announced in June.

Puzzled Celebrates Its 1st Anniversary

Puzzled celebrated its one-year anniversary May 1 at its location in Old Town Albuquerque. The family-owned shop specializes in handcrafted wooden puzzles, games and classic recreations for the young and old alike. Congratulations!

New Mexico Ice Wolves Named Division Organization of the Year

Congratulations to the New Mexico Ice Wolves for being named the North American Hockey League South Division Organization of the Year. Forward Dillan Bentley was named to the All-South Division Team. The awards are based on performance during the latest season. This is the second time the New Mexico Ice Wolves have received this honor.

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

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.

Beer Week

Enjoy a barley-filled 11-day celebration May 26 through June 5. There is something for everyone: local craft beer tastings, exciting tours, incredible food events and some of the best local music. For more information, visit Abqbeerweek.com.

Blues and Brews

Don’t miss New Mexico’s favorite beer fest with fantastic blues and the tastiest brews. There will be dozens of breweries, ciders, seltzers and spirits, unlimited sampling, games, 4 stages and 6 great blues bands. For more information, visit Abqbluesandbrews.com.

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

April's President Report

April Leisure eNewsletter

April ABQ365 eNewsletter