The CVB has hired a new Tourism Sales Manager to assist the bureau in bringing group tours and leisure travel to Las Cruces.

Jill Folkman, the former Catering Manager for the Ramada Palms, joined the Las Cruces CVB staff on March 24, 2008. Prior to her time at the Ramada, she spent eight years working in the hotel sales industry where she served as Sales Manager and Assistant General Manager.

"We are very excited to have Jill on board," said CVB Executive Director Ken Mompellier. "We are looking forward to all the ways she can develop and enhance the group tour and leisure travel markets for Las Cruces. There is a lot of potential tourism business out there and we feel she can bring it to Las Cruces. "

As the Tourism Sales Manager, Folkman will be working with tour operators and group leaders in an effort to raise Las Cruces' profile within the group travel industry and increase the number of tours visiting Las Cruces. She will also be charged with developing travel programs and packages for leisure travelers and auto clubs.

To say thank you to visitors and the community for their support of tourism, the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau will be celebrating National Tourism Week May 10 - 18, 2008. The bureau will be hosting an open house Wednesday, May 14, from 9 am - 4 pm with a live radio remote from 12 - 2 pm at the CVB located at 211 N. Water Street. Stop by and enjoy snacks, refreshments and door prizes.

Every year, visitors to New Mexico spend about $4 billion and about $100 million of that is spent in Dona Ana County and of that $100 million, about $41 million is spent in Las Cruces restaurants, stores, gas stations, hotels, golf courses and attractions.

For more information about National Tourism Week or how the CVB can help you, contact Tourism Sales Manager Jill Folkman at 541-2163 or at jfolkman@las-cruces.org.

The contract for advertising between the CVB and award winning advertising agency Rick Johnson & Company (RJC) has been awarded for one more year. This contract will run through 2009. RJC has been the bureau's advertising agency since 2001 when they developed the crossroads campaign to promote Las Cruces to the leisure travel market as well as to tourism industry professionals. Print advertisements regularly appear in publications such as: Where to Retire, Travel 50 & Beyond, New Mexico Vacation Guide, Meeting Planner Guide, Meetings West, New Mexico Business Journal, The Group Travel Leader and Travel Weekly. The campaign was also the recipient of two 2004 Tourism Industry Association Recognition Awards from the Tourism Association of New Mexico for best print advertising and best outdoor advertisement.

The process to build a convention center for Las Cruces is moving right along. The City is currently in negotiations with a private management company who will oversee the day-to-day operations of the facility as well as work with the CVB to book conventions and shows for the center. The City - in conjunction with HNTB are in the early stages of facility design with the expectation of a late 2008 ground breaking. Additionally, the City is set to issue an RFP for construction of the facility to gather an accurate cost of construction. For questions about the Las Cruces Center, contact the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 541-2444 or cvb@lascrucescvb.org.

Leslie Yap, the editor of AAA New Mexico was in Las Cruces for a site inspection on April 11. In an effort to better familiarize herself with New Mexico, Yap visited several NM destinations for a first-hand look at what New Mexico has to offer. While in Las Cruces, Yap visited the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, took a guided tour of the Mesilla plaza, toured the Branigan Cultural Center, the Museum of Art and the Railroad Depot Museum.

The Las Cruces CVB and the Las Cruces Public Schools teamed up successfully to secure the bid for the 2009 & 2010 New Mexico Activities Association High School Fast Pitch Softball State Championship Tournament. The events will take place at the Field of Dreams Softball Complex and Maag Park May 13-16, 2009 and May 12-15, 2010. Three divisions will compete for top honors in a double elimination format. Las Cruces hosted the event in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

The spring 2008 edition of the Official Las Cruces Visitors Guide will be available this month. For the first time, the CVB will be printing two editions a year - spring and fall.

"We felt this was the best way to ensure visitors have access to the most current visitor information about Las Cruces," said CVB Executive Director Ken Mompellier." A spring and fall guide allows us to focus on seasonal events and activities, as well as include any recent changes from our tourism partners."

The 48 page book features a variety of information for anyone visiting Las Cruces including: hotels, restaurants, attractions, recreational and sports facilities, transportation information and a map. This year's guide will again be 8.5 x 11 instead of the smaller 6 x 9 from previous years.

The 2008 edition of the Las Cruces Sports Information Guide is now available. The 20 page guide is designed to be a comprehensive directory of Las Cruces sporting venues intended to aid sports planners. It features a map charting the locations of each venue as well as a table of contents broken down by sport for easy reference. The guide will serve as the primary sales tool for the department and is available in hard copy or digital format.

The much anticipated Las Cruces promotional DVD is now available. It will be used by the sales and media staff to better promote Las Cruces to perspective convention, tourism and sports groups as well as travel media. The 5 minute video features a series of images from the Mesil