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HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS,

As we head into the fall season, we’re looking forward to cooler weather, spicier food, beautiful fall foliage and countless reasons to travel to Albuquerque. We’re gearing up for Balloon Fiesta and all of the great tourism benefits this world-renowned event brings. We wish everyone a successful Fiesta and fall travel season.

We are also in the midst of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place Sept. 15 - Oct.15. In Albuquerque, we take pride in our community as a mixture of cultures and a place of rich diversity year-round. Discover ways to celebrate Hispanic culture in Albuquerque in this recent blog post
 
If you joined us for our Annual Meeting last week, we hope you enjoyed the program and the opportunity to network with your colleagues in the leisure and hospitality industry. We are excited to work with our new Chair of the Board Heather Arnold and welcome new Board member Scott Cape, general manager of the Embassy Suites by Hilton and area general manager of Atrium Hospitality, to our Board of Directors. We are grateful to our past Chair Cainan Harris for all his leadership and engagement the last two years. Working together with our Board, staff and Partners, we continue to look for new and innovative ways to move forward.

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner.

Tania Armenta 
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque

News

Last Day to Pick Up Bulk Copies of New ABQ Visitors Guide 

We are excited to announce the arrival of our new Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide, just in time to welcome guests arriving in the city for Balloon Fiesta! The 76-page guide offers ideas about things to do and see in our beautiful city. As a benefit of your Partnership with Visit Albuquerque, you are entitled to a supply of Visitors Guides for display and distribution at your business. Make sure you have a fresh supply of guides at your front desk, in your guest rooms, at your cash register, in your brochure racks and in your waiting areas. Today is the last day to pick up bulk supplies of Visitors Guides at our Downtown building. You may pick up bulk supplies of Visitors Guides at the First Plaza loading dock until 4 pm.

 

 

VG 2021

Visit Albuquerque Recognizes the Resilience and Perseverance of the Travel and Tourism Industry at Annual Meeting 

On Sept. 15 we held our Annual Meeting at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North’s outdoor pavilion where industry leaders, organization partners and community members tuned in to hear Visit Albuquerque leadership discuss the current impact of the pandemic, highlight fiscal year accomplishments and recent recovery efforts, and speak to the future of Albuquerque’s hospitality and tourism industry. 

The program also highlighted the organization’s efforts to form an Albuquerque Tourism Marketing District, which would add a 2% assessment – paid by the visitor – to room rates at more than 150 lodging properties located within the district’s boundaries, providing a new and dedicated funding source to expand promotion of the city as a top destination for leisure travelers, sporting events, meetings and conventions. The meeting also included a forecast of the future, noting that while business spending and travel volume is projected to take some time to recover to pre-pandemic levels, leisure spending and volume is on track to outpace 2019 data by 2023. 

Visit Albuquerque also welcomed incoming board of directors chair Heather Arnold, co-owner of Routes Bicycle Tours & Rentals. Arnold takes the position over from Cainan Harris, vice president of operations for Heritage Hotels & Resorts and general manager of The Clyde Hotel. Business partners in attendance also elected a slate of nominees to fill three open positions on the board of directors. Cainan Harris, vice president of operations for Heritage Hotels & Resorts and general manager of The Clyde Hotel, and Scott Cape, area general manager of the Embassy Suites by Hilton Albuquerque, were elected to positions in the Hospitality/Accommodations category. Tom Garrity, founder and president of The Garrity Group Public Relations, was elected to a position in the General Business category.

Read the full press release here

2021 VABQ Annual Meeting

Balloon Fiesta Announces Updated COVID-19 Protocols 

Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the current State of New Mexico Public Health Order pertaining to COVID Safe Practices, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® will require masks for all guests in all indoor areas and in crowded outdoor settings. Current changes in place include: 
 

  • Masks are required in all indoor areas.
  • Masks are required in crowded outdoor settings.
  • Masks are required for all passengers boarding enclosed Balloon Fiesta courtesy shuttles and park and ride buses.
  • Increased physical distancing will be encouraged in all areas.

 
For additional information, click here

Balloon Fiesta

 
Balloon Fiesta Mobile App Keeps You in the Know 

Before you head out to the Balloon Fiesta field this year, be sure to install the official Balloon Fiesta app on your mobile device. The mobile app, sponsored by Visit Albuquerque, includes daily schedules, information about every balloon and pilot, ticketing links, weather updates and much more. You can even drop a pin onto a map to show where you parked your car. After the event, just press the pin and follow the directional arrows to show you the way back to your parking spot!

 

 

Balloon Fiesta Mobile App

 

New Mexico Tourism Department Rural Pathway Program Applications Now Open 

The New Mexico Tourism Department is bringing back the Rural Pathway Program as a two-part complimentary service to provide New Mexico communities with comprehensive technical assistance to bring tourism products to life. The reimagined program consists of the Rural Pathway Tourism Incubator and the Rural Pathway Grant. Applications for each service are open to eligible entities on a rolling basis now through May 1, 2022.
 
