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Nevada Governor's Conference to Spotlight Tourism Trends, Economic Impacts, Adventure

Press Release: Nevada Commission on Tourism
December 9, 2002
RENO, NV -- The 19th Annual Governor's Conference on Tourism, opening today, will spotlight tourism trends including the economic impact of Indian gaming, Nevada's adventure campaign, and the travel industry's rebound from 9-11, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt said Friday.

The conference, produced by the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT), will be at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and the Atlantis Casino Resort Dec. 9-11.

"Nevada's premiere tourism conference gives delegates an update on trends that affect our state's No. 1 industry, such as the economic impacts of gaming across the United States, the rise of Indian-owned casinos, and the new emphasis on adventure travel," Hunt, NCOT chair, said.

Gov. Kenny Guinn and the lieutenant governor will open the conference, and keynote speaker William Norman, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association of America, will address delegates on tourism's road to recovery since the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on America.

Frank Fahrenkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association of Washington, D.C., will describe gaming industry developments and William Eadington, a University of Nevada Reno economist and director of the Institute for the Study of Gaming, will present the economic picture and lead a discussion of Indian gaming impacts.

This year's conference theme, "Putting the Adventure Back in Tourism," is in sync with NCOT's promotional and advertising campaign begun this year that showcases adventure attractions. Adventure speakers include Olympic snowboarder Lisa Odynski, a member of the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team women's giant slalom, and extreme skier Glen Plake.

During the conference, NCOT will award a Winnebago Brave to the winner of the 2002 RV Adventure Sweepstakes and present Governor's Tourism Development Awards recognizing 160 tourism-oriented businesses for creating new or expanded facilities.

International conference speakers will explore tourism markets in Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific and U.S. speakers will examine ways to build brands, bridge the generational mix, manage customer relationships and market with simplicity.

For agenda details, visit www.travelnevada.com and click on the conference icon, or call 1-800-237-0774.

Source: Nevada Commission on Tourism