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Industry Insider

October 2024

Another Balloon Fiesta is officially behind us. Thank you to all our Partners for making it a success. We are grateful for everyone’s hard work as the city welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors.  

Coming up next, it is time to share the experiences and offerings that come with our beautiful fall and holiday seasons. Native American Heritage Month begins in November, and we encourage you to take a moment to celebrate the rich Native American ancestry and cultural traditions in Albuquerque.

This issue of Industry Insider includes a last chance to advertise in this year's Visitors Guide and a recap of this year’s Balloon Fiesta.

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner!

News

Register Now for Visit Albuquerque’s Annual Meeting

Join us for the 2024 Visit Albuquerque Annual Meeting as we explore the roadmap to the future of our vibrant destination. This year’s program will highlight the strategies and opportunities that will shape the next chapter of Albuquerque’s story as we unveil the Albuquerque Destination Master Plan, as well as a review of FY24 industry performance and the plans and highlights for FY25. Don’t miss this chance to connect with peers and industry leaders, gain valuable insights, and play a part in the evolution of our city and its tourism sector. Save the date and get ready to be inspired!

Graphic that reads "2024 Annual Meeting Save the Date".

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024
Albuquerque Convention Center 
401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
3:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. 
Annual Meeting Program to begin at 3:30 p.m., with networking reception immediately following. 

Tickets to the event are free, but you must register in advance.

 
Recap of the 52nd Annual Balloon Fiesta

The 52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® is in the books. Visit Albuquerque started marketing the event back in April, with advertisements in drive markets and digital marketing campaigns. This year, our marketing included dedicated messaging that encouraged people to plan their visit for the weekdays due to lodging availability and to make the impact of the nine-day festival more consistent. During the event, Visit Albuquerque provided visitor information at the launch field and took free photos of guests in the Visit Albuquerque frame. We also distributed thousands of copies of a City Guide with information for visitors and posted billboards welcoming Balloon Fiesta visitors along I-25, I-40 and Paseo del Norte.

The city comes alive during Balloon Fiesta, with events ranging from art fairs to cultural performances to lowrider shows. For the second year in a row, Visit Albuquerque expanded its social media coverage, highlighting activities taking place across the city. Between Oct. 1-14, Visit Albuquerque social media accounts (including on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Threads) gained 3,052 followers from 109 pieces of content created. These posts garnered almost 186,000 engagements.

We are currently analyzing the overall industry performance this year and will share more insight as we have it available. If you have insight to share, we’d love to hear from you at marketing@visitabq.org.

 

A Visit Albuquerque employee takes a picture of a family in the Visit Albuquerque frame at Balloon Fiesta.

A picture of a Visit ABQ billboard at Paseo and Jefferson reading "it's glow time" with picture from a balloon glow.

Visit Albuquerque billboard at Jefferson and Paseo reading "let's do launch" welcoming Balloon Fiesta visitors.

Advertisement Opportunities in the Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide

Production of the 2025 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide is underway! The guide is a vital resource for travelers looking for ideas for where to stay, eat, shop and play in our city. We will distribute 150,000 copies of the publication beginning in January 2025. To advertise your business in the guide, contact Alisha Zierden at 505-222-4310 or Zierden@VisitABQ.org. Ad sales close Oct. 31 and artwork is due Nov. 5.

Hotels can purchase a “Places to Stay” listing in the Visitors Guide as well. This listing will showcase your property and all of its amenities to visitors coming to Albuquerque. The fee for the “Places to Stay” listing in the 2025 Visitors Guide is $500 plus tax, for a total advertising cost of only $538.13. Don’t miss out on your chance to promote your property in our year-round guide. Contact Alisha Zierden at 505-222-4310 or Zierden@VisitABQ.org.

The 2024 Visit Albuquerque Visitors Guide being opened to a page

 

Sales Updates

Visit Albuquerque Sales and Sports Team Attends Trade Shows

TEAMS Conference & Expo, Sept. 24-26, Anaheim, CA

Director of Sales, Services and Sports Angie Jepsen and Senior Sports Development Manager Angela Gandy attended the TEAMS Conference & Expo in Anaheim, California, last month. They conducted 33 one-on-one appointments with sports events rights holders that could potentially bring sporting events to Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Sports Commission sponsored daily recap videos during the conference, elevating Albuquerque's visibility.

