Taos Visitors Center to remain closed

While out-oftowners keep coming

The Taos Visitors Center is one of many services in the town of Taos that will remain closed amid a steady rise in case of the novel coronavirus and consequent budgetary concerns within the town of Taos.

As the first pit stop for many tourists visiting the town, the center’s closure has some local business owners thinking about what other problems the closure might cause for commerce in Taos.

“I feel the visitors center is important,” said gallery owner Rob Nightingale of Wilder Nightingale Fine Art. “It’s grown to as the ‘go to’ place upon entering town for visitors.”

Nightingale reached out on social media questioning the closure of the center in June. He said he has seen a downtrend of visitors to his gallery this year.

The emergency surrounding the pandemic has shuttered most visitors centers across the state to stop the spread of the virus.

The Taos Visitors Center, located on the corner of Paseo del Pueblo and Paseo de Cañón, welcomes thousands of visitors each year into the town. In 2019, the center brought in 67,913 visitors, according to town officials.

The center offers information for tourists and visitors to use to navigate Taos and surrounding areas, which aren’t always easy to find on Google Maps. Art from local galleries and crafters also displayed there. The center even had a public restroom for roadweary visitors to stop and use.

As the fiscal year ended, officials at the town of Taos were faced with difficult budgetary decisions and forced to cease funding for a number of departments, including the visitors center, Taos Public Library and the Taos Youth and Family Center. These services regularly draw visitors and locals by offering recreation and useful information about the town. At the Taos Youth and Family Center alone, over 14,000 people per month visited in November and December 2019.

“I grieve for the loss of the center, and I grieve for the employees,” said gallery owner David Mapes of David Anthony Fine Art. “It’s a loss for Taos. It was the gateway to the Enchanted Circle. The town’s lodgers tax revenue has been decimated and it’s the lodgers tax that supports all the marketing for Taos as well as the visitors center.”

The town of Taos had to work to fill a nearly $2 million hole in the 2020-21 budget due to the shortcomings of lodgers and gross receipts tax as a result of the pandemic. Hotels were closed and then reduced to a portion of their occupancy capacity, resulting in fewer visitors and fewer taxes in the town.

This effect trickled down to the various departments at the town. Town Manager Rick Bellis said the visitors center will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to the lack of revenue to keep it staffed and operating, as well as the continued public health risk.

Bellis has said that visitors shouldn’t be coming to Taos to begin with while Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s stay-at-home mandates remain in place.

But despite the closure, Mapes said visitors are still making their way to Taos Plaza for their vacations.

“We may get a few more people asking directions, but that has always been the case,” Maps said. “I’m eager to help the tourists and I would be confident in saying that my neighbors are just as willing. We’re all in this together.”

Polly Raye, owner of the John Dunn Shops, suggested opening a small information stand on Taos Plaza to help visitors find their way around town and learn where its different businesses are located.

“Some folks are interested in having the plaza kiosk open as a historic district information booth and that might be a good substitute for the visitors center for the time being,” Raye said. “Much less expensive to operate.”

Raye estimates keeping the kiosk open would cost about $1,000 per week.

Maps, visitor guides and other information could be handed out by the worker at the stand.

“It’s important that the visitors who do come have a great experience,” Raye said. “Good word of mouth will benefit Taos for all future years. It’s already clear that many visitors are coming.”

Angel Fire’s visitors center is also closed. The town of Red River has opened its visitors center and is handing out masks to the public from inside.