The New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) has announced a record level of support for tourism events in fiscal year 2026 through its Tourism Event Growth and Sustainability Program. The program, now in its fourth year, will provide $551,702 in grants to 44 events across the state. This initiative aims to aid eligible New Mexico entities hosting tourism-related events by offering technical assistance, marketing resources, and sponsorship support.
The program provides three types of support: an event accelerator for technical and strategic planning, a cooperative marketing model pooling resources between NMTD and participating entities, and sponsorship support for established events. For FY26, 14 events will receive accelerator support, 10 will join the marketing cooperative, and 20 will benefit from sponsorships.
Events in 20 destinations throughout New Mexico are set to receive backing this fiscal year. Notably, 26 of these events are hosted outside Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Acting Secretary Lancing Adams emphasized the importance of such events: "Events, fairs and festivals are essential drivers of tourism for communities of all sizes throughout New Mexico."
A recent example of the program's impact was seen at the International Folk Art Market where New Mexico True sponsored Community Day, allowing free access on the final Sunday. This initiative encouraged repeat visits and local participation.
A detailed list of participants includes various festivals and markets across different cities such as Smokey Bear Days in Capitan and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
More information about the program can be found at www.NewMexico.org/industry.
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