Quarterly CVB Newsletter - Winter-Spring 2009
Message from the Executive Director
This is the first in what is planned to be a quarterly newsletter from the CVB to keep you, our partners, up to date with what the bureau is doing. The overwhelmingly positive reaction I received after the Tourism Summit convinced me of the need to keep you informed about our marketing efforts, what is taking place at the convention center, what groups are headed to town, news of interest, and how the future looks for tourism in Santa Fe.
I hope this newsletter will be a helpful tool for all of you.
Sincerely,
Keith Toler
CVB Events & Meetings
During the Tourism Summit interest was expressed in having several brain-storming meetings. We look forward to meeting with you again and invite you join us at one of three Think Tank sessions about how the bureau and our community can work together on specific issues. Each session will be limited to 30 participants and will focus on the following topics:
If you would like to join one of the Think Tanks please send an email to pearchuleta@santafenm.gov.
Sales Report
The Santa Fe Community Convention Center has 44 signed contracts for events, with twice as many pending. These events include everything from Conventions to Quincieneras. For a full list please go to: Convention Center Calendar
The Sales Team will be attending these upcoming trade shows, during the next quarter:
The Sales team will also be helping with a couple of upcoming FAM (familiarization) trips to Santa Fe.
The table below is a list of Sales Leads, (groups interested in holding their event in Santa Fe), that were sent out during the last quarter.
Press Highlights
Since January the city has hosted more than 35 writers, TV journalists, and radio show hosts in Santa Fe. Their stories have included pieces on art, museums, food, the new convention center, Native culture, the 400th anniversary, the New Mexico History Museum opening, spas, skiing, and the city as a travel destination. In that same period the city has been featured in the Austin American Statesman, Agenda Magazine, Seattle Times, Smart Meetings, USA Today, Winnipeg Free Press, Where to Go Next, A Matter of Taste radio show, Examiner.com, Mountain Living, Sherman'sTravel.com, San Francisco Business Times, Southwest Art, San Jose Mercury News, The Advocate, Miami Herald, eVent Magazine, About.com, New York Times, and many others.
Coming up in the next several months are planned visits by the Travel Channel, Reno Magazine, Citizen K - glossy French quarterly, TravelingBoy.com, Americas Magazine, TV BS-1 - Japanese television, the Weather Channel, and a number of Canadian journalists.
Visitor Stats
The Convention Center Visitor's Center staff helped 3,401 walk-in visitors during January, February and March, and answered phone, email, & live chat inquiries, generating a total of 16,700 Visitors Guide mail requests. The New Mexico State Tourism Department's Santa Fe area Visitor Information Centers reported a total of 26,538 visitors during the last three months.
According to February statistics (the latest) from the Rocky Mountain Lodging report occupancy was at 46.7%, down 3.6% from last year; average room rate was $92.32 and REVPAR was $43.13. Compared to the national averages listed on the U.S. Travel Association's website Santa Fe is faring much better than most cities which were down an average of 10.5% in occupancy.
With the shaky economy it seems the travel trend for 2009 will see travelers returning to the fundamental reasons for travel, re-exploring time-honored destinations and old-fashioned courtesy, searching for comfort and serenity and quiet. What's old is new again this year.
News
Santa Fe Gross Receipts Tax Revenues Up
Santa Fe Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) Revenue is up 1.37 percent from the same reporting period a year ago, according to the April report from the State of New Mexico Department of Tax and Revenue. This marks the City of Santa Fe's first positive gross receipts tax report of calendar year 2009.
Month to month GRT comparisons are very volatile, but this news breaks a pattern of three consecutive months in which GRT declined between 6 percent and 12 percent each month in comparison to the same period last year. The April report represents GRT revenues from sales activity that occurred in February. February is traditionally one of the slowest sales periods of the year, making this news particularly striking.
