Industry Insider

September 2022

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

HELLO, VISIT ALBUQUERQUE PARTNERS,

Summer is coming to an end, and we’re preparing for the fall season – and Balloon Fiesta. We are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors to our city for this world-renowned event.

We are grateful to all our Partners who joined us for our Annual Meeting earlier this month. During the event, we welcomed our new Chair of the Board, Deepesh Kholwadwala and expressed our thanks to our outgoing Chair, Heather Arnold for all her hard work and leadership. We are excited to work together to continue to innovate and improve the leisure and hospitality industry in Albuquerque.

2022 Visit Albuquerque Annual Meeting

National Hispanic Heritage Month began this month. In Albuquerque, we’re proud of our multicultural heritage and the rich diversity of our community. We’re eager to celebrate the Hispanic culture this month that makes this city so unique.

This issue of Industry Insider includes a recap of our Annual Meeting, a preview of Visit Albuquerque’s efforts during Balloon Fiesta, and news about recent trade shows and meetings Visit Albuquerque has attended.

Thank you for being a Visit Albuquerque Partner.

Tania Armenta
President & CEO
Visit Albuquerque

News

Visit Albuquerque Hosts Annual Meeting

Visit Albuquerque welcomed over 350 industry leaders, organization partners and community members at its annual meeting earlier this month. Attendees heard remarks from Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, City Council President Isaac Benton and Visit Albuquerque leadership. One of the highlights was the nearly full recovery of leisure travel over the past fiscal year. Hotel occupancy rates rose throughout the fiscal year, outperforming the national average every month except one. Sporting events were a bright spot in Albuquerque’s recovery. As the first type of events to resume following pandemic shutdowns, sports tournaments and competitions led Visit Albuquerque’s booked business in FY22. During the Annual Meeting, Visit Albuquerque welcomed incoming Board of Directors Chair Deepesh Kholwadwala, President & CEO of Sun Capital Hotels. Kholwadwala takes the position over from Heather Arnold, Co-owner of Routes Bicycle Tours & Rentals.

Photo Credit: Winstonfoto.com

Visit Albuquerque Prepares for Balloon Fiesta

Visit Albuquerque has created multiple promotional items to celebrate the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® next month. The ABQ Passport is a free, mobile-exclusive passport that serves as a guide to Albuquerque’s diverse neighborhoods. The goal of the passport is to help people explore the city while in town for Balloon Fiesta so they can experience many of the great restaurants, breweries, retail shops, attractions and more that Albuquerque has to offer. As participants check in to more locations, they are entered to win an Albuquerque prize package. Click here for more information on the ABQ Passport, and download and print this flyer to display at your front desk, reception area or cash register so guests can access the Passport via a convenient QR code.

Additionally, Visit Albuquerque has created a City Guide to pass out to visitors here for Balloon Fiesta. The publication suggests ways for visitors to enjoy our city’s unique culture, outdoor activities and distinctive cuisine. It includes a citywide calendar of events, more than 50 coupons, the Balloon Fiesta schedule and a map of Balloon Fiesta Park.

Visit Albuquerque will also have a Mobile Visitors Center at Balloon Fiesta with information for visitors, along with the life-size Albuquerque Frame where attendees can take a free photo.

To welcome Albuquerque visitors during Balloon Fiesta, download either of these printable files to hang in your storefront or business. Help us spread the excitement of this landmark event throughout the city and encourage guests to visit your business. If you have guests with questions about Balloon Fiesta, encourage them to download the Official Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® mobile app sponsored by Visit Albuquerque.

Review Your Listing for the 2023 Visitors Guide

Production of the 2023 Official Albuquerque Visitors Guide is underway! The guide is a vital resource for travelers, highlighting where to stay, eat, shop and enjoy all that our city has to offer. We will distribute 200,000 copies of the publication beginning in January 2023.

Partners in certain categories – such as shopping, dining and attractions – received forms in the mail the week of Aug. 29 to verify your listing in the Visitors Guide. If you received a form, please review it carefully, make any changes or additions, and return it by Sept. 30. If you need another copy of your form or have questions, please contact Alanna Allen at 505-222-4357 or Allen@VisitABQ.org.

For businesses that want a stronger presence in the Visitors Guide, we are also offering a variety of advertising opportunities. Contact Mary Brown, Partner Sales & Services Manager, to maximize your impact and promote your business. Contact Mary directly at Brown@VisitABQ.org or 505-222-4310.

Visit Albuquerque Assists with Seven Meetings and Conventions in August

The Visit Albuquerque sales team secured seven meetings and events for the city during the month of August. These group events brought in more than 2,000 attendees and generated almost 1,800 room nights. The Albuquerque Sports Commission supported six sporting events in the city during August. Six more meetings and conventions and four additional sporting events are scheduled for September. Groups that held an event in Albuquerque during August include:

Shamrock Foods
The Maize Inc.
Trinity Southwest University’s International Symposium on Archaeology & The Bible
Sons of the Desert
Colleges that Change Lives
Overeaters Anonymous
New Mexico Municipal League’s Annual NMML Conference

Visit Albuquerque Attends American Society of Association Executives Annual Exposition

Associate Director of Sales Larry Atchison and Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester represented Visit Albuquerque during the the American Society of Association Executives' Annual Exposition August 20-22. They met with over 150 meeting planners and attendees in our booth. Visit Albuquerque Board Member Christine Pauley and her team from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists stopped by while they attended this year’s convention.

