Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Members of the Tucumcari Lodgers Tax Board brainstormed ideas to boost tourist spending in town, including inserting coupons into a forthcoming visitors guide.
Board member Matt Bednorz began the discussion during the board’s meeting Wednesday by noting a Fox Business story that reported Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is paying visitors $100 to visit the town through Nov. 30. The first 1,000 visitors who qualify would receive $100 in Glenwood Gold Community Currency on arrival.
To qualify, visitors must complete an application, book at least a two-night stay at one of the lodging locations listed on the town’s tourism website and book directly from one of the hotel websites listed.
Bednorz questioned whether Tucumcari could afford $100 payouts, but suggested $50 instead. He also wondered whether such an initiative would run afoul of the state constitution’s anti-donation clause.
Todd Duplantis, a city commission liaison and owner of several Tucumcari restaurants, said he instead would support a 10%-off coupon to restaurants, motels and museums inserted in the new visitors guide, slated to be published early next year. It would not violate the anti-donation clause, he said.
“I’d be the first to jump on that,” he said of the coupons idea.
Connie Loveland, executive director of Tucumcari MainStreet, recalled one town that offered wooden tokens that offered $10 off at area restaurants. Such tokens, she said, are more easily tracked.
City manager Mark Martinez also recommended coupons or vouchers. He said visitors who received cash simply would leave town and spend it somewhere else.
Board Chairman Larry Smith said he liked the proposal of coupons in the visitors guide.
“I like the idea; we’ve got to figure out how to implement it,” he said.
Smith added that Tucumcari’s Route 66 corridor probably needs to focus more on domestic travelers next year, as it remains uncertain when a COVID-related travel ban of Europe and other countries would be lifted.
In other business:
• The board voted to recommend renewing the city’s contract for three years with Lamar Advertising Co. for three tourism billboards in Texas with the stipulation the company clears brush around them. The price is $20,152 a year.
The billboards stand near Vega, Bushland and Wildorado along Interstate 40. Board member Al Patel questioned the effectiveness of the billboards due to congestion and because one was at a bend in the road and another partly obscured by brush.
Smith said those billboards “are hard to judge because they’re terrible” — referring to long-criticized designs by New Mexico True and the city’s former marketing firm, Sunny505.
Smith said the “Tucumcari Tonite” billboard was effective, but questioned designs for Ute Lake and the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum, mainly because the Tucumcari location was unclear.
Smith said two of the billboards likely would be redesigned after New Mexico MainStreet finishes a revamp of the city’s tourism style guide and logo.
Bednorz said he recommended keeping those billboards and “adding more” in the future. He said the poorly designed ads can be changed in the future.
• Patel said Tucumcari needs more of an effort to draw recreational-vehicle travelers. He was told it could be a discussion item at the tourism committee’s next meeting. Board member Mike Castelli, who co-owns an RV park on the city’s east side, said a billboard in that area that lists restaurants and other attractions would be helpful to such travelers.
• Answering a question by Patel, city manager Mark Martinez said he would finish a job description for the city’s upcoming social-media manager and marketer position after the city’s rebranding effort is finished in the coming months.
• Martinez said a leak had developed in the Tucumcari Convention Center’s roof in recent days and the cost to repair wasn’t yet known. He said efforts to renovate the center’s bathrooms and main floor continue.
• The board likely will convene future meetings at the convention center’s Liberty Room. Wednesday’s meeting was hastily moved there when the city commission chambers — the board’s usual meeting site — was being used for a municipal court trial. Scheduling conflicts with the court have arisen during previous meetings. The board’s next meeting is 10 a.m. Dec. 2.
