Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham didn't brag when she found out about the announcement by an international online marketplace for homestays and other lodging that it is launching a campaign to support travel across New Mexico.
Well, maybe she was bragging a little.
Gov. Michelle Grisham
| governor.state.nm.us
"Tourism is an essential component of our state economy," Grisham said in a Twitter post two days after Airbnb announced the campaign. "We're going to build it back better than before -- and visitors from across the globe will be reminded that the Land of Enchantment truly has it all.
"(Not bragging.)
"(Well, kind of bragging.)"
Travelers this year will be invited to "Rediscover New Mexico," whether it be travelers from out of state or those inside its borders who "plan a new adventure close to home," Airbnb said in its June 2 announcement released jointly with the New Mexico Department of Tourism.
The Rediscover New Mexico program will promote the state's many attractions, particularly in its various regions. Among many other things, travelers this hopefully post-COVID season will be encouraged to go fly fishing on the San Juan River, hike at the former home of artist Georgia O’Keeffe at Ghost Ranch, or take a drive through New Mexico's stunning Jemez Mountains.
Airbnb will market travel in the state via a targeted social media and email campaign that will include a curated list of nearby stays and experiences, providing travelers with information helpful in planning their visits in New Mexico, according to the announcement.
"Many communities are working to rebuild tourism, and Airbnb wants to be a partner in those efforts, including here in New Mexico," Toral Patel, Airbnb Policy Manager for New Mexico, said in the announcement. "The Discover the Land of Enchantment campaign will support the state's economic recovery and help travelers get reacquainted with the places that make New Mexico unique."
The program will help visitors find rentals unique to New Mexico, such as the Gila Cliff Dwellings and a chili farm experience, while also taking advantage of emerging local, family and rural travel trends. Airbnb survey data from public opinion research of U.S. conducted in late December found that 56% of participants prefer a domestic or local destination, while 21% wanted to go someplace international or at least farther away.
The state's partnership with Airbnb comes at a critical point in New Mexico's tourism history, after the pandemic.
"New Mexico is able to again open its doors for visitors at a time when travel is beginning to pick back up," the state's Tourism Secretary Jen Paul Schroer said in the joint announcement. "Creative partnerships in the travel planning and booking space will allow us to reignite demand and inspire prospective travelers to choose New Mexico for their next vacation. This partnership with Airbnb is a great opportunity to rebuild awareness of New Mexico as a premier destination for leisure travel in a manner that is inclusive of every region of our state."
The partnership is a way to let plague-weary travelers know that New Mexico is back.
"As we begin to welcome folks back to New Mexico, we're thinking outside the box on how to promote our incredible tourism attractions," Grisham said in her Twitter post.