The communities of Northeast New Mexico, through the Regional Tourism Initiative of the New Mexico Tourism Department, have gathered together two vacation packages as Grand Prizes in their Cowboy Vacation Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes reinforces the region ̶ “Land of the Working Cowboy” ̶ as a cowboy tourism destination. With stays at historic hotels replete with tales of ghosts and outlaws, a vintage Route 66 motel, a mountain resort, and a working cattle ranch – the winner can enjoy the flavor of this beautiful ranchland country. All sweepstakes entries will be collected through Northeast New Mexico’s newly redesigned website, www.nenewmexico.com. The sweepstakes will be promoted in various tourism publications, with an online pay-per-click program, on local radio, and on social networking websites.

Sweepstakes participants can choose between two vacations – The Plains Vacation and The Mountain Vacation - each as diverse as the region itself.

The Plains vacation package is an excursion through the communities of Las Vegas, Roy, Tucumcari, and Clayton. It includes lodging at historic hotels, ranches, and a Route 66 motel. The package includes a dinner for two, a round of golf, gift certificates at many western stores, and a western swing dance and dinner for two at the Solano Starlight Ballroom in Harding County.

The Mountain vacation package will include a getaway to the mountain towns of Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Cimarron and Raton. Lodging for two includes stays at a ski resort and two historic Wild West hotels. This package comes with many meals for two along the way, a visit to an alpaca farm, a round of golf or skiing for two, and performances at Music from Angel Fire and Raton’s Shuler Theater. Numerous gift certificates at local stores and galleries are also included.

For a full list of the offerings in these vacation packages, visit www.nenewmexico.com. All sweepstakes entries must be submitted by August 31, 2010; the drawing for both vacation packages will take place in early September 2010 and are valid through September 2011.

Northeast New Mexico’s marketing efforts are funded by the New Mexico Tourism Department. The region promotes itself for its wide open spaces, working ranches, historic cattle trails, Wild West history, Civil War sites, ghost towns, and hunting and fishing opportunities. Learn more at www.nenewmexico.com.