Steps to Success Delivers Real ROI
New Mexico True Making Strides in the International Inbound Tourism Arena
Destinations that embrace the Inbound Insider Steps to Success™ program are creating new business opportunities and measurable economic impact. In Iowa, suppliers that completed the program and earned IITA’s Stamp of Approval gained direct access to inbound operators and the knowledge needed to become market-ready. The results have been significant: American Ring Travel added Iowa to a major cross-country itinerary, generating an estimated $65,000 in hotel revenue and $60,000–$80,000 in additional visitor spending. The relationship later expanded, resulting in approximately $125,000 in hotel business and 10 tour group bookings for an Iowa charter bus company valued at roughly 200 charter days of revenue. An Iowa hotel also secured contracts with two additional inbound operators after participating in the program.
After 20 years' dormant, the New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) has reinvested in its Travel Trade Program on the cusp of the Route 66 Centennial. Known to many as New Mexico True, the NMTD provides a vivid and authentic take on the American Southwest. Tourism Department staff quickly learned one of the most important indicators of success was bookable product, but it was hard to determine how to disseminate that information with a team of one and across the fifth-largest state in land mass.
NMTD had restarted its international marketing efforts, but working with the travel trade requires local supplier/ industry participation, which was lacking. The Inbound Insider Steps to Success™ Live program proved to be the perfect fit for New Mexico True to reintroduce the trade language, approach, and most importantly, pricing to local suppliers so they could secure revenue early from a market segment they hadn’t considered.
According to Holly Marquez, Travel Trade Program Coordinator, New Mexico Tourism Department, "following the implementation of the Steps to Success program in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces, there are now nearly a dozen industry partners in the throes of becoming Inbound Insider Specialists. These entities will make purchasable product available to the inbound operators actively selling the United States to their clients, and that same product will be invaluable to New Mexico True in showcasing our product to international markets."
Ms. Marquez went on to say, "Within just two years' time we were able to implement Steps to Success in a way we definitely could not have executed on our own. The tenor and passion shines through the whole IITA/Alon team and they have a genuine interest in seeing our destination shine. We are looking forward to how we can make Steps to Success a more regular opportunity for our suppliers and ensure hotels specifically are of focus. New Mexico won’t be able to expand without IITA/Alon’s continued support."
The takeaway is simple: destinations that invest in travel trade education, help suppliers earn the confidence of inbound operators, and develop bookable products are the destinations that generate results. The Steps to Success program doesn't just teach best practices—it creates real business opportunities, new contracts, and increased visitor spending.