'Breaking Bad' Boosts Tourism In Albuquerque

'Breaking Bad' Boosts Albuquerque Tourism
In this publicity photo released by AMC, from left, Larry Hankin as Old Joe, Bryan Cranston as Walter White, and Jonathan Banks as Mike, are shown in "Breaking Bad." Cranston was nominated for an Enny award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as Walter White. The 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be presented Sept. 23 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and airing live on ABC. (AP Photo/AMC, Ursula Coyote)
In this publicity photo released by AMC, from left, Larry Hankin as Old Joe, Bryan Cranston as Walter White, and Jonathan Banks as Mike, are shown in "Breaking Bad." Cranston was nominated for an Enny award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as Walter White. The 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be presented Sept. 23 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and airing live on ABC. (AP Photo/AMC, Ursula Coyote)

Go figure.

AMC's meth-lab saga Breaking Bad- an Albuquerque-based series the Washington Post's Hank Stuever says "comes from such a dark hole of the American cultural psyche that you sometimes have to wonder how it ever made it on TV" - is now fodder for the city's tourism bureau.

"When Breaking Bad began airing five seasons ago, we were less than thrilled by the subject matter, which is based on a fictional character and story," says Dale Lockett, head of the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau.

But given its popularity, "people are traveling to our city to see the locations featured in the show and then spending time at our attractions, restaurants and hotels," he adds. "This unexpected new visitor market is definitely a pleasant surprise, and we will soon be marketing it more aggressively" - including a self-guided tour that links Breaking Bad filming locations (an Octopus Car Wash, among them) with nearby museums and other, more conventional draws

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