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INDUSTRY INSIDER
October 2018
HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS
Another Balloon Fiesta® is officially behind us. As we take a moment to appreciate all those that make it possible and enjoy the benefits of the busiest few weeks of the year in our city, we’re ready to take on the rest of the beautiful fall season and head into the holidays.
This issue of Industry Insider is full of congratulations and kudos to our partners and friends, so read on and join us in celebrating all of the incredible success of the leadership and businesses throughout our community.
Beyond the Fiesta rush, we've also hosted several citywide conventions and high-profile events the past few weeks and months, adding to the strength of performance of both September and October.
As you’ll learn in this newsletter, we’ve also been busy learning, expanding our skills, growing our networks and of course showing off our great city as the enchanting destination that it is.
With the new fall colors also comes new projects, new initiatives, and fresh energy moving forward. The 2019 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide is in the works and we’re excited to be making some fresh, inspirational changes this year to highlight all that ABQ has to offer. While most of our partners are included in the guide, there is still time to tell even more of your story in 2019 – this year’s guide will offer more opportunity for editorial features, inspirational imagery and fresh content. Read on in this issue and contact us to learn more about these opportunities.
Thank you for your continued partnership,
Tania Armenta
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque
Partner Orientation
Whether you are new to Visit Albuquerque or a long-time partner, we encourage you to take advantage of this FREE Orientation. You will meet the staff of the Development Department who will review your partner benefits and provide you with valuable information on how we can work together to promote your business or organization to the leisure traveler, convention attendees and local ABQ residents. You must register in advance as space is limited. Please call 505-222-4307 or email PartnerEvents@VisitABQ.org.
Please note: Beginning in October, Orientations will be held the 3rd Wednesday of each month (October's took place on Oct. 17). There will be no Orientation in November. The next Orientation will be December 19.
ACE
New to Albuquerque or the hospitality industry? Maybe you are simply looking to enhance your customer service skills. If so, join our ACE class! ACE is a three and a half hour course that explores things to do and see in the Albuquerque area as well as do's and don'ts of customer service. Cost is $25 per student. Contact 505-222-4338 or email PartnerEvents@VisitABQ.org to register. The next ACE opportunity is:
Monday, November 19, 2018
Holiday Inn & Suites Albuquerque Airport
1501 Sunport Pl. SE
Registration Begins: 11:45 am/Class Begins: 12:00 pm
Note: Lunch is not provided
Save the Date! Quarterly Meeting and Holiday Celebration
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Marriott Pyramid North
More details to follow.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2018
Hundreds of thousands of visitors once again flocked to Albuquerque earlier this month for New Mexico’s largest event. More than 550 balloons took flight in the Albuquerque skies during the event’s 9-days, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® welcomed a few new events and attractions this year. From glamping, to a new concierge program, to several skydiver performances. 2018 proved to be an exciting and successful year.
Visit Albuquerque was there in full swing again this year, inviting visitors to take a free photo at our giant Visit ABQ frame on the field, and at our informational booth. We provided special booklets to visitors, touting information about all of the other things to see and do during their time here in Albuquerque. We saw a great turn out, and even had a marriage proposal right in our Visit ABQ frame, and had a visit from a cast of Star Wars fans in full costume! A few celebrity sitings also caused a lot of buzz around the city - Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV and Jaleel White (known by many as TV's Urkel) all visited Albuquerque for the renowned event.
Visit Albuquerque also conducted a promotional campaign in the months leading up to Balloon Fiesta including online banner and video ads, Connected TV, print, email marketing, social media, and more.
With many visitors from other states and other countries, the team at Visit Albuquerque heard countless stories of positive feedback on the VisitABQ.org website, social media sites and other travel tools. Hearing tales of happy travels to our city is always rewarding, and we are thrilled to meet visitors using these tools firsthand.
We hope you all had a busy and successful Fiesta season!
Brand USA China Fam Tour
On September 10 - 11 Lindsey Seybert, Visit Albuquerque Sales Manager, had the pleasure of showcasing Albuquerque to eight top management team members from key travel and tour companies based in Southern China, and two representatives from Brand USA and American Airlines. The tour, sponsored by American Airlines, allowed the group to visit the Southwest United States and get a new perception of our country beyond the big cities that are typically considered when international travelers visit the U.S.
