Trade Show Booth Program

ABOUT The New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) is responsible for growing awareness of New Mexico as a premier destination for leisure travel and to inspire travel to the state. CHALLENGE For years, New Mexico’s local destination marketing partners participated in travel conventions and trade shows without strategic support from NMTD. When NMTD did attend, its presence lacked direction and was largely symbolic. Following a pandemic-related pause, the department chose IPW 2023 (the world’s leading inbound travel trade show) as its strategic reentry, aiming to engage international travel buyers and present a unified front with local partners. While the initial booth included some cultural touches, the space felt cramped and lacked functional flow, revealing key areas for improvement in future iterations. SOLUTION To reintroduce NMTD to the travel convention space with purpose and impact, Novak Birch designed a visually compelling and culturally immersive booth for IPW 2025. The exhibit balanced strategic functionality with authentic storytelling, creating a memorable experience for attendees and partners alike. Our solution included: - Authentic Design: Custom-fabricated faux adobe walls with wood vigas evoked the architectural charm of New Mexico, establishing a strong sense of place. - Fiberoptic Display: A captivating, custom-built backdrop behind the reception desk featured a photo of the nighttime sky and luminarias at Jemez Historic Site, enhanced with twinkling fiberoptic lights. - Centralized Reception Desk: A welcoming check-in hub efficiently guided visitors to scheduled or impromptu meetings. - DMO Meeting Areas: Individual 10x10 spaces allowed DMOs to host appointments, each featuring a custom designed tabletop map graphic which doubled as a sales tool. - Destination Photography: Bold, vibrant imagery showcased New Mexico’s natural beauty and cultural landmarks, including the Red Rock Balloon Rally, Kimo Theatre, and White Sands. - Lounge Area: A comfortable seating space encouraged informal networking and provided a relaxing spot for attendees and staff. - Innovative Lighting: Backlit graphics and illuminated counters highlighted NMTD and its DMO partners, enhancing visibility and brand presence. - Locally Sourced Props: Items from New Mexico vendors—such as chile ristras, woven baskets and blankets, and rugs—as well as embroidered pillows and native faux plants added texture and authenticity. - Modular Functionality: The modular 10x60 booth breaks down to a 10x10 as well as other configurations, enabling NMTD to use it at all of their national trade shows. The booth also features storage within all counters and a discreet storage closet built into the adobe structure. RESULTS - The redesigned booth marked a successful reentry for NMTD into the travel convention space, generating positive feedback from partners and attendees alike. The exhibit’s visual storytelling and cultural elements helped elevate New Mexico’s presence and fostered stronger connections with international travel buyers. - Leadership at NMTD highlighted the booth’s success and praised the seamless collaboration with Novak Birch. “You allowed us to focus on the people and the appointments, which is the core focus of why we were all there,” said Cody Johnson, Communications Director. “The booth itself was spectacular…the amount of pictures we saw folks take of the booth as they walked by is good validation that we executed on our vision.” Holly Marquez, Travel Trade Program Coordinator, echoed this sentiment: “You gave our 22-person delegation a sense of place that we could all be proud of. You were efficient, kind, attentive, and forward-thinking, which made all the difference. It put us at ease and made us feel like you were part of our team and goals.” - The booth not only met its strategic objectives but also set a new standard for how New Mexico is represented on the global tourism stage—transforming the department’s presence from passive participation to purposeful engagement. - Incorporate Digital Signage throughout the booth to display video content.