Visit Albuquerque also cohosted a breakfast event with Madison, Wisconsin, and Providence, Rhode Island, as a part of our tri-cities partnership. Thirty-five meeting planners from various associations attended.

Visit Albuquerque Attends Professional Fraternity Association’s Convention

Visit Albuquerque Senior National Sales Manager Misty Jester traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to attend the Professional Fraternity Association’s Annual Convention. She had the opportunity to attend a Kalamazoo FAM trip with over 45 different professional fraternal meeting planners as well as one-on-one appointments with each of them. She made a presentation to the group during their closing lunch to get the attendees excited for the 2023 Annual PFA Convention, which will be held in Albuquerque at the Embassy Suites.

Visit Albuquerque Attends New Mexico State Fair

Visitor Services Manager Liz Burnam and Visit Albuquerque volunteers attended the New Mexico State Fair for New Mexico True and Gathering of Counties Day. They passed out copies of Visit Albuquerque’s Visitors Guide and the New Mexico True Visitors Guide along with activity books with crayons and discovery maps.

Submit Nominations for the New Mexico Hospitality Association’s TopHAT Awards

The New Mexico Hospitality Association is now accepting nominations for its 2022 TopHAT (Hospitality and Tourism) Awards. The TopHAT Awards recognize outstanding people, experiences and lodging properties that go above and beyond in the hospitality and tourism industry. Businesses do not need to be an NMHA member to apply. Some of this year's categories include:

Outstanding Event
Front-of-House Food & Beverage Employee of the Year
Front-of-House Hospitality Employee of the Year
Back-of-House Food & Beverage Employee of the Year
Back-of-House Hospitality Employee of the Year
Hospitality Professional of the Year
Full-Service Hotel of the Year
Select Service Hotel of the Year
Supplier/Vendor of the Year

Nominations are due by Sept. 30. For more information on the criteria for each award, click here, and to submit your nominations, click here.

MARKETING TIPS AND TRICKS

Create Content to Connect with Visitors this Fall and Winter

As the temperatures fall, it’s time to think about how to attract new visitors during the colder months. Destination Travel Network has some tips on how to revamp your content to focus on experiences and bring in more customers.

Make the Most of Black Friday

While Black Friday is still two months away, now is the time to start thinking about the deals and promotions your business will offer. Ensure your offer stands out with Hootsuite’s tips on making the most of your Black Friday marketing.

Partner Opportunities

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 highlighting city during Balloon Fiesta - KRQE
New ABQ Passport aims to help people explore the city - KRQE
State Fair, 50th Balloon Fiesta expected to boost tourism - KOB
September events presented by Visit Albuquerque - KRQE

National

9 Fantastic Restaurants in Albuquerque Perfect for Outdoor Dining - TravelAwaits
The Best Things to Do in Albuquerque, the Hot Air Balloon Capital of the U.S. - Condé Nast Traveler
Top Train Rides for Fall Foliage in the Southwest - AARP
Albuquerque, New Mexico - San Diego Beer News
Sunset Travel Awards 2022 Directory: Where to Go - Sunset
Sunset Travel Awards 2022 Directory: What to Do - Sunset

Partner Kudos

Pureland Kava Hosts Grand Opening

Pureland Kava and Tea Bar recently hosted its grand opening celebration, with a ribbon cutting, prizes and a dance party. Welcome to the Albuquerque business community!

National Hispanic Cultural Center Launches New Initiative

The National Hispanic Cultural Center is entering the film production industry with its new “Film, TV & Radio Initiative.” The initiative will help advertise film, television and radio facilities at the NHCC.

Hotel ZAZZ Opens in Nob Hill

Congratulations to Hotel ZAZZ for opening to guests on Sept. 10. The completely renovated property offers a splash of color and fun at 3711 Central Ave. NE in Nob Hill.

Featured Partners

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.

Corporate Partners

Corporate Partners invest in Visit Albuquerque’s mission and support the local hospitality, tourism and meetings industry. Our thanks to Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) for teaming up with us as a turquoise-level Corporate Partner.

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

516 ARTS
Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce
American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico, Inc.
Casa Rondeña Winery
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro
Excel Staffing Companies
Gustavo Pimentel "The Guitarist"
Hilton Garden Inn Albuquerque Uptown
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town - A Heritage Hotel & Resort
Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza
Main Event Albuquerque
Mountainair Information Center
Museum Collaborative Council of Albuquerque
National Hispanic Cultural Center
New Mexico Black Leadership Council
New Mexico Holocaust Museum and Gellert Center for Education
New Mexico Route 66 Association
Nob Hill Main Street
Pimentel Guitars, Music & Entertainment
Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festival - Spring Show
Routes Bicycle Tours & Rentals Inc.
Sandoval County Economic Business Development & Tourism
Spur Line Supply Co.
The Printer's Press Inc.
United Way of Central New Mexico
Village of Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
Weems Galleries & Framing

Resources

August's President Report

August Leisure eNewsletter

August ABQ365 eNewsletter

October-November Conventions with 500+ Attendees