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New Mexico Tourism Department earmarks advertising funds for Ruidoso in wake of fires
Robert Greenamyer, a full-time resident of Ruidoso, waits in his 1984 Mercedes for reentry into Ruidoso in June. The state Tourism Department is earmarking money for the village of Ruidoso in the wake of the South Fork and Salt Fires to boost tourism.
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Looking to boost tourism in Ruidoso in the destructive wake of the South Fork and Salt Fires and subsequent floods earlier this year, the state has announced plans to commit $125,000 in advertising support for the area.
The New Mexico Tourism Department, which announced the funding, said the money is part of a larger $200,000 for “destination marketing” in Ruidoso — with Lincoln County and the village of Ruidoso providing an additional $75,000 in matching funds.
The money will be a welcomed by the village, which earlier this year saw its tourism disrupted by the fires that burned more than 25,000 acres around the mountain town.
Ruidoso’s mayor, Lynn Crawford, said his administration is “appreciative of how the New Mexico Tourism Department immediately stepped up to assist the Village of Ruidoso after the wildfires and subsequent flood events.
“As soon as residents were allowed back into town, and it was deemed safe to invite tourists back, NMTD and our own team began planning and executing a fire recovery plan that would supplement our existing marketing plan,” Crawford added.
The state Tourism Department said in a news release that the funding will be used for advertising campaigns that emphasize “shopping local and supporting the small business community around Ruidoso.”
“The Ruidoso community has been incredibly resilient in the face of multiple natural disasters, and we want to make sure the Tourism Department is doing what it can to help the community get back on its feet,” NMTD Acting Secretary Lancing Adams said in a statement. “As a destination that relies heavily on tourism, we hope this specialized cooperative advertising support will revitalize economic activity for the local businesses (that) rely on visitation.”
This is the second time NMTD has awarded the village of Ruidoso money for tourism-related endeavors following a fire. In June 2022, the department gave the village $75,000 to put toward advertising efforts in the west Texas market following the deadly McBride Fire.
The village is also the recipient of grants from the department, getting $608,866 from the Cooperative Marketing Grant Program in July and $51,741 through the Clean and Beautiful Grant Program in August.
