Official: NM lost about 30,000 tourism jobs

The state of New Mexico has lost about 30,000 tourism jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a state official during a webinar Thursday.

Tourism Secretary Jen Schroer said to hasten the state’s recovery and bring back or retain some of those jobs, businesses should adopt practices in the NM Safe Certified program to help reassure travelers during the COVID-19 era.

Schroer said she had seen encouraging signs with the program. She said more than 300 business had completed it, and about 400 motels were being trained on it.

“We have a long road ahead of us,” she said. “They only way to get through if is if we have the grit and we collaborate.”

More about the program may be found at nmsafecertified.org.

Citing a July 6 survey by Destination Analysts, Schroer said the number of Americans who said they no longer will consider visiting a certain destination because of its handling of COVID-19 is growing.

The top criteria where a potential visitor will go elsewhere are:

• COVID-19 cases are on the rise (46.9%);

• Destination is not managing the pandemic well (38.8%);

• Other visitors may not practice social distancing (29.8%);

• Too much coverage of COVID-19 problems in destination (28.7%):

• Other visitors may not be wearing masks (27.4%);

• Attraction would be too crowded (23.1%);

• Too many local residents don’t wear masks (23.1%);

• Too many residents don’t practice social distancing (23.1%);

• Other destinations feel safer (18.1%).

Regarding the mask mandate, state police mostly are handing out free masks to those who aren’t wearing them instead of issuing $100 fines.

Dan Schlegel, the state’s small business adviser, acknowledged “there are some areas that are not as cooperative” about the health order. But he added he’s “seeing positive signs.” He said his gym went from 20% to 30% compliance during the early days of the mandate to nearly universal compliance.

“It will become more and more of the norm,” he said.

Schlegel said about nine restaurants in New Mexico were violating the health order by allowing indoor dining.

He said if a restaurant worker were fired because he or she didn’t cooperate with an employer flouting the health order, that worker would be eligible for unemployment benefits.