New Mexico buys ads in Arizona, Texas urging its neighbors to mask up and social distance when coming to the state
New Mexico has an eye on two of its neighbors, Arizona and Texas, as each makes a name for itself as global COVID-19 hot spot.
The state's tourism department paid $67,000 for an ad to run in major cities across the two states that featured a letter asking readers to join in on the New Mexico Safe Promise, a statewide campaign promoting "COVID-safe practices" such as wearing a mask and social distancing.
"We know it's not the most comfortable thing to ask a neighbor," the letter read. "But we are in this together. Greater than our differences, it's our common Southwestern heritage that unites us."
The ad ran over the weekend in Phoenix, Tucson, San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas after an announcement earlier in the week from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all out-of-state travelers entering New Mexico on July 1 or later.
"Collectively as a Southwest, we rely on one another, we're together and we'll get through this," said Cody Johnson, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Tourism Department. "We're just asking that if people travel that they acknowledge and respect what we are doing in New Mexico with our public health orders."
Starkly different infection rates
Johnson said the severe growth of the virus in Arizona and Texas was what sparked the decision to run the ads in those two states and not in Colorado and Oklahoma, which also border New Mexico.
More than 26.8% of COVID-19 tests in Arizona come back positive, compared with 15.6% in Texas and 3.9% in New Mexico, according to data reported by Johns Hopkins Thursday.
Grisham, a Democrat, enacted several sweeping requirements in recent months in effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 in New Mexico, including the 14-day travel quarantine and a statewide mask-requirement, which started May 16.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a statewide mask mandate July 2.
No such mandate is in place in Arizona. Instead, Gov. Doug Ducey announced June 17 he would allow local governments to implement face mask requirements on a city-by-city basis.
Arizonans traveling to New Mexico
Between the travel quarantine restrictions and rising COVID-19 infection rates across the Southwest, Johnson said the point of the letters was to acknowledge that travel between the two states is a challenge.
Arizona accounted for 8% of travel to New Mexico in 2018, according to the state's latest annual research on visitation.
Visitors from neighboring states account for almost one-third of all visitors to Santa Fe, one of the state's most popular travel destinations, said Randy Randall, the executive director of Tourism Santa Fe.
"While travel is difficult right now, there is going to be a point in the future where it's better," Johnson said.
Until then, Johnson said the letter seeks to inform Arizonans about what to expect in New Mexico and encourage safe practices.
The Arizona governor's office and to the Arizona Office of Tourism did not respond to The Arizona Republic's request for comment.
Contact Grace Oldham at grace.oldham@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter at @grace_c_oldham.