Angela Gandy and Angie Jepsen at the 2024 TEAMS Conference.

In addition, they participated in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic SportsLink during TEAMS. The U.S.O.P.C. SportsLink is an opportunity for the national governing bodies that make up the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movements to conduct educational sessions, share best practices and network with destinations and venues that want to host sport-related events. SportsLink also provides Olympic athletes the opportunity to share their stories and the impact that sports travel has had on their careers.

A photo of a slide at the 2024 TEAMS Conference showing the Visit Albuquerque logo on a daily recap.

IMEX America, Oct. 8-10, Las Vegas, NV

Vice President of Sales, Services and Sports Scott Craighead and Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester attended IMEX America in Las Vegas, Nevada, this month. The conference saw record attendance with 15,500 attendees, including 5,500 buyers. Visit Albuquerque had more than 40 appointments with organizations that included third party planners, associations, association management companies and corporate customers with several specific meeting opportunities presented. Visit Albuquerque met with a variety of clients, such as HPN Global, HelmsBriscoe, Kellen Meetings, OmniEra Events, Conference Planning International, ConferenceDirect, IBM, Maritz and the American Bar Association, to name a few.

A view of the joint Visit Albuquerque and Tourism Santa Fe IMEX America 2024 booth.

Visit Albuquerque shared a booth with Tourism Santa Fe. Fifth-generation tinsmith Jason Younis y Delgado served as the in-booth activation. Visit Albuquerque team members were joined by Drew Wyrick from Heritage Hotels and April Gallego from Tourism Santa Fe.

Guests listen to Jason Younis y Delgado speak at a dinner during IMEX America 2024 at Electric Playhouse.

Visit Albuquerque hosted an immersive customer dinner at Electric Playhouse Las Vegas with several customers, including Prestige Global Meeting Source, RMC Meetings and Events, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, American Institute for Conservation, Helms Briscoe and Conference Direct.

Upcoming Meetings and Sports Events

In November 2024, more than 32,000 people will participate in meetings and sports events booked and supported by Visit Albuquerque. These events will generate an estimated $6.78 million in direct spend. Some of the noteworthy events include:

Dates

Group Name

Est. Attendance

Meeting Location

Nov. 1-3

New Mexico Leather League Leather Fiesta

250

Crowne Plaza Albuquerque

Nov. 2-3

United States Specialty Sports Association Veteran's Day Tournament

3,168

Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex

Nov. 2-3

New Mexico Youth Soccer Association Bosque Cup

2,475

Ventana Ranch Park and CNM West Park

Nov. 5-7

National Water Resources Association Leadership Forum and Annual Conference

250

The Clyde Hotel

Nov. 6-9

The Standard Celebration Society Annual Conference

150

Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

Nov. 7-10

American Folklore Society Annual Meeting

500

Albuquerque Convention Center

Nov. 7-9

Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande Annual Convention

250

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott - Airport

Nov. 8-9

New Mexico Activities Association State Soccer Championships

3,465

NM Soccer Tournament Complex

Nov. 9-10

New Mexico Youth Soccer Association CSC Veterans Cup

2,228

Corrales Soccer Fields

Nov. 9-10

New Mexico Youth Soccer Association U9-U13 Gaylord Sheppard Soccer Tournament

9,313

NM Soccer Tournament Complex

Nov. 9

New Mexico Activities Association State Cross Country Championships

2,970

Local High Schools

Nov. 11-14

Association of Intermountain Housing Officers Annual Conference NM

200

Embassy Suites by Hilton Albuquerque

Nov. 11-15

New Mexico Department of Health Head to Toe

650

Albuquerque Convention Center

Nov. 13-15

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach National Agricultural Marketing Summit

225

Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North

Nov. 14-17

International Western Music Association Annual Convention

550

Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town 

Nov. 14-17

Professional Golfers Association of America 17u National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship

238

Twin Warriors Golf Club

Nov. 14-16

New Mexico Activities Association State Volleyball Championships

2,970

Local High Schools

Nov. 16-17

New Mexico Youth Soccer Association U14-U19 Gaylord Sheppard Soccer Tournament

2,356

NM Soccer Tournament Complex

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 in November. 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.