Tour New Mexico Inc

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Michelle L

via Google

My family and I were thinking of using the transportation provided by Tour New Mexico for the upcoming Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, mainly because we have a family member who needs special accommodations because he is disabled. Tam went above and beyond to try to find us a feasible transportation option, especially since a lot of Greyhound buses are not ADA compliant. She even contacted the City of Albuquerque to look into options. But unfortunately, the city does not have accommodating options, and at most, the transit shuttle that could be arranged for someone with a disability does not drop off that person and their respective family members onto the balloon field. What really impressed me was that Tam called me back at least a few times to keep me updated about her findings, and she did a fantastic job following up with me! In the midst of these frustrations, Tam was so awesome and she suggested that our family try the “Balloons and Breakfast” event in the morning, or the “Dine and Glow” event in the evening at the Albuquerque Balloon Museum, which she said has some of the best views of the Mass Ascension in the morning and the Balloon Glow in the evening. Furthermore, the Balloon Museum has parking for handicapped visitors and their accompanying family members, and a family restroom, as well as flushable toilets. She pointed out that this would probably be a better option compared to the Gondola Club option, which my sister and I tried last year when it was just the two of us attending the Balloon Fiesta. The Gondola Club is outdoors on the field, with tents covering the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and the unlimited amounts of coffee and drinks. It certainly is a fantastic option for guests who like to be right out on the balloon field, and who are capable of going all the way out there. However, I can see how challenging it can be for people who are handicapped to go all the way out there, especially since there is no handicapped parking right up near the balloon field. I was so ecstatic that Tam presented these options and I thanked her for going above and beyond! She said that she was just doing her job in terms of trying to make sure that my family and I truly get to enjoy the Balloon Fiesta as much as we can, including our family member who is disabled. I thought that it was incredibly thoughtful of her to think outside the box for us, and suggest ways to make our upcoming trip to Albuquerque a pleasant one for our entire family. She said that she is in the tourism business and this is what she is supposed to do. But quite frankly, I know that not all tourism companies go the extra mile in terms of looking for special or more feasible options for people with disabilities. And some tourism companies could care less about accommodating people with special needs. But Tam really felt for us and went above and beyond to provide us with suggestions that would minimize some of the stress and challenges that we were facing in terms of traveling with a family member who had special needs! I have to say that, if I ever want to go on a tour with Tour New Mexico in the future, I’ll definitely check in with Tam! There are parts of New Mexico that I would like to check out further, like the White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo! I visited Santa Fe with my sister last year, but we only really got to check out Old Town Santa Fe. After my experience communicating with Tam of Tour New Mexico, I certainly would love to check out what Tour New Mexico has in terms of showcasing the highlights of New Mexico to prospective visitors!

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Virginia Connell

via Google

I was at a conference in Albuquerque and took the "Taste of Albuquerque" Tour with 3 of my colleagues. The primary reason I signed up for the tour was because they offered an opportunity to take the Sandia Peak Tram during the first stop. Long story short, we were not able to ride the tram because there was a wait at the top to get down and it would have held up the bus by too much. The problem is that half of the bus wanted to take the tram and were VERY disappointed. I understand some things are unpredictable: weather, crowds, ect. But if they had EVER done this tour on a summer weekend before, they must know there are lines. There is no way this is the first time this has happened. I feel like it is false advertisement. DO NOT offer a tram experience in your tour if it is not a feasible possibility. Secondly, my dinner experience was down right HORRIBLE. Yeah, I was upset about the tram, but decided to accept it, move on and enjoy the evening, but I couldn't! The waiter was very short with us. Two of our group ordered the tacos (and got delicious food right away). Me and my other colleague ordered enchiladas and were not served for over 45 minutes. Then, when the food FINALLY came out, they brought out 2 chicken orders (I ordered cheese and am a vegetarian). So, more waiting, then, I got my cheese enchiladas with exactly 10 minutes to eat before the bus left. They were burnt and awful, as were my friend's chicken enchiladas. I honestly feel like I flushed $96 and 4 hours of my time down the toilet.

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Ranee S

via Google

Tam and her team were perfection. We hired Tour New Mexico to handle our non-airport transportation for about 250 people, having worked with our corporate travel office to book airport transportation. How I wish we would have known about Tour New Mexico prior to booking our airport transportation elsewhere. Tam and her drivers were professional, safe, had senses of humor, and most importantly, knew where they were going. The same could not be said of the other transportation company that was booked for us. Our transportation needs were complex and ever-changing. Tam knew this and anticipated it. She, herself, was at points of possible confusion and directed our people where they needed to be to get on the proper coach/bus. The VIP drivers were prompt and communicated through text, which was very helpful. I don't know how we could have made our meeting work without Tam. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Tour New Mexico.