Gallup sees a big jump in tourism numbers

The Route 66 town of Gallup, New Mexico, has seen a 7 percent to 10 percent rise in tourist numbers — the best in decades.

According to an Associated Press report, city officials attribute the rise to more foreign travelers.

Helping drive the interest in Native culture and grafts is a favorable exchange rate that makes it economical for foreign tourists to visit in the summer, according to tourism officials in the city.

Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce director Bill Lee says the area is seeing visitors from Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France and Belgium.

“I’m getting really excited about the numbers we are seeing (now),” Lee said. “We are seeing increases from Asian countries as well.”

Lee also credits the increased numbers on promotions that the chamber, working in partnership with the city of Gallup and Tourism Marketing Manager Jennifer Lazarz.

During the last two years, the city has been promoting the region with the “Gallup Real True” campaign that includes images of outdoor adventure, Navajo culture and Native arts and crafts.

Area officials have been attending the biggest trade fair on tourism in the world, the International Powwow and have been pushing for more travel tours for this area.

Many of those foreign travelers had to have been enticed to Gallup by Route 66. After all, Bobby Troup’s iconic song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” mentions that New Mexico city.

But it seems the reason for Gallup’s tourism surge is multitiered. It’s never just one reason when you see a big increase like that.

The state of New Mexico in general has recorded excellent tourism numbers. A total of 35.4 million trips were taken in New Mexico in 2017 — breaking the record of 34.4 million the previous year. It also was the sixth straight year of record tourism in the Land of Enchantment.

(Image of Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico, by Wolfgang Staudt via Flickr)