The report showed that retail activity was up 11 percent. The City of Santa Fe and community partners have been promoting consumer awareness of the importance of spending money locally. This effort began with the "Home For the Holidays" campaign in December 2008 and has continued with the "Santa Fe Buy Into It" consumer confidence campaign. The "Buy Into It" campaign encourages individuals and businesses to spend money for goods and services locally whenever possible. The campaign is designed to provide support for the local economy by re-circulating dollars and taking advantage of the multiplier effect.
"I am encouraged by the positive report in Gross Receipts Tax Revenue. The increase, while small, is a sign of hope in these daunting economic times," said Mayor David Coss. "While our Convention and Visitors Bureau and Economic Development Department work with local hotels, businesses and our new airline service to draw new tourism dollars to Santa Fe, each one of us can play a role in reviving the Santa Fe economy by spending money locally."
The "Santa Fe Buy Into It" campaign was designed collaboratively by local advertising companies together with the business community, media representatives, and the City of Santa Fe Economic Development Department, with funding assistance from the CVB.
Santa Fe residents and businesses are encouraged to "Buy Into It" and submit their local purchases to the campaign website, www.Buyintoit.org.
AmericanStyle Readers Vote Santa Fe the Nation's Top Arts Destination
Baltimore, Md. (April 17, 2009) -- Exciting, reliable, budget-friendly locales captured readers' hearts and votes as cities nationwide vied for top ranking in AmericanStyle magazine's 12th annual Top 25 Arts Destinations poll.
Santa Fe, N.M., topped the list of small cities and towns for the fourth time in a row, lauded for its abundant art galleries and warm personality. With one of the nation's highest concentrations of artists per capita, and a diversity that includes Native American, spiritual, contemporary and Southwestern art styles, Santa Fe is an enduring favorite for arts travelers. A new, affordable rail service zips to the city from Albuquerque, offering a great alternative for visitors who wish to forgo car rental.
Asheville, N.C., placed No. 2 in the small cities category, while Sedona, Ariz., came in third. In the other population-based categories: Popular festivals and arts events earned Buffalo, N.Y., the highest ranking among mid-size cities for the second year. New York City, N.Y., topped the list of big cities for the sixth time in a row, thanks to its world-class museums and lively street festivals.
With so large a selection of arts cities to choose from, readers will be itching to hit the road. Luxury travelers will not be able to resist destinations boasting premier museums, galleries and festivals, while "staycationers" will be pleased to find great art cities within driving distance.
"Remember the vital roles played by artists during the last recession," said Wendy Rosen, publisher of AmericanStyle. "They moved in to dying Main Streets, shuttered factories and warehouse districts, and converted them into galleries and art scenes. Their murals, outdoor sculpture and other public art enchanted tourists and helped spark new investment. Artists led the way then, and they are leading the way now: Just look at what young artists have done to bring tourism to Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, and how artists have made Asheville, N.C., a must-visit destination off the beaten path."
"Tough economic times also make consumers conscious of where their products come from," Ms. Rosen added. "Art lovers know they can make a positive impact by buying from local galleries and local artists, so their dollars recycle in the community and support homegrown talent. We all know that art and handcraft galleries are among the few remaining places where you can find authentic, made-in-America gifts and art products."
Complete lists of all 25 winning cities in each category, plus tips for affordable travel and information about exciting arts destinations in the United States are featured on www.AmericanStyle.com and in the June issue of AmericanStyle, now on newsstands and at major booksellers across the country.
To receive a preview of each new edition of AmericanStyle magazine and special bonus content, sign up for the free e-newsletter at www.AmericanStyle.com.
AmericanStyle magazine is a national lifestyle magazine for art enthusiasts, collectors and travelers. Launched in 1994 by The Rosen Group, the bi-monthly publication features articles on contemporary artists, galleries, arts travel and art events. The annual Top 25 Arts Destinations readers' poll has earned the magazine national recognition as the premier arts travel resource.
