City Partners with Visit Albuquerque to Promote Tourism

ALBUQUERQUE – ABQ RIDE has partnered with Visit Albuquerque and leaders from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to honor Pueblo culture and promote tourism with three new bus wrap designs. Originating from an advertising campaign on the Denver light-rail system, Visit Albuquerque worked with local artists and the City to bring the concept home to Albuquerque.

 “We worked closely with Albuquerque-based artists to create designs that are authentic to our city and that inspire travelers to plan a trip to Albuquerque so they can experience our one-of-a-kind art, cuisine, attractions, and events,” said Tania Armenta, president & CEO of Visit Albuquerque. “We were thrilled to work with Mayor Keller and the City’s Transit Department to bring three of these designs home so that residents can enjoy and take pride in the beautiful artwork.”

Each design was inspired by a unique quality of New Mexican culture, ranging from architecture, pueblo pottery, and punched tin art: 

• The Adobe design highlights the unique and distinctive architecture of Old Town and other historic neighborhoods. The design features familiar features of traditional New Mexican homes including chile ristras, prickly pear, and turquoise wooden doors.
• The Pueblo pottery design, created in collaboration with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, features symbols passed down through generations of Native American Pueblo potters in New Mexico.
• The Punched tin designed by a local artist showcases the Spanish Colonial art practice. The artist used tools passed down by his grandmother to create the scallops, floral shapes, and decorative borders incorporated in the final design.

“The collaboration for this project is special as it gives ABQ RIDE the opportunity to not only promote ridership, but also economic growth through tourism,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “The Visit Albuquerque wraps allow our buses to stand out and create an inviting environment for residents who use ABQ RIDE daily or visitors exploring the City for the first time.”

“The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center was delighted to collaborate with our wonderful partner, Visit Albuquerque, on a train wrap that honors Pueblo pottery designs,” said Mike Canfield, Executive Director of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. “We are happy that the Pueblo and two other ‘Authentically Albuquerque’ designs will now be displayed on city buses here in Albuquerque.”

The three Visit Albuquerque bus wrap designs will be displayed indefinitely and will help to promote tourism, local economic development, and ridership on public transportation in Albuquerque. 

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ABQ RIDE strives to be the first choice in transportation services for the Albuquerque Metropolitan area. The department continuously works to improve the quality of services we provide to the community through safety and equity based solutions