ABQ lures more events
Marketing contingent tallies attendees, cites $80M income to city
Albuquerque hosts an average of more than 350 meetings and events each year with 300,000 attendees, a segment of business that brings an estimated $80 million to the Duke City, according to Visit Albuquerque.
At Visit ABQ’s quarterly meeting Thursday at the Albuquerque Convention Center, CEO Tania Armenta, citing Smith Travel Research data, said group business demand increased 6.7 percent in 2017 from the previous year and hotel revenue rose 11.6 percent also in the same period from this category of visitor.
The destination marketing organization on Thursday also marked Global Industry Meeting Day by saluting local “meeting heroes” who help make the case to come to Albuquerque to hundreds of organizations, which can include small to larger meetings, conventions and conferences, trade fairs and exhibitions.
Kristin McGrath, vice president of convention sales, services and sports, highlighted the contributions of the heroes — 22 individuals in all — who so far have helped Albuquerque realize an estimated $23.6 million in direct spending through 2020.
The largest group booked so far is the 2019 National Senior Games, which will bring 10,000 participants to Albuquerque in June with an estimated spend of $17.1 million. Visit Albuquerque has also snagged the International Society of Arboriculture’s convention in August 2020, which will net the local economy $2.2 million.
“This is just what we’ve touched so far,” said McGrath. “Actually, there are many more meetings that take place in the course of the year” that are booked by other individuals and groups not connected with Visit Albuquerque.
McGrath said Visit Albuquerque fully expects to add more trade groups, professional associations and organizations to the upcoming meetings roster.
The tourism-promotion agency estimates that leisure and business travelers support over 42,000 jobs in Bernalillo County alone.