~During the 2009 60-day regular session, there were a total of 1,609 regular bills introduced: 907 in the House and 702 in the Senate. The House introduced 85 Joint Memorials, 133 Memorials, 29 Joint Resolutions, and 4 Resolutions. In the Senate, there were 71 Joint Memorials, 104 Memorials, 17 Joint Resolutions, and 4 Resolutions. This makes for a grand total of 2,056 pieces of legislation introduced. A total of 322 bills passed and were sent to the Governor for his action, or just over 20% of the regular bills introduced during the session. Legislation introduced relating to tourism and the hospitality industry included Occupancy Tax for Arts & Culture, Local Option Hospitality Liquor Excise Tax, Heritage Tourism Funds, Hospitality & Tourism Education in Public Schools, Repeal of Film Production Tax Credit, O'Keeffe Museum & Skiing Promotions, & "Visit NM" on License Plates.
~Governor Bill Richardson announced that Sony Pictures' comedy "Did You Hear About the Morgans?", starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant, will shoot in New Mexico.
The comedy will film for 25 days in and around Roy, Pecos, Santa Fe, Galisteo and Los Alamos from early May through June. The production plans to hire at least 75 local crew members, plus over 1000 background talent. Additional filming will take place in New York.
The film is written and directed by Marc Lawrence (Music and Lyrics, Two Weeks Notice). Martin Shafer and Liz Glotzer produce. Anthony Katagas is the executive producer.
Since Richardson took office, over 115 major feature films and television series have shot in the state, adding over $2.4 billion dollars to New Mexico's economy.
Web Stats
During the last quarter, www.santafe.org, received 213,345 visitors, of which 160,628 were visiting for the first time. Each visitor viewed an average of 4.4 pages and stayed on the site for about 4.5 minutes. Santafe.org continues to be the No. 1 ranked return on all the search engines.
Help your business with a higher profile on santafe.org. Make sure your business listing is up to date on the site and keep it fresh with new information. Add a photo to your profile and make it pop. Then help us by submitting your photos, not pictures with logos, for use throughout the web site - we'll give you photo credit. Upload your Santa Fe related videos and photos here, www.santafe.org/videos/index.html , to give visitors an insider's view of the city. Plus, add your thoughts on what's special about the city at Locals Love It, loveit@santafe.org , and tell folks what you love about your hometown.
If you would like to get involved with santafe.org, please contact Phyllis Archuleta at pearchuleta@santafe.org.
For even more exposure on our site, paid ad-space is also available. Visit santafe.org/advertise/index.html to get more information.
Spring Advertising Campaign
The bureau's spring advertising campaign is targeting key Santa Fe feeder markets including Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Houston, Dallas, Lubbock, Amarillo, El Paso, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, & Farmington. Ads emphasizing value will reach travelers through placements in a variety of publications in each market including an extensive outdoor campaign in Albuquerque mounted on 100 billboards along key streets in town. The billboards are already up and will be in place for 4 weeks after which the Santa Fe 400th will take over all 100 boards for another 4 weeks. The call to action will direct visitors to dedicated landing pages on the web site where participating coop advertisers have their specials located.
Opportunities
The New Mexico Governor's Conference on Tourism takes place May 6-8 in Farmington. It is the premier tourism oriented conference in the state and can be a valuable professional development opportunity. The conference offers a great lineup of speakers and topics and the chance to network with tourism professionals from around New Mexico. For information and registration please visit www.tanm.org.
In honor of National Tourism Week, the North Central NM Region will be hosting a networking reception for the hospitality industry on May 14th at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, from 5-7pm. Look for your invitation, coming soon, and be sure to save the date on your calendar.
Late spring promotional opportunity in Albuquerque available at no cost to Santa Fe businesses. This campaign includes a Santa Fe night at the Isotopes and radio exposure for participating businesses. Look for details, soon.
In anticipation of the new American Eagle air service between Santa Fe and Dallas, the airline wants to make sure Santa Fe businesses know about Business ExtrAA. This free, travel incentive program awards points to business travelers who can redeem them for: round-trip tickets worldwide, Admirals Club memberships, class-of service upgrades, and AAdvatage Gold status. For complete details and to enroll please visit www.BusinessExtrAA.com. Be sure to use Referral Code EAGLE500 on the third screen of the enrollment page to earn 500 bonus points when signing up.