The 7-day tour began in Fort Worth then continued to Dallas, Tulsa, Amarillo, Santa Fe and ultimately, Albuquerque. The visitors had a chance to experience authentic New Mexican cuisine at El Pinto, tour the beautiful Acoma “Sky City” Pueblo, then view Albuquerque from the top of the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway. Lindsey heard many comments about how different this part of the U.S. is in comparison to what they imagined it would be prior to their arrival, and they look forward to bringing tours here in the future.
Visit ABQ Speaks and Participates in American Indian Tourism Conference
The 20th Annual American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC), hosted by the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA), was held in September at Isleta Resort & Casino. Visit Albuquerque’s Brenna Moore presented during a breakout session at the conference, providing an educational overview to attendees on working with the media, traditional public relations tactics and how Visit Albuquerque has put some of these strategies into practice while marketing Albuquerque as a destination.
The conference drew about 300 attendees from all over the country to Albuquerque, including from tribal entities and the tourism industry. Other presenters included representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce and Brand USA.
Tania Armenta Highlights Albuquerque as a Destination on Travel Radio Show
Albuquerque was recently featured on the national radio show, RMWorldTravel with Robert & Mary Carey and Rudy Maxa during their Destination Spotlight, with an in-depth interview with Visit Albuquerque CEO, Tania Armenta. The show highlighted Albuquerque’s diverse cultures, unique food, and the city’s abundance of outdoor adventures available year round. Listen to the full interview here.
Notice from City of Albuquerque, Treasury Division
November will be the first time Liquor Permit holders will be submitting payments online. Please follow this link to learn more. The new online payment system will provide easy access for taxpayers and helps the city in their efforts to Go Green.
City of Albuquerque’s 50-Mile Multi-use Trail and Bikeway Project Makes Strides Toward Completion
Mayor Tim Keller announced the completion of Phase 4 of the 50-Mile Activity Loop in September. This section of the loop, a part of the overall 50-Mile Activity Loop, starts at Coors and Eagle Ranch and goes to the Paseo del Norte Frontage Road. The project connects the existing Piedras Marcadas Park Trail to the Paseo del Norte Trail and is funded by federal dollars and a local match.
Planning for the project began in 2013 when the City worked with community leaders, citizen groups and local engineering firm Wilson & Company to develop the 50-Mile Activity Loop Plan. The Loop is nearing completion and there are two additional projects scheduled for 2019 (Central/Unser and the Tower Road project).
For more information, please visit the 50-Mile Activity Loop website at https://www.cabq.gov/50-mile-activity-loop.
Visit ABQ at IMEX America 2018
Visit Albuquerque exhibited at IMEX America in Las Vegas, Nevada October 16-18. Exhibiting at this event gave our sales team the opportunity to meet with thousands of qualified buyers from all industry sectors, at one of the largest meetings markets in the world. We shared our booth space with Tourism Santa Fe, and extend a big 'thank you' to the New Mexico Tourism Department for their generous marketing sponsorship, which helped with signage.
Visit ABQ at Connect Med/Tech
Visit Albuquerque attended Connect Med / Tech on October 14th and 15th. The event brings together stakeholders from the medical and technology sectors with hoteliers and suppliers for prescheduled one-on-one meetings, continuing education sessions, keynote general sessions and quality networking with industry colleagues. We met with 34 potential clients while at the show.
Visit Albuquerque Takes Home Silver at the NMPRSA Cumbre Awards
At this year’s annual Cumbre Awards presented by the New Mexico chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, Visit ABQ was presented with a Silver Award within the Media Relations – Tactics Category for our 2017 Native Albuquerque Press Trip. These awards recognize the very best work of communications professionals throughout New Mexico. Several agencies representing a variety of Visit Albuquerque partners also took home top honors. Congrats to all!
