New Mexico

The Land of Enchantment

Tourism Department

New Mexico Tourism Department: Administration, Commission, ASD & Financial Bureau, Human Resources, Advertising, Regional Marketing, Website, Marketing & Promotion, International, Public Information, Visitor Information Centers, Fulfillment Center, Tourism Development, Cooperative Marketing, Indian Tourism , New Mexico Clean & Beautiful, Off Highway Vehicles, Scenic Byways, New Mexico Magazine, New Mexico Sports Authority, Gallup Inter Tribal, General Contact Information, Travel Research

Administration and Organization

STRATEGIC PLAN, 2005-2010

Our Mission: Market New Mexico as an enchanting destination to the world.

Goal One: Work in partnership with the New Mexico Tourism Industry.

Objective One: Continue to improve communication between NMTD and the NM Tourism Industry.

• Assign NMTD program managers to each sector of tourism (i.e. hotel, restaurant, ski, spa, golf) and have them become active members of industry sector organizations.
• Develop bimonthly report for print and e-mail distribution to the industry and the market.
• Disseminate tourism information and research at NMTD program meetings, workshops and through program networks.
• Provide regular releases to the industry on advertising opportunities, ad campaigns and research.
• Increase awareness of the NMTD regional program to industry partners and local communities in order to encourage greater participation.
• Determine feasibility of an on-line application process for the cooperative advertising program.
• Increase trade show and media participation opportunities for industry partners

Objective Two: Directly involve the industry in NMTD performance evaluation and research efforts.

• Work with industry partners to review current and potential performance measures.
• Develop consensus, understanding and acceptance of reports within industry. Identify benchmarks of quantifiable data that can be used and applied throughout the industry.
• Create new tourism index for standardization of information.
• Post performance measures and research data on website with password access for industry partners.

Goal Two: Be accountable and responsible to the Executive, Legislature and the citizens of New Mexico by growing the tourism industry and increasing its revenues.

Objective One: Create a lasting image and brand for New Mexico.

• Work with other promotional state agencies to create a New Mexico “branding” campaign.
• Consolidate advertising and promotional efforts into one advertising agency

Objective Two: Increase allocation of budget and staff toward drive markets, with additional emphasis on in-state.

• Use more television advertising in key markets.
• Increase the number of “piggy-back” advertising opportunities.
• Allocate points for addressing NMTD target markets in cooperative marketing grant process.
• Educate New Mexico school children about the state’s travel assets by integrating tourism information into various age-specific promotional materials for students K-12.
• Define and allocate resources to an in-state marketing program, including “Road Trip” itineraries and promotion of the scenic byways.
• Use regional program to conduct asset inventories that can be integrated into “target market” marketing efforts.
• Reinstate the tourism awareness program to educate NM citizens of the importance of the tourism industry in the state’s economy.
• Increase in-state media such as presence on morning news shows, possible lifestyle shows and feature segments on tourism to encourage New Mexicans to vacation at home.
• Ask New Mexico Magazine readers about their favorite in-state trips and develop feature articles or other promotional materials about them.
• Increase the use of New Mexico Magazine as a marketing tool in target markets by using research for editorial decisions, increasing distribution for target drive markets and expanding subscriptions in hotels and other businesses.
• Increase subscriptions of New Mexico Magazine through reduced prices for state employees, advertising on mobile VICs, promotion at trade shows, and through magazine employee involvement in the regional program.
• Identify new outlets to distribute vacation guides.

Objective Three: Increase allocation of NMTD budget and staff toward PR to recapture New Mexico’s “buzz factor.”

• Oversee contracting for a PR firm.
• Use more PR and concentrated multi-media blitzes in major markets where traditional advertising is cost-prohibitive, such as Dallas, Phoenix and Southern California.
• Utilize active internal PR and Media Relations in target markets.
• Explore allowing PR as an eligible cost for cooperative marketing.
• Explore statewide cultural marketing umbrella.
• Explore development of a “New Mexico Store” to create retail centers for New Mexico merchandise, logowear, DVDs, CDs, and other merchandise.
• Expand the use of Mobile VICs at major events in key markets.
• As part of multi-media campaigns, send e-mail blasts from key markets where NM has a physical presence.
• Increase e-mail blasts and press releases to national media outlets.
• Influence editorial on radio, web and print, using advertising and PR dollars when necessary.
• Develop a quarterly news release for local media highlighting major points including statistics.
• Print and ship New Mexico video to target markets, buying airtime when necessary.
• Grow the video services program by moving to high-definition video and possibly adding more staff.
• Collaborate with regions on familiarization tours for key markets.
• Update “What’s New” every six months, detailing upcoming events and promotions in New Mexico for travel agents, tour operators, travel writers, and other interested parties.

Objective Four: Increase New Mexico’s exposure through film.

• Work with the Governor’s Council on Film and Media Industries, New Mexico Film Office and the private sector to communicate the state’s assets and incentives to film companies through direct mail, PR, familiarization tours and location assistance.
• Support New Mexico TV programs such as Over New Mexico.
• Push for new film incentives that require “Filmed in New Mexico” to be shown at the beginning, rather than the end, of a film.
• Buy editorial for New Mexico on DVDs of movies shot in New Mexico.
• Develop Electronic Press Kit (EPK) collateral about what is shot in New Mexico
• Continue developing video library.
• Screen video library compilation in VICs and Mobile VICs.

• Disseminate information on New Mexico film assets and incentives through NMTD programs and networks, including VICs.

Objective Five: Continue to expand and improve NMTD’s website and internet marketing efforts.

• Develop more links to industry and community sites.
• Improve internal links with NMTD programs.
• Explore reciprocal internet advertising and links.
• Create more destination information and itineraries.
• Explore DVD and CD ROM offers.
• Develop on-line marketing and an on-line New Mexico Store.
• Ensure website user-friendliness by having regular meetings with all program managers and having a third-party navigate the site.
• Promote the website by listing it on NM license plates and on the NMTD logo.

Objective Six: Refine and better communicate NMTD performance measures and research data.

• Develop “road-show” presentation of research information.
• Assign Communications Director as point person for all performance measure and research data.
• Continually update and assess research about in-state, drive, fly, and international markets to better inform NMTD, region and industry marketing efforts.
• Track results of NMTD programs, such as video airings, familiarization tours, media coverage and cooperative grant promotion evaluations, and integrate them into NMTD research efforts.
• Continually identify new areas and methods for research, such as exit interviews with plane and car rental shuttle passengers.
• Improve tracking at VICs with methods such as integrating zip code software with sign-in sheets.

Goal Three: Play an active role in enhancing the visitor experience.

Objective One: Provide tourist information and assistance.

• Develop a New Mexico ambassador program (approximately 100 ambassadors, about 16 per region) to provide visitor information at major events, airport information desks and VICs, and accompany staff to trade shows.
• Use technology, such as new wireless hotspots, to expand and improve VIC programs and services.
• Integrate major attractions, like IMAX screens, into new VICs at Glenrio and Gallup. Such attractions should be part of the new VIC master plan. VICs which are recognized as national models and which incorporate such attractions should be visited by appropriate NMTD personnel.
• Improve merchandising in VICs statewide by selling CDs, DVDs and books published by New Mexico Magazine, and work to have retail sales allowed in interstate centers.

Objective Two: Advocate for the protection of our state’s resources.

• Increase effectiveness of the NM Clean and Beautiful Program by securing additional funding, bringing tourism industry partners onto the Board, creating more partnerships with other NMTD programs, and considering ways to improve ad campaign effectiveness.
• Forward and support state legislation that protects and enhances New Mexico’s natural and other resources.

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