What's New?
The 11th Annual Gumball 3000 Rally will be passing through Santa Fe on May 4 with 120 classic, exotic, and sports cars of every description as part of the 8 day Los Angeles to Miami road trip. The whole entourage will be spending the night at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa before taking off the next morning for Dallas.
The public opening of the New Mexico History Museum will take place at Noon on May 24 beginning with Native American drumming in the Palace courtyard from 12 to 1 followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony starting at 1:00. Free admission to the museum and its exhibits, a Lowrider display outside the Palace, an Indian School Spoken Word performance, a book signing by the Museum of New Mexico Press/University of New Mexico Press, and a Maria Benitez/La Generacion performance on the Plaza are all planned for Sunday. Free admission and other events continue on Monday. www.nmhistorymuseum.org
The first annual SOFA WEST: SANTA FE art expo takes place June 11-14 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. The International Sculpture Objects & Functional Art fair kicks off with an Opening Night First Choice Preview on June 10 to benefit the New Mexico Museum of Art's inaugural Design Collection. An elite group of 40 dealers has signed up to take part including Bellas Artes Gallery, Blue Rain Gallery, C Gallery, Jane Sauer Gallery, and TAI Gallery from Santa Fe. www.sofaexpo.com
This is the first in what is planned to be a quarterly newsletter from the CVB to keep you, our partners, up to date with what the bureau is doing. The overwhelmingly positive reaction I received after the Tourism Summit convinced me of the need to keep you informed about our marketing efforts, what is taking place at the convention center, what groups are headed to town, news of interest, and how the future looks for tourism in Santa Fe.
I hope this newsletter will be a helpful tool for all of you.
Sincerely,
Keith Toler
CVB Events & Meetings
During the Tourism Summit interest was expressed in having several brain-storming meetings. We look forward to meeting with you again and invite you join us at one of three Think Tank sessions about how the bureau and our community can work together on specific issues. Each session will be limited to 30 participants and will focus on the following topics:
- Art, Artistry & Tourism in Santa Fe--How can we integrate local artists into the visitor's experience?
- Winter Events--Do we need a winter event to draw more visitors during the off-season? Who will coordinate the effort?
- Gallery Co-op Advertising Opportunities
If you would like to join one of the Think Tanks please send an email to pearchuleta@santafenm.gov.
Sales Report
The Santa Fe Community Convention Center has 44 signed contracts for events, with twice as many pending. These events include everything from Conventions to Quincieneras. For a full list please go to: Convention Center Calendar
The Sales Team will be attending these upcoming trade shows, during the next quarter:
| Springtime in the Park | Washington DC | April 16th |
| Smart Meetings | Sausalito, CA | April 26-29 |
| POW WOW | Miami, FL | May 17-21 |
The Sales team will also be helping with a couple of upcoming FAM (familiarization) trips to Santa Fe.
| Japanese Tour Operators | April 23rd |
| Northern NM (tour operators & writers) | June 25th |
The table below is a list of Sales Leads, (groups interested in holding their event in Santa Fe), that were sent out during the last quarter.