Visit ABQ Nominated for 4 Top HAT Awards
The 2018 New Mexico True Top HAT Awards Finalists have been announced, and Visit Albuquerque has made the list in the Marketing category, for four separate awards. Visit ABQ was announced as a finalist for Best Print Campaign, Best Digital Campaign, Best Social Media Campaign, and Most Innovative Campaign.
The 2018 Top HAT Awards Gala will take place on November 8, at Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel. Registration is closed. Learn more here.
Visit ABQ at DMA West
From September 11-13, Visit Albuquerque’s Brenna Moore and Mary Brown attended the Destination Marketing Association of the West (DMA West) Education Summit in Boise, Idaho. The annual summit provides resources and education to DMOs in the western United States, as well as great networking opportunities.
Visit Albuquerque Attends 2018 eTourism Summit
Visit Albuquerque’s Rachel Cromer Howard attended the 2018 eTourism Summit in San Francisco, October 9-11. Attendees of the annual conference received the newest information on the latest trends in email marketing, search, social media, mobile and web design, and how other travel marketers are using these new tools and technologies in measurable ways.
Tell Us What’s New
Here at Visit Albuquerque we’re always developing new marketing initiatives. We want to talk about you!
Do you have an upcoming anniversary? Did you just remodel? New name? New tour? New feature? New photos or videos? New concept? New specialty dish? Have you moved, or about to? Grand opening? Send anything and everything to Media@VisitABQ.org.
Place Your Ad in the 2019 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide
It’s that time of year again: the launch of the 2019 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide!
This year, the redesigned, larger size allows for more inspirational content in an attractive magazine-like format. Bigger, bolder images will showcase Albuquerque to a higher degree. There will be more space for editorial and feature stories, and larger advertising options.
Designed to inspire travel to our oasis in the high-desert through tips, tools and unique stories that showcase Albuquerque’s many facets, the 2019 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide embraces the diversity and authenticity of this one-of-a-kind destination and continues to be a popular tool among travelers.
Did you know that 88.8% of visitors said these guides helped them make the decision to travel to Albuquerque, and we welcome more than 6.2 million visitors annually? Make sure you are a part of their decision making!
Advertising space deadline is Thursday, November 15. Artwork is due Friday, November 30.
Featured Benefit for Partners: Convention Calendar
Partners, are you taking advantage of the opportunity to directly tap into the thousands of dollars that the Albuquerque convention business offers?
Check out this exclusive partner benefit; an interactive tool that provides access to future meetings, association and non-association conventions, as well as sports events scheduled to be held in Albuquerque. The calendar provides dates, locations, meeting planners’ contact name, email address, and mailing address of the organization and the anticipated number of attendees. You also have access to our Services Team Managers to address any questions that you may have about any of the meetings.
Contact Novella Trujillo at 505-222-4307 or Novella@visitabq.org for access and assistance.
Send Us Your Holiday Packages and Deals
We want to include you in our upcoming holiday promotional efforts. If you are offering a holiday/winter package or deal, we want to know about it and share it! Packages and deals created around a holiday or a season are a great way to encourage visitors to your business. Albuquerque’s beautiful winter weather and unique holiday traditions create a great opportunity to do just that.
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.
Send Us Your Packages and Deals for "Visions of the Hispanic World: Treasures from the Hispanic Society" Promotions
We want to include you in our upcoming promotional efforts surrounding the new exhibition coming to Albuquerque Museum, Visions of the Hispanic World: Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library. The exhibition, coming to Albuquerque Museum November 10 to March 31, tells a rich story of cultures settling in Spain and bringing the best and most innovative elements of their heritage to the Iberian Peninsula and the Spanish colonies. This renowned exhibit coming to Albuquerque creates a great opportunity to offer packages and deals with which it could be paired.
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.
ABQ in the News
National Coverage
» Condé Nast Traveler - Best Places to Visit in October
» RMWorldTravel - Destination Spotlight 31: Albuquerque
» Travel Channel - 10 Amazing Fall Festivals Worth a Road Trip
» TravelPulse - Reliving My Travel + Cuisine Awakening
» AFAR - 10 Best Places to Go in October
Local Coverage
» KOB - Balloon Fiesta expected to have huge impact on Albuquerque's economy
Congratulations to Bob Murphy, Winner of the 2018 John A. Myers Award for Leadership in Urban Excellence
The 2018 John A. Myers Award for Leadership in Urban Excellence was presented to Bob Murphy on October 3, 2018. In 2017, the award was established by ULI New Mexico to honor and recognize exceptional individuals who have made a significant impact on Albuquerque’s physical environment, and whose career demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of responsible development.
