Tourism as an Economic Development Tool (Socorro County)

The Socorro Tourism Council is a network of business and tourism folks that have found value in attending the council. Through this network the council has been able to promote a collaboration of events to market in magazines and tourist brochures extending everyone’s advertising dollars and gaining an increase in the number of ads being bought. There is no clear data as to the increase in tourism, but lodger’s tax money has increased by 2% the last few years.

Four Hospitality trainings were conducted this year. Hospitality trainings are conducted in coordination with the Socorro Tourism Council and the Socorro Chamber of Commerce trying to provide individuals knowledge in what the community has to offer folks traveling through. Restaurant, hotel, gas station and anyone with a business is encourage to send staff that have contact with people passing through. The program focuses on hospitality, but also provides information on what there is to do around Socorro County. Participants have expressed a great enthusiasm for the program and often leave saying “I lived here all my life and I didn’t know about that”. Through these trainings we are able to increase the tourism dollars coming into our community by having repeat tourist.

In collaboration with the Tourism Council and the Socorro Chamber of Commerce, the Agent instructs the Hospitality and Tourism courses quarterly for hotel, restaurants, and gas station attendants. The training focuses on actual attractions and events that occur in Socorro County. Participants are often locals that have no ideal of all the attractions in the area, and leave wanting to go see the places talked about. Attendees provided so much feed that a second course is now being offered. 100% of attendees feel that they have gained valuable knowledge to help them in their employment.

Socorro County has an active tourism council that meets to network with individuals from across the county on events and activities that are associated with Socorro County. This outlet for communication has lead to the use of a unified calendar of events, and brought in 1 grant this year from the Department of Tourism for $20,000. Individuals collaborate within this group to advertise Socorro County and minimize the advertising cost for one individual allowing for more ads to be placed.

Through the efforts of the Tourism Council a community calendar is being utilized by all entities to assure a comprehensive list of events for visitors to websites that will be visiting or have the potential to visit the area. Tourist are 45% more likely to find events with the community effort. Also the collaboration has increased the total amount of ads being placed in tourism magazines by pooling advertizing resources to do split ads. This has lead to an increase in ad quality and effectiveness.