The new Innovate ABQ building in the Albuquerque Innovation District provides a one-stop shop for meeting planners to connect with local thought leaders in high-tech industries and some of the most advanced scientific research in the country.
City governments and convention bureaus would love to better understand the long-term economic impacts that conventions in advanced industries deliver to their cities, but there are a lot of challenges trying to establish metrics and tracking methodologies to accomplish that.
With the federal government deadlocked in intractable partisan debate, mayors across the U.S. are stepping up to drive progress by cultivating their innovation economies. A growing number are developing innovation districts to elevate their cities' brands.
Is research the new content marketing for convention bureaus? We hope so because it's a good way for cities to differentiate themselves, and it provides new inspiration for event programming and education.
Albuquerque has a great opportunity to take advantage of New Mexico's high-tech knowledge base and the glam appeal of Virgin Galactic, but it needs to separate its messaging between the leisure and group markets.