ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s an area of Albuquerque attracting tourists from all over the world and soon it could be seeing new enhancements to help tourists find their way around the historic sites.
“It’s a lovely area, it’s definitely worth coming here,” said Nancy Johnson, visitor from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
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Old Town is one of Albuquerque’s most iconic spots full of history, culture, and character. It’s a tourist hot spot seeing new improvements in the coming year. One of those improvements is designed to help visitors navigate their way through the historic area.
“The wayfinding signs to help people, tourists and locals alike understand the highest concentration of small businesses probably in the state of New Mexico,” said JJ Mancini, President of the Historic Old Town Association.
Roughly five stands will be added throughout Old Town providing visitors with up-to-date locations on restaurants, shops, activities, and sights. The association plans to have its designs stay within the theme of the surrounding architecture.
“And you can see that similar style of the engraving. Here is a mockup of what we want one of our signs to look like. Similarly, you can see the wood elements and the carving and then obviously made of wood instead of metal or other materials, said Mancini.
The city’s tourism department, Visit Albuquerque, recently granted the Historic Old Town Association $25,000. That money was atched by supporters like Bernalillo County, Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, and New Mexico Mainstreet for a total of $50,000.
Mancini gave credit to the volunteers within the Historic Old Town Association for the success of the new enhancements. The group of 130 members is made up of merchants, residents, and property owners, the first of its kind.
“What this wayfinding map will allow people to do is to really understand the size and scope of Old Town. Yes, there’s the proper old town but there’s also the historic districts beyond it,” said Mancini.
“It’s not just the plaza. We have so many plazas, patios, portals that are off of the main plaza we want people to experience and explore,” said Mancini.
Mancini said locals miss out when they only think of the main attractions they grew up on and pointed out the variety of restaurants in the area. “So, a lot of people may think ‘ah there’s only three’. No that’s completely wrong. And one way to change that opinion is just to show it right in front of them, ‘look at all these wonderful places to eat throughout all of Old Town,” said Mancini.
Mancini said much of this new initiative focuses on those native to Albuquerque. “What I would like locals to do is to rediscover Old Town. Cause there’s a heck of a lot more going on here than maybe they remember,” said Mancini.
“I love Old Town, so it was nice actually seeing some places I had never been before,” said Tim Nguyen, Albuquerque resident.
Part of the funding will also go to events like the Dia de Los Muertos festivities coming in October. There are plans to have billboards promoting Old Town along I-40 for the first time in years. The Historic Old Town Association is working to rebrand the area as a Mainstreet. Some of those changes could come in the next year.
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