Today, Governor Susana Martinez announced that tourism in 2014 generated the largest economic impact in state history, injecting $6.1 billion into New Mexico’s economy and supporting nearly 89,000 jobs.
“Tourism plays a critical role in diversifying our state’s economy. When more people visit New Mexico, more dollars go directly into our communities, and that results in more jobs and better opportunities for our families,” Governor Martinez said. “Earlier this year, we announced yet another record-breaking year for tourism. And now I’m proud to say that the direct impact that tourism has on our state’s economy is greater than we’ve ever seen before.”
A report by renowned research firm Tourism Economics shows an increase of more than half a billion dollars since 2011, with the industry supporting nearly 89,000 jobs (an increase of 3,000 in the last four years), and $2.3 billion in income in 2014. This represents one in 12 New Mexico jobs, and $610 million in state and local tax revenue.
New Mexico industries benefitting from growing tourism success include lodging, recreation, entertainment, food, beverage, and hospitality, and retail. The report also includes county-level data, allowing for a more detailed analysis of the impact of tourism in communities throughout the state. The full Economic Impact of Tourism in New Mexico report is available online here.
This is the latest in a series of record-breaking tourism numbers since Governor Martinez and the Tourism Department unveiled and implemented the New Mexico True campaign in 2012. Earlier this summer, Governor Martinez announced a third straight year of record-breaking tourism numbers, with half a million more people visiting New Mexico in 2014 than in 2013, bringing the total number for the year to 32.7 million, an all-time high.