Proximity is the easy explanation. The western third of their state wraps New Mexico, and it's an easy drive and an easier airline hop. Close to two thirds of tourists come to New Mexico by auto, with nearly 10 percent of them traveling by RV or camper. Marketing New Mexico is, like tourism itself, an active industry marked by the efforts of numerous people and communities. It's an easy sell, but the pitch is ongoing.
Print ads are the primary mode the state uses to entice people to come.
The state maintains a list of dozens of magazines they deem effective in spreading the word to the right people. Such periodicals as Sunset, National Geographic Traveler, Car and Travel, USA Weekend, and Travel Holiday carry word of New Mexico's charms to an audience strongly geared toward travel and the outdoors. The Midwest, particularly the Chicago area, has been a strong market lately. Enticing tourists is an activity that involves dozens of communities around the state. They work together to some extent through cooperative advertising efforts with the Tourism Department, as well as solo through their own promotions, mail-outs and phone contacts.