The purpose of the program is to provide technical assistance to tourism stakeholders within New Mexico in developing viable tourism products by providing the necessary tools, resources and support, and to provide matching funding to tourism stakeholders within New Mexico to support the implementation of viable tourism products. Eligible entities include nonprofit tourism-related organizations as designated by the Internal Revenue Service, and municipalities, counties and tribal governments within the State of New Mexico that promote New Mexico as a visitor destination. Learn more here

HeaderImage_Sandia-Mountains-Albuquerque_Expedia

 
Visit Albuquerque Senior National Sales Manager Attends the Professional Fraternity Association Annual Conference

Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester recently represented Visit Albuquerque at the Professional Fraternity Association (PFA) Annual Conference in Irving, Texas. She had the opportunity to network with and conduct ​​face-to-face, scheduled appointments with over 25 professional fraternity members. Albuquerque also made the short list to host the 2023 PFA Annual Convention, so Misty gave a presentation to the association’s Board of Directors. We are thrilled to report that after the presentations, the board voted and Albuquerque was selected to host their 2023 annual convention!

 

Civic Plaza

Visit Albuquerque Represented at Connect Tour  

From Sept. 20-22, Vice President of Sales, Services and Sports Kristin McGrath will represent Visit Albuquerque at Connect Tour. Connect Tour allows domestic tour operators and industry suppliers to meet during pre-scheduled, one-on-one appointments. This year, Connect Tour has co-located the show with IPW, allowing for additional networking opportunities.

 

Albuquerque Balloon West Bluff

Albuquerque Sports Commission To Attend Travel, Events and Management in Sports Conference 

The Albuquerque Sports Commission, a division of Visit Albuquerque, will attend the Travel, Events and Management in Sports (TEAMS) conference in Atlantic City Sept. 27-30. The team will have up to 50 one-on-one appointments with event organizers and decision makers from across the country, including many of TEAM USA’s national governing bodies.

 

 

The Sandia Mountains at sunset from the westside of the city.

Booth Operator Registration for Trunk or Treat Event Now Open

The City of Albuquerque Parks & Recreation Department is busy planning for the third annual Trunk or Treat at Balloon Fiesta Park on Oct. 31, 2021. Booth/Trunk Operator registrations are currently being accepted. Participating businesses can pass out candy or trinkets from a decorated car or truck, a decorated table or a pop-up tent. Approximately 3,000 participants are anticipated, and company literature may be distributed along with treats. For more information or to register for the event please contact John Fitzpatrick at jmfitzpatrick@cabq.gov or visit the website.

 

CABQ Parks & Rec 2021 Trunk or Treat

Marketing Tips & Tricks 

 

How to Engage With Post-Pandemic Visitors by Thinking About Their Travel Motivation

As people begin to consider travel again, many long for a trip that helps to achieve a goal and inspires wellness. Traveling and reaching those goals sparks a sense of personal wellness that can’t be found at home. Learn how to engage with and welcome travelers who are focused on their own version of wellness. See the content links below for details. 

  1. Whether your business offers spectacular views, scrumptious meals celebrating local flavors, or you-can-only-do-that-here experiences, decide how the unique characteristics you offer visitors can tie in with the reasons people are traveling right now. Here are some ideas
  2. Sustainable tourism is on the rise and there are many ways to incorporate sustainable practices in your business and market them to appeal to a sustainability-minded visitor. Check out these practices to emphasize sustainable wellness for your business.
  3. After having more time to bond with pets during the pandemic, many travelers are eager to bring their furry best friend along on their next trip. If your business is pet-friendly, consider ways to go above and beyond for pets who visit with these tips


 

Partner Opportunities 

 

Submit Your Events to the ABQ365 Events Calendar 

Visit Albuquerque’s ABQ365 Events Calendar offers a great opportunity to promote your upcoming 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.

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 Specials & Coupons page. 

Click here to submit your current coupons and specials. 

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 

 

Partner Kudos

 

Rude Boy Cookies to Open New Location at Avanyu Plaza

Rude Boy Cookies has plans to open a location at a new retail development at Avanyu Plaza, on 12th Street across from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The new space will be 500 square feet and offer the same menu and look and style as its Central Avenue location along with some indoor seating. Congratulations! 

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Sets Guinness World Record for Greatest Mass Balloon Ascent 

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® set a new Guinness World Record (GWR) for the “Greatest mass hot air balloon ascent” with the 2019 launch of 524 hot air balloons. Congratulations! 

Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa Ranks 15th on Travel + Leisure’s Top 15 Best Resort Hotels in the West

Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa was featured as #15 on the list of the Top 15 Best Resort Hotels in the West from Travel + Leisure, a result of the outlet’s World’s Best Awards survey. Congratulations!

Featured Partners

Unbelievable Pass

Calling local brewery, 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

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

  • 505 Central Food Hall
  • Albuquerque Escape Room
  • Albuquerque Urban Air
  • Classic Elegance Coaches LLC
  • Free-to-Roam eBiking
  • Irving Village

Renewing Partners