Region’s Charms a Secret No More
Published Mar 27, 2008
Adobe shops and restaurants line the streets of historic Old Town Albuquerque, a major tourist destination for Albuquerque visitors.
Albuquerque’s tourism industry is thriving.
Some three million visitors generate $2 billion for the local economy each year. Twenty-four thousand jobs depend on the industry.
Rankings have placed Albuquerque at or near the top of best destinations lists, citing its desert and mountain landscapes, diverse cultural offerings, and a cultural scene full of fine restaurants, nightclubs and museums.
But local tourism officials are not resting on their laurels.
Officials charged with promoting the area as a vacation and relocation destination say they are constantly working to retool their message, going after a variety of travelers through targeted marketing efforts aimed at diverse audiences. And in doing so, they are enhancing broader economic development efforts, says Dale Lockett, president and CEO of the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“What the hospitality industry does has the potential for improving the quality of life for citizens here in very dramatic ways,” Lockett says. “Our work in establishing the brand for this destination plays a role for the chamber of commerce and other economic development groups’ efforts to attract new business and expand existing ones.”
As a part of its marketing strategy, the CVB has rolled out a Web site, www.itsatrip.org, which includes a destination master plan feature among others. The site was two years in development and implementation, and is designed to showcase Albuquerque and the surrounding area as a destination offering culture, history, outdoor recreation and unique cuisine. The goal is to appeal to as many types of traveler as possible, rather than focus on particular market segments like retirees or families with children, Lockett says.
“All of those elements, as well as the climate, the museums and galleries, and the new Albuquerque Uptown that’s emerging, are unique elements to us,” he says. “That’s our strength, and that’s why tourism has been increasing every year for the last 20 years. We try to make sure that when we’re marketing Albuquerque, we don’t say we’re better for one group than another. We can offer experiences that are not found anywhere else in the United States, and we are consistently delivering on that promise.”
The hospitality industry also works as closely as possible with the area’s economic development entities, using quality-of-life rankings and data assembled by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and others in its own efforts. And then there are the “pure gold” moments, such as when Orbitz.com named the city as one of the top five destinations in the world people should experience.
“If you’re someone planning a vacation, or the CEO of a company, you can immediately understand something like that,” Lockett says. “It’s truly priceless.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Ian Curcio
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