SANTA FEAccording to an advertising effectiveness study commissioned by the New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD), the first New Mexico True advertising campaign in the San Francisco market influenced 19,700 trips to New Mexico and generated an estimated $34.3 million in visitor spending.

The report also estimated that the average spending per trip to New Mexico from the San Francisco equated to roughly $1,700. Overall, the inaugural campaign in the San Francisco market generated a return-on-investment of $52 in visitor spending in New Mexico for every $1 spent on the campaign.

“We have wanted to enter the San Francisco market for years, and we finally had the resources we needed to adequately enter that market for the Winter 2023-24 campaign,” said Acting Tourism Secretary Lancing Adams. “Being able to measure the impact of our campaigns is incredibly important to ensure we continue to make the best decisions the most effectively drive visitation to New Mexico. The results of this report show us that we are in fact making smart investments that are helping grow New Mexico’s economy through tourism.”

One of the methods to measure the effectiveness of the campaign included in the study was comparing the traveling behavior and sentiment of people who were exposed to the campaign to those who were not exposed to the campaign. Roughly 5.5 percent of venturesome travelers in the San Francisco market not exposed to the New Mexico True campaign still traveled to the state. When exposed to the campaign, that number climbed to 8.7 percent, meaning the influence of the New Mexico True 2023-24 Winter campaign boosted visitation by 3.2 points.

Additionally, the campaign created a noticeable influence on likelihood to travel. Without exposure to the campaign, only 11 percent of venturesome travelers in the San Francisco market said they were either very likely or currently planning a trip to New Mexico.

After exposure to the campaign, that number jumped to 28 percent. The campaign also boosted the appeal of New Mexico as a travel destination relative to other comparable destinations. Travelers were less likely to recommend a trip to New Mexico over states like Arizona, Utah and Maine. After exposure, travelers became more likely to recommend a trip to New Mexico over those other states.

The study also measured the reaction to New Mexico True advertising among venturesome travelers in the San Francisco market. When asked about their reaction to the New Mexico True 2023-24 Winter campaign, respondents most frequently said the campaign shows authentic experiences, generates a positive opinion of the state, and frames New Mexico as a welcoming place.

The study evaluated the impact of New Mexico True advertising in the San Francisco market over the duration of the 2023-24 Winter campaign, which spanned October 2023 through February 2024. The study was conducted by SMARInsights.

Thanks to a $15 million special appropriation for national advertising allocated to NMTD during the 2023 Legislative Session, the department had the adequate resources to bring New Mexico True to the San Francisco market for the first time.

The entry into the San Francisco market reflects a growing investment into the California market for New Mexico True. NMTD brought New Mexico True to the Los Angeles market in Spring 2021, which also drew a strong return-on-investment. The introductory New Mexico True campaign in the Los Angeles market influenced an estimated 80,000 trips and generated $107 million in visitor spending, resulting in a return-on-investment of $56 in visitor spending for every $1 spent on the campaign.

Click here to view the full study.