TOURISM Showcase for SNM

Chaves County REDTT--with help from local Chambers of Commerce, Roswell Parks and Recreation, the Tourism Association of New Mexico, NM Department of Tourism, and the Governor's office-- will present a TOURISM Showcase for Southeast New Mexico on March 28 and 29 at the Roswell Convention and Civic Center. The purpose of this workshop--open to all who reside in or are interested in New Mexico--is to educate residents about the value of promoting their own local attractions and histories to visitors and the general public. It is directed towards people who daily meet and greet visitors to their locales, which includes people who provide services in restaurants, motels and elsewhere. It is also particularly offered to individuals and groups who encourage the industry of New Mexico tourism.

The public is encouraged to attend the workshops and visit the booths. Registration fees vary; a full price ticket includes Tuesday's noon box lunch, the evening banquet and an invitation to provide an optional informational booth. The Civic Center provides tables for the "booths;" bringing your own cabana is optional. Organizations and businesses are encouraged to showcase their entities, but not to sell their wares there.

Internationally renowned tourism speaker, Dr. Peter Tarlow, will present three or four workshops on March 28. Each will be different so you want to attend as many as possible. There will also be workshops presented by: REDTT; NM Tourism Co-Op; Tourism Association of New Mexico; and Motorcoach-- which addresses tourism that markets to individuals, motorcoach tours and other group-tour industries.

Tuesday noon will be a catered box lunch and round-table discussion among each table's participants. Mid-afternoon, brief FAM tours--between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.--are encouraged. Suggested nearby free optional tours to select from include: Spring River Zoo, the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Bottomless Lakes, Select Milk Producers, the Dexter Fish Hatchery, the five local museums and the Historical District. Informational flyers and maps will be available to encourage you to return Wednesday afternoon and other days when you can stay longer. These Tuesday FAM tours are necessarily brief because the banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. with Dr. Tarlow as the featured speaker. A sky-show at Roswell's nearby planetarium follows the banquet.

Mark your calendar for March 28 and 29 to attend the TOURISM Showcase for Southeastern New Mexico all day Tuesday and Wednesday forenoon, at the Roswell Convention and Civic Center. Registration is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Booth set-up begins at 7 a.m. and will finalize by 9 a.m. The first workshop session begins at 9 a.m.

This is your opportunity to explore and network each other's resources, showcase your own organization or group and to gain information about all of the attractions in Southeastern New Mexico.

For more information, or to pre-register your attendance or register a booth, call 505-624-6860 or 505-622-8333.

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