| Name | RN | Interested Dates | Notes |
| 2010 National Publishing Conference and Book Industry Trade Show | 290 | Oct-10 | |
| World War II Veterans | 315 | Oct-09 | |
| The PCA Porsche Parade 2012 | 3360 | Summer 2012 | |
| National Institute on Drug Abuse | 1410 | April July Sept 2010 | Multiple Mtgs |
| International Society of Architects (ISA) Expo 2009 | 1400 | Sep-09 | |
| Department of Defense | 800 | Nov-10 | |
| Physician Assistant Education Association | 1500 | Oct-11 | |
| USACE World Wide Legal Conference | 240 | Jun-09 | |
| Archdiocese of Santa Fe Priest Convocation | 380 | Oct-09 | |
| Proteus Networks | 45 | May-09 | |
| EMT Associates Inc/Readiness & Emergency Management for Schools Sept 2009 | |||
| Foundations of Software Engineering | 1000 | Nov-10 | |
| YouthBuild USA | 81 | Oct-09 | |
| The Korean Group | May-11 | ||
| National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry | 510 | Jan-11 | |
| National Council on Teacher Retirement - 2010 Annual Trustees Workshop | 265 | Jul-10 | |
| 2012 ISDCI Congress | 1100 | Jun-12 | |
| American College Health Association | 337 | Fall 2010 | |
| Electric Power Research Institute | 300 | Sep-10 | |
| PPI HSB | 48 | Aug-09 | |
| Arello - Leadership Symposium | 105 | Jan-10 | |
| Artists Group | 60 | Oct-09 | |
| National Lipid Association | 400 | Feb-10 | |
| Homelands: Teacher Workshop | 210 | Jun-10 | |
| SWRI Fall Technical Meeting | 460 | Sep-10 | |
| Weather Modification Annual Meeting | 125 | Apr-10 | |
| NELA Fall Conference 2010 | 147 | Mar-10 | |
| Nat'l Employment Lawyers Assn/Fall Seminar | 147 | Oct-10 | |
| Nat'l Employment Lawyers Assn/Spring Seminar | 147 | Mar-10 | |
| Southwest Council of Optometry Summer Planning Meeting | 48 | Jul-09 | |
| Ridge 2000 Fall Workshop 2009 | 360 | Sep-09 | |
| Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference (SDM) | 1570 | April 2011 2012 2013 | Multiple Mtgs |
| Rocky Mountain Council for Latin American Studies | 230 | Apr-11 |
Since January the city has hosted more than 35 writers, TV journalists, and radio show hosts in Santa Fe. Their stories have included pieces on art, museums, food, the new convention center, Native culture, the 400th anniversary, the New Mexico History Museum opening, spas, skiing, and the city as a travel destination. In that same period the city has been featured in the Austin American Statesman, Agenda Magazine, Seattle Times, Smart Meetings, USA Today, Winnipeg Free Press, Where to Go Next, A Matter of Taste radio show, Examiner.com, Mountain Living, Sherman'sTravel.com, San Francisco Business Times, Southwest Art, San Jose Mercury News, The Advocate, Miami Herald, eVent Magazine, About.com, New York Times, and many others.
Coming up in the next several months are planned visits by the Travel Channel, Reno Magazine, Citizen K - glossy French quarterly, TravelingBoy.com, Americas Magazine, TV BS-1 - Japanese television, the Weather Channel, and a number of Canadian journalists.
Visitor Stats
The Convention Center Visitor's Center staff helped 3,401 walk-in visitors during January, February and March, and answered phone, email, & live chat inquiries, generating a total of 16,700 Visitors Guide mail requests. The New Mexico State Tourism Department's Santa Fe area Visitor Information Centers reported a total of 26,538 visitors during the last three months.
According to February statistics (the latest) from the Rocky Mountain Lodging report occupancy was at 46.7%, down 3.6% from last year; average room rate was $92.32 and REVPAR was $43.13. Compared to the national averages listed on the U.S. Travel Association's website Santa Fe is faring much better than most cities which were down an average of 10.5% in occupancy.
With the shaky economy it seems the travel trend for 2009 will see travelers returning to the fundamental reasons for travel, re-exploring time-honored destinations and old-fashioned courtesy, searching for comfort and serenity and quiet. What's old is new again this year.
News
Santa Fe Gross Receipts Tax Revenues Up
Santa Fe Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) Revenue is up 1.37 percent from the same reporting period a year ago, according to the April report from the State of New Mexico Department of Tax and Revenue. This marks the City of Santa Fe's first positive gross receipts tax report of calendar year 2009.