Bob is the Executive Director of Albuquerque Economic Forum. Currently on our board of directors, Bob served as our chairman in FY91. For three decades, Bob Murphy has been an incredible force for our organization and the hospitality community. We are proud to count ourselves among those who have benefited greatly from his influence. Thank you, Bob!
Congratulations to Jose Garcia on his Honor at the C-suite Awards
Business First is recognizing the achievements of top executives throughout the C-suite who are demonstrating outstanding leadership at New Mexico companies. Visit Albuquerque extends a big congratulations to Jose Garcia, General Manager of the Albuquerque Convention Center on being named one of the 12 C-suite award finalists. The award finalists were honored at a luncheon hosted by Albuquerque Business First on October 11. Visit Albuquerque is proud to partner with Jose and his team to move Albuquerque’s meetings, conventions and sports industry forward.
Congratulations to Los Poblanos Leadership on Their Recent Recognition with the Common Good Investing Humanitarian Award
This year, the New Mexico Humanitarian Awards are honoring six local leaders. According to Albuquerque Business First, “Penny and Armin Rembe are being awarded for cultivating a business dedicated to sustainable agriculture, hospitality, historic preservation and community. Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm has grown over three generations of Rembe family members and become one of the most well-known properties in New Mexico.”
Congratulations to Courtyard by Marriott on Their Recent Hotel Renovation
Courtyard by Marriott, Journal Center has recently announced the completion of a $4 million renovation, including the renovation of their guest rooms and ballroom. Renovation included upgrades to the guest rooms; newly finished wood flooring, décor, lighting, furniture, new bathroom vanity area & showers.
Congratulations to Campo Restaurant at Los Poblanos and The Grove Cafe & Market on Making the 2018 Good Food 100 Restaurants List
Two Albuquerque partner eateries made a national list recognizing restaurants for their transparency and ethical sourcing practices. The 2018 Good Food 100 Restaurants list includes Campo at Los Poblanos and The Grove Cafe & Market in EDo.
Congratulations to the Sunport on Landing a Top Ten Spot on High-Profile Ranking of Airports
The Albuquerque International Sunport recently landed a top 10 ranking in J.D. Power's 2018 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. The Sunport came in eighth place for the mid-sized airport category, scoring 797 points out of 1,000.
Congratulations to Our Partners Named on Alibi’s Best of Burque Restaurants 2018 List
Congratulations to our partners named on Alibi’s Best of Burque Restaurants 2018 list:
Cake Fetish
Range Café
The Candy Lady
Congratulations to Albuquerque Brewers on Taking Home Medals at Great American Beer Fest
Eight New Mexico breweries returned home with medals from the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in late September, including seven in and around Albuquerque. Congratulations to La Cumbre Brewing Co., Bosque Brewing Co., Starr Brothers Brewing Co., Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Palmer Brewery and Cider House, Turtle Mountain Brewing Co. (Rio Rancho), and Sierra Blanca Brewing Co. (Moriarity)! Rowley Farmhouse Ales in Santa Fe also took home an award.
Turquoise Museum
400 2nd St. S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-550-0127
The Turquoise Museum is celebrating 25 years in Albuquerque, with a new facility. The museum is moving into a castle located in downtown and will display turquoise from 100 U.S. mines, over 400 pieces of southwestern jewelry, and some of the rarest turquoise stones in the world. Opening soon!
Canvas and Coffee
6700 4th St NW
Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, NM 87107
505-803-4230
Grab your friends or your special someone and join us for a sip-n-paint night! Enjoy a gourmet coffee or tea while our artist instructs you step-by-step through creating your own piece of art! At the end of the night you’ll take home a one-of-a-kind painting and hopefully a new found talent.
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