SANTA FEThe New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) is bringing the sights, sounds and tastes of New Mexico to residents and visitors alike through New Mexico True Certified Experiences just in time for spring break.

This new travel and experience planning tool highlight over 80 New Mexico True Certified Experiences throughout New Mexico. Experiences range from pistachio farm tours in Alamogordo to u-pick gardens in Moriarty to tea blending workshops in Taos and everything in between.

“Hands-on experiences are great opportunities for both residents and visitors to dive deeper into all things that make us New Mexico True,” Tourism Secretary Jen Paul Schroer said. “Highlighting New Mexico True Certified Experiences is a chance to support local business and spark stronger connections to our culture, cuisine, and economy.”

New Mexico True Certified Experiences is an expansion of the New Mexico True Certified program which provides co-branding and promotional opportunities to local businesses with products made and grown in New Mexico. The New Mexico True Certified program has helped amplify the success stories of New Mexico’s merchants, artists and entrepreneurs since the program’s inception in 2016, which has grown to include over 450 partners.

Forecasts from the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) estimate that the United States will reach pre-pandemic levels of domestic leisure travel this year. According to USTA, domestic leisure travel is expected to generate $726 billion in visitor spending in 2022, compared to $722 billion in 2019.

New Mexico recorded a statewide hotel occupancy rate just under 55 percent for February 2022. In February 2021, New Mexico recorded a statewide hotel occupancy rate of 45 percent.

The rate of visitor spending recovery in New Mexico has outpaced the national average since December 2020. New Mexico surpassed pre-pandemic levels of visitor spending for the first time in November 2021. More information about tourism recovery metrics is available on the NMTD website.