Albuquerque has been recognized by Hotwire.com® as one of the Top 10 Value Cities in the U.S. The recognition comes as a result of the site’s seventh annual Hotwire® Travel Value Index study, showcasing the top 10 cities where consumers can get the most vacation for their money in 2012.

Hotwire® touts Albuquerque as “the epicenter of Southwestern culture … widely recognized as one of the most diverse cities in the country. Visitors must take advantage of the excellent weather, outdoor adventures, skiing and the world’s most photographed event, the [Albuquerque] International Balloon Fiesta in October.”

This is not the first time that the leading discount travel site has recognized Albuquerque. The city was also recognized as a Top Value City in 2006, the ranking’s inaugural year.

“We are thrilled to once again be recognized as one of Hotwire’s Top Value Cities,” said Dale Lockett, President/CEO of the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our return to the list is just one indicator of the excellent value our destination provides to visitors and convention attendees. Our tourism partners continually strive to provide access to authentic cultural experiences, accessible outdoor recreation activities and, of course, world-famous hot air ballooning at an affordable price tag. It is great to see those efforts recognized.”

The Hotwire Travel Value Index is based on a statistical model combining both in-house and third-party research. Hotwire evaluates the top 75 U.S. leisure markets, rating them across three individual categories to generate an overall ranking for consumer vacation value. The three evaluated categories include: low prices on air, rental cars and hotels; discounts on air, rental cars and hotels; and affordable entertainment options.

According to the Hotwire Travel Value Index, the top 10 U.S. destinations for value vacations in 2012 include:

Rank/City Overall                     TVI Rating           Rank Last Year           Highest Scoring Category
1. Orlando, FL                         100                           3                             Entertainment
2. Atlanta, GA                           98                            2                             Discounts
3. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX         97                            1                             Discounts
4. Houston, TX                          93                            6                             Discounts
5. Phoenix, AZ                          92                            5                             Entertainment
6. Tampa, FL                             91                           4                              Low Prices
7. Denver, CO                           84                            7                              Entertainment
8. Charlotte, NC                        80                          N/A                            Low Prices
9. Albuquerque, NM                 79                          N/A                            Low Prices
10. Miami, FL                             79                           9                              Entertainment

To learn more about the ranking, please view the official release.