Month to month GRT comparisons are very volatile, but this news breaks a pattern of three consecutive months in which GRT declined between 6 percent and 12 percent each month in comparison to the same period last year. The April report represents GRT revenues from sales activity that occurred in February. February is traditionally one of the slowest sales periods of the year, making this news particularly striking.
The report showed that retail activity was up 11 percent. The City of Santa Fe and community partners have been promoting consumer awareness of the importance of spending money locally. This effort began with the "Home For the Holidays" campaign in December 2008 and has continued with the "Santa Fe Buy Into It" consumer confidence campaign. The "Buy Into It" campaign encourages individuals and businesses to spend money for goods and services locally whenever possible. The campaign is designed to provide support for the local economy by re-circulating dollars and taking advantage of the multiplier effect.
"I am encouraged by the positive report in Gross Receipts Tax Revenue. The increase, while small, is a sign of hope in these daunting economic times," said Mayor David Coss. "While our Convention and Visitors Bureau and Economic Development Department work with local hotels, businesses and our new airline service to draw new tourism dollars to Santa Fe, each one of us can play a role in reviving the Santa Fe economy by spending money locally."
The "Santa Fe Buy Into It" campaign was designed collaboratively by local advertising companies together with the business community, media representatives, and the City of Santa Fe Economic Development Department, with funding assistance from the CVB.
Santa Fe residents and businesses are encouraged to "Buy Into It" and submit their local purchases to the campaign website, www.Buyintoit.org.
AmericanStyle Readers Vote Santa Fe the Nation's Top Arts Destination
Baltimore, Md. (April 17, 2009) -- Exciting, reliable, budget-friendly locales captured readers' hearts and votes as cities nationwide vied for top ranking in AmericanStyle magazine's 12th annual Top 25 Arts Destinations poll.
Santa Fe, N.M., topped the list of small cities and towns for the fourth time in a row, lauded for its abundant art galleries and warm personality. With one of the nation's highest concentrations of artists per capita, and a diversity that includes Native American, spiritual, contemporary and Southwestern art styles, Santa Fe is an enduring favorite for arts travelers. A new, affordable rail service zips to the city from Albuquerque, offering a great alternative for visitors who wish to forgo car rental.
Asheville, N.C., placed No. 2 in the small cities category, while Sedona, Ariz., came in third. In the other population-based categories: Popular festivals and arts events earned Buffalo, N.Y., the highest ranking among mid-size cities for the second year. New York City, N.Y., topped the list of big cities for the sixth time in a row, thanks to its world-class museums and lively street festivals.
With so large a selection of arts cities to choose from, readers will be itching to hit the road. Luxury travelers will not be able to resist destinations boasting premier museums, galleries and festivals, while "staycationers" will be pleased to find great art cities within driving distance.
"Remember the vital roles played by artists during the last recession," said Wendy Rosen, publisher of AmericanStyle. "They moved in to dying Main Streets, shuttered factories and warehouse districts, and converted them into galleries and art scenes. Their murals, outdoor sculpture and other public art enchanted tourists and helped spark new investment. Artists led the way then, and they are leading the way now: Just look at what young artists have done to bring tourism to Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, and how artists have made Asheville, N.C., a must-visit destination off the beaten path."
"Tough economic times also make consumers conscious of where their products come from," Ms. Rosen added. "Art lovers know they can make a positive impact by buying from local galleries and local artists, so their dollars recycle in the community and support homegrown talent. We all know that art and handcraft galleries are among the few remaining places where you can find authentic, made-in-America gifts and art products."
Complete lists of all 25 winning cities in each category, plus tips for affordable travel and information about exciting arts destinations in the United States are featured on www.AmericanStyle.com and in the June issue of AmericanStyle, now on newsstands and at major booksellers across the country.
To receive a preview of each new edition of AmericanStyle magazine and special bonus content, sign up for the free e-newsletter at www.AmericanStyle.com.
