Town of Taos News Brief 2/4/09

Posted by Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner • February 5, 2009 • Printer-friendly

1) Town of Taos Regular Meeting Agenda for February 10, 1:30 p.m., attached. A Town of Taos Bicycle Master Plan is on the agenda for consideration – contact Matt Foster, Long Range Planner, for more information, mfoster@taosgov.com.

2) New Mexico Small Business Develop Center “Northern” – announces Jan Mellor, Taos Gallery, as The Success Client of the Year. See attached PDF news release.

3) An early “Summer of Love” event – including Paula Valentine, a Taos photographer who has graciously assisted in the Town’s marketing efforts: A celebration of love…an art opening, this Saturday, February 7, 5-8 p.m., Casa de Mercedes, 1337 Gusdorf, Suite Q. The show includes Josie Lenwell, David Vedoe, J Mehaffey, John Trujillo, Danny Price, Phillip Herrera, Berry Dinowitq, Jessica Herrera, Mercedes Montoya, Bill Leverton, Jacqueline Gala, Paula Valentine, Michael Miro. More info? Email: paula@paulavalentine.com

4) TCA reopens in March 2009 (more of this soon) with a hot new Larry Bell exhibit entitled, The Last Women; Opening Reception: Friday, March 6, 5-7pm; Open through Sunday, April 19, 2009; Encore Gallery, Taos Center for the Arts, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, 575-758-2052, www.tcataos.org.

5) Leaders of the New Mexico tourism industry recently joined in a press conference to emphasize the $5+ billion annual impact of the industry on the state’s economy. Speakers at the conference highlighted the importance of tourism to New Mexico’s economy, specifically:

In 2008, tourism remained the second largest private sector industry in New Mexico, welcoming 12 million visitors who contributed more than $5.5 billion to the state‘s economy;
New Mexico’s Tourism Industry is the state’s largest private sector employer, with more than 90,000 employees and a payroll of more than $1 billion; and
Tourism in New Mexico in 2008 resulted in $351 million in state tax revenues and $85 million in local tax revenues.
New Mexico ranks 37th in the U.S. in the amount of money it spends on tourism advertising (direct media placement and production). In comparison the advertising budgets in the surrounding states (2007-2008) are Utah ($9.8 million), Colorado ($11.7 million), Arizona ($10.7 million) and Texas ($36.6 million).
Restaurants employ 9.4 percent of the state’s total workforce; and restaurant sales generated $2.7 billion in 2007, equivalent to over $160 million in gross receipts tax.
Lodging generated $34 million in lodgers’ tax revenues to municipalities and counties in New Mexico in 2007 and provided about 30,000 jobs.
New Mexico’s ski industry generated $114 million in revenues during the 2007-08 season and generated $9 million in GRT while employing 2,500 people.

For more information contact Sharon S. Schultz, CEO of the Tourism Association of New Mexico, 6121 Indian School Rd, NE, Suite 216, Albuquerque, NM 87110, 505-345-5553, or www.tanm.org

6) Taos tourism news clip --

Delta’s Sky inflight magazine – a llama adventure story -- http://www.delta-sky.com/sections/index.php/travel/playing_follow_the_llama/

Snowboarding story in NY Times Jan 16th http://images.burrellesluce.com/image/14208/14208_233&site=14208

7) Enchanted Circle Table Tents – The Enchanted Circle Marketing Group (Taos, TSV, Red River, Angel Fire, Eagle Nest) has

launched a new and expanded joint marketing effort this year. The focus, given the funding, is on keeping those already in the area for ‘that extra day and night’ through promoting the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway loop and ALL of the cool things one can take advantage of on that loop. The web site, http://www.enchantedcircle.org/ has been redone to promote this, and the group has printed up great new table tent cards that seasonally promote all there is to do in the area. Point? Representatives will be out to deliver these new promotional table tents to you at your place of business – they’re free, fun, and promote the area to those who are already here – visitor and local alike. We hope you accept them and use them at your place of business – they’re a great new way to potentially leverage “extra dollars” here in the Enchanted Circle area.

Just a quick and important reminder to all from Griffin & Assoc., Peter St. Cyr, pstcyr@griffinassoc.com

NM Magazine's June Calendar Listing Deadline is approaching on February 12. Of course we want to include all the Taos Summer of Love 2009 events – and any others (June only for these calendar listings). Please send me all listings for events with actual dates assigned by Feb 12^th (this deadline is the 12^th EVERY MONTH for 3 months out – so put it as a reminder on your calendars so we can maximize this promotion approach). This format seems to work best for submissions --

Information needed (see example below):

· State "One-time" or "Ongoing" and define ongoing details (i.e. Meets every Tues. & Thurs.)

· Event date

· Event title (Not all Caps Please, i.e. Infant Massage Workshop)

· Event time (i.e.8-10am., 11am.-2pm., 4-5pm.)

· Event brief description, informative, avoiding promotional types of

adjectives

· Event cost, if any, or state "free" or "donations welcome" (i.e. $20

per family)

· Event location, include city

· Event phone contact for more information

Example Submission format: