Posted: September 10, 2018

Travel Nevada and partners promote the state abroad and at home

Sales missions, in-market media trips and new advertising creative filled Travel Nevada’s calendar for the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. Below is a look at some recent activities to promote Nevada as a tourism destination, and how to get involved.

Working with Brand USA and the LVCVA

Travel Nevada’s Sales and Industry Partners group sent a representative to join Brand USA on two of its recent missions to promote the United States abroad. The mission to India, a growing market for U.S. travel,¹  took place Sept. 23-28; the delegation met with tour operators, airline representatives and other trade professionals in Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi. An earlier mission to Japan and South Korea happened July 9-12; a Travel Nevada representative attended to make the case for Nevada in those countries. Brand USA is the national organization that markets the United States as a premiere travel destination.

China remains the fastest-growing inbound travel market to the United States,² and a Travel Nevada representative joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on its sales mission through Shanghai, Beijing and Chongqing July 16-20. Travel Nevada also participated in the LVCVA’s sales mission to Latin America Sept. 19-24, meeting with tour operators and travel partners in Costa Rica, Panama and Columbia.

As most of you already know, Travel Nevada has representation in eight international markets, chosen for their high rates of travel into the United States and Nevada. Those are Australia, Canada, China, France, India, Latin America, Germany and the United Kingdom. For more on Travel Nevada’s international markets, visit travelnevada.biz, and click on the “Sales” link for a drop-down menu. Select “International.”

‘Outlaws’ sales fam

Trade representatives from all eight international markets were invited to an in-market familiarization tour, “Outlaws, Cowboys and Aliens,” Sept. 10-15. The southern Nevada itinerary included a visit to the Mob Museum in Las Vegas, dinner with the Beatty Cowboys in Beatty and a drive on the ET Highway through Alamo and Rachel.

Media efforts

A media mission to Australia took place Sept. 17-21; a representative from Travel Nevada’s public relations team met with top editors and writers to promote the state. Around the same time (Sept. 16-19), Travel Nevada and some of its Nevada partners hosted a five-man TV crew from Australia’s “Guru Explorer.” The crew filmed sites along the Great Basin Highway (U.S. 93) before continuing on to film in Utah. Three Nevada storylines will appear in the 25-minute episode, which is slated to broadcast in late 2018 or early 2019.

Travel Nevada and its partners also hosted New York freelance writer Adam Robb in Las Vegas and Reno July 31 to Aug. 6, when he was researching a food and agriculture-related tourism story. German journalist Ralph Bloemer was in-market Aug. 25-30, visiting Carson City and Reno as well as areas around Las Vegas. London-based writer Chris Granet traveled the Great Basin Highway and the Loneliest Road in America in mid-September for Sunday People.

Special thanks to the town of Tonopah, which hosted Nadia Hill, winner of Travel Nevada’s 2018 Discover Your Nevada student essay contest, at an event July 15. Members of the former mining town gave Nadia a key to the city that — appropriately — resembled a large pick-axe.

Nadia, who graduated from Eagle Valley Middle School in May, won a statewide trip with her essay on Tonopah’s Clown Motel. She and her family traveled July 14-19 through Tonopah, Cathedral Gorge State Park, Great Basin National Park and other Nevada locations. Discover Your Nevada is Travel Nevada’s campaign to encourage Nevadans to travel within the state.

New creative

Travel Nevada’s marketing team began work to update its creative assets, changes that our partners and visitors may notice by the end of 2018. The brand remains committed to its “Don’t Fence Me In” spirit, with images of active participation in Nevada’s recreational and urban areas. Rather, the update of creative assets will include refreshing its television and print advertising campaigns as well as the website’s look and feel. Stay tuned!

Interested in helping Travel Nevada host media or travel trade representatives? Email Chris Moran, [email protected]. 

 ¹ ”India: Summary Inbound Travel Market Profile (2016),” Jan. 26, 2018, U.S. Travel Association

²  “China: Summary Inbound Travel Market Profile (2016), Jan. 26, 2018, U.S. Travel Association