Visit Las Cruces, 336 S. Main St., has launched a new initiative that will encourage everyone to enjoy area hikes and support local businesses, now through Monday, Nov. 30, in order to earn chances to win prize packs of Las Cruces-themed promotional items by submitting photos of themselves on hikes and patronizing local hospitality businesses.
“We designed the program to help people discover all of the incredible experiences, amazing outdoor recreation opportunities and businesses we have in Las Cruces,” said Visit Las Cruces Executive Director Rochelle Miller-Hernandez. “This is a great way for locals and visitors to fully experience our city while helping support many of the businesses that generate the tourism dollars that make up a large part of our local economy and help to build our infrastructure.”
The challenge invites participants to take at least one photograph from a recent area hike and one photograph from a recent visit to a local hospitality business, such as a restaurant, hotel, or retail store, which they can then submit online through a registration form to earn a chance to win one of 10 prize packs filled with Las Cruces-themed promotional items. Although each household is only eligible to win one prize pack, participants can submit multiple entries by using photos from different hikes and business visits to help increase their odds of winning. Winners will be selected after Nov. 30, at random, from the pool of eligible submissions To register, participants can visit: www.visitlascruces.com/hiking-and-hospitality/, enter their contact information, attach one photo from area hike and one photo from a visit to a local hospitality business then submit their registration form to get registered for a chance to win one of the 10 prize packs. Photo submissions may also get the chance to be featured on Visit Las Cruces’ social media channels.
“We’re fortunate to have a national park and two national monuments all within about a 50-mile radius, so there are plenty of outdoor recreation activities for all levels of interests and abilities,” said Outdoor Recreations Sales Manager Hilary Dutcher. “Given the ongoing pandemic, this is a great way for people to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and a variety of outdoor activities while staying safe through social distancing and wearing a face covering when needed.” As part of the initiative, Visit Las Cruces asks that all participants understand and abide by all local public health guidelines and regulations to help stop the spread of COVID-19. When enjoying outdoor recreation activities, Visit Las Cruces also asks participants to adhere to the leave no trace principles of plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife and be considerate of other visitors.
To help minimize the need for search and rescue intervention, Visit Las Cruces also encourages all participants to a carry a first-aid kit, bring plenty of water, check the weather, wear or bring the appropriate clothing and gear for each outdoor recreation activity, know the terrain of each trail, understand your physical abilities and how they relate to each activity, and tell someone where you are going, especially when going alone. For a video explaining these safety tips, visit: https://youtu.be/J8jFv9tUHMU
In 2019, Las Cruces had more than 750,000 visitors who spent approximately $70 million in tourism-related expenses, according to data from the City of Las Cruces and the New Mexico Tourism Department. The data also showed that, on average, each visitor spent a total of $195 per day on tourism-related expenses such as lodging, food and beverage, retail, recreation, and transportation.
For further information on the contest or for information about local businesses and area hiking destinations, visit www.visitlascruces.com/.