May 9—The hunt to create an outdoors recreation economy — long a desire of officials and business people who say New Mexico can attract even more visitors by taking advantage of its natural gifts — will centerpiece a three-day conference in Santa Fe to discuss the topic this fall.

Outdoor New Mexico, a nonprofit that has held five of these annual conferences around the state, will host the event at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center from Oct. 23-25.

State Sen. Jeff Steinborn, executive director of the nonprofit, said during a news conference at the convention center Tuesday that 350 to 400 people have attended past events.

Though the agenda for this year's event has not been set, Steinborn said it likely will include panel talks and workshops focusing on building the outdoor recreation sector; discussions on how to address dumping problems on public lands; and how to ensure public lands used for recreation are preserved and protected.

"Conservation and the economy go hand in hand," he said. "You can't promote outdoor recreation in places that are destroyed."

Steinborn and other advocates for outdoor programs have said they pay off in terms of improving public health, increasing tourism and creating revenue for the state.

Santa Fe County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said the industry is one that is hard to quantify in terms of its economic potential.

"We can't say it's worth a billion dollars, but it is," she said.

In fact, according to a 2022 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, in 2021 the state's outdoor economy contributed $2.3 billion to the state's gross domestic product and employed 28,475 New Mexicans with more than $1 billion in income.

It also said state jobs in outdoor recreation have grown by 18.2% since 2020 — fifth in the nation for job growth in that area.

New Mexico officials have been promoting outdoor recreational activity for years. Steinborn co-sponsored a 2019 bill creating the Outdoor Recreational Division within the state's Economic Development Department, which Gov. Lujan Grisham signed into law.

Steinborn and other state officials promoting outdoor recreation and tourism as a revenue source have said such activities draw tourists who may not have easy access to such opportunities elsewhere.

Steinborn said Tuesday the activities "attract people far and wide who don't have public lands" like New Mexico's.

Mayor Alan Webber, who said the city has just under 100 outdoors-related businesses, said the conference can provide a way of "showcasing a way of life and health and community benefits that come from being outdoors."

A recent report noted while adult participation in outdoor activities is going up nationwide, "annual outdoor outings among American youth declined by 15% since 2012."

Steinborn said this trend, known as nature deficit disorder, is an issue "we have to talk about." He said younger people today live in a digital world where much of their entertainment can be found at the tips of their fingers via smartphones and computers.

"They spend too much time indoors," he said.

Kristin Pulatie, who owns Atalaya Outfitters in Santa Fe, said in an interview Tuesday she is "absolutely thrilled" the conference is taking place in Santa Fe. She said it can be used as a "springboard for developing more economic development" in the outdoors industry.

She said people who come to New Mexico to enjoy the outdoors spend money at hotels, restaurants, rental agencies and outfitting businesses like hers, contributing to local economies.