We have opportunities for new cultural tourism development, especially in rural areas. Some people from rural areas felt that Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Taos had all the attractions and that they could not enter the tourism market because they had nothing to offer. Susie McComb of Moriarity pointed out that her people in her rural area had felt that way. In considering how they might attract tourists, however, they realized that many aspects of their community, which they take for granted, are intriguing to tourists. Last year the Salt Mission Trails Main Street program narrated tours of several farms and ranches in the Estancia Valley for thousands of farmers and ranchers attending the National Farm Bureau Convention.
Collaboration is a key to cultural tourism.
Meeting participants recognized the potential of regional and statewide partnerships in pooling money and resources, promoting resources, expanding markets and sharing information. Smaller communities, for example, can benefit from collaboration by pooling their resources. A small community that has one attraction or one motel can join with other similar communities and package their resources into one viable tour. Tours can focus around a hub city like Albuquerque or Santa Fe, and also include outlying rural areas. Regional collaborations can help all of us, not merely the smaller communities.