In honor of National Tourism Week, the Albuquerque tourism industry will thank the thousands of volunteers who donate their time and energy to the city�s largest tourist draw the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta�.

Where: Balloon Fiesta Park on the center stage, 5000 Balloon Fiesta Parkway � Albuquerque

When: Saturday, May 1, 2004

Time: Program begins at 9:00 a.m.

Details: The thousands of volunteers who help each year with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta� will be recognized as the �2004 Unsung Tourism Heroes,� by the Albuquerque Tourism Industry and the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) Saturday, May 1, 2004. These volunteers will be recognized for the integral role they play in bolstering tourism to Albuquerque�s largest tourist draw and for their important role in the industry. To celebrate, the volunteers will be treated to refreshments and live music and will have a group photo taken. This photo will be featured in a newspaper advertisement placed by ACVB on Sunday, May 9, 2004.

The Unsung Tourism Heroes program, in its fifth year, is an annual recognition event held each year during National Tourism Week. National Tourism Week is a national awareness campaign created to honor the importance and impact of tourism to the community. In 2003, the Hospitality/Tourism Industry supported more than 28,000 jobs in Albuquerque and over 75,000 statewide making it the 2nd largest private sector employer. In the past Unsung Tourism Heroes included: The Downtown Action Team Ambassadors (2003), the Albuquerque area hotel housekeepers (2002), the Big I Construction team (2001) and the Albuquerque International Sunport Baggage Handlers (2000).

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Media Contact: Melissa Besante +1 505.222.4349 besante@itsatrip.org