AmericanStyle magazine is a national lifestyle magazine for art enthusiasts, collectors and travelers. Launched in 1994 by The Rosen Group, the bi-monthly publication features articles on contemporary artists, galleries, arts travel and art events. The annual Top 25 Arts Destinations readers' poll has earned the magazine national recognition as the premier arts travel resource.
~During the 2009 60-day regular session, there were a total of 1,609 regular bills introduced: 907 in the House and 702 in the Senate. The House introduced 85 Joint Memorials, 133 Memorials, 29 Joint Resolutions, and 4 Resolutions. In the Senate, there were 71 Joint Memorials, 104 Memorials, 17 Joint Resolutions, and 4 Resolutions. This makes for a grand total of 2,056 pieces of legislation introduced. A total of 322 bills passed and were sent to the Governor for his action, or just over 20% of the regular bills introduced during the session. Legislation introduced relating to tourism and the hospitality industry included Occupancy Tax for Arts & Culture, Local Option Hospitality Liquor Excise Tax, Heritage Tourism Funds, Hospitality & Tourism Education in Public Schools, Repeal of Film Production Tax Credit, O'Keeffe Museum & Skiing Promotions, & "Visit NM" on License Plates.
~Governor Bill Richardson announced that Sony Pictures' comedy "Did You Hear About the Morgans?", starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant, will shoot in New Mexico.
The comedy will film for 25 days in and around Roy, Pecos, Santa Fe, Galisteo and Los Alamos from early May through June. The production plans to hire at least 75 local crew members, plus over 1000 background talent. Additional filming will take place in New York.
The film is written and directed by Marc Lawrence (Music and Lyrics, Two Weeks Notice). Martin Shafer and Liz Glotzer produce. Anthony Katagas is the executive producer.
Since Richardson took office, over 115 major feature films and television series have shot in the state, adding over $2.4 billion dollars to New Mexico's economy.
Web Stats
During the last quarter, www.santafe.org, received 213,345 visitors, of which 160,628 were visiting for the first time. Each visitor viewed an average of 4.4 pages and stayed on the site for about 4.5 minutes. Santafe.org continues to be the No. 1 ranked return on all the search engines.
Help your business with a higher profile on santafe.org. Make sure your business listing is up to date on the site and keep it fresh with new information. Add a photo to your profile and make it pop. Then help us by submitting your photos, not pictures with logos, for use throughout the web site - we'll give you photo credit. Upload your Santa Fe related videos and photos here, www.santafe.org/videos/index.html , to give visitors an insider's view of the city. Plus, add your thoughts on what's special about the city at Locals Love It, loveit@santafe.org , and tell folks what you love about your hometown.
If you would like to get involved with santafe.org, please contact Phyllis Archuleta at pearchuleta@santafe.org.
For even more exposure on our site, paid ad-space is also available. Visit santafe.org/advertise/index.html to get more information.
The bureau's spring advertising campaign is targeting key Santa Fe feeder markets including Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Houston, Dallas, Lubbock, Amarillo, El Paso, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, & Farmington. Ads emphasizing value will reach travelers through placements in a variety of publications in each market including an extensive outdoor campaign in Albuquerque mounted on 100 billboards along key streets in town. The billboards are already up and will be in place for 4 weeks after which the Santa Fe 400th will take over all 100 boards for another 4 weeks. The call to action will direct visitors to dedicated landing pages on the web site where participating coop advertisers have their specials located.
Opportunities
In honor of National Tourism Week, the North Central NM Region will be hosting a networking reception for the hospitality industry on May 14th at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, from 5-7pm. Look for your invitation, coming soon, and be sure to save the date on your calendar.
Late spring promotional opportunity in Albuquerque available at no cost to Santa Fe businesses. This campaign includes a Santa Fe night at the Isotopes and radio exposure for participating businesses. Look for details, soon.
What's New?
The 11th Annual Gumball 3000 Rally will be passing through Santa Fe on May 4 with 120 classic, exotic, and sports cars of every description as part of the 8 day Los Angeles to Miami road trip. The whole entourage will be spending the night at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa before taking off the next morning for Dallas.