Tourism commission expands international outreach efforts

Nevada's going global.

The Nevada Commission on Tourism expanded its international marketing efforts in mid-February to include outreach to France, Brazil, Australia and South Korea. Already, the commission has marketing people on the ground in Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, continental Europe and China.

The four new contracts, at $30,000 each, run through fiscal 2012 and include sales, marketing and public relations services; Web hosting in the country's native language; Nevada-centric pitches to travel writers; and coordination of sales calls and missions with local tour operators.

"It's huge. People are traveling more and more internationally, and with our economy being down, their money goes a lot further, spokeswoman Bethany Drysdale said.

The commission is contracting with representatives who already work with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which contracts with 18 overseas offices to help bring international tourists to the city.

International tourism is seen as a growth area because the average international traveler spends about $1,011 per stay and remains in Las Vegas longer than four days each visit. Compare that with domestic tourists, who average $645 per visit and stay about three days. In 2010, 18 percent of the 37.3 million tourists who came to Las Vegas, or 6.7 million people, were international visitors.

Michael Goldsmith, the authority's vice president of international sales, said marketing efforts vary from country to country based on the potential for travel from each and on airline connectivity. Through its international offices, the travel board is able to promote Las Vegas at major trade shows and travel industry events overseas. The offices also assist with the development and coordination of sales, marketing, public relations and branding programs and initiatives.

As part of their contracts, the overseas offices provide relevant market intelligence and information, generate sales leads, make sales calls to travel buyers and develop relationships with U.S. embassies, consulates, diplomatic missions and commercial service entities.

The authority has international representative organizations in the major markets of Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom, and in the primary markets of South Korea, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Scandinavia and Ireland. It also has representation in the emerging markets of China, Brazil, India and Russia.

The people working overseas to market Las Vegas and Nevada are a combination of travel trade, marketing and public relations companies.

The authority's total budget for its international efforts is about $6.5 million.

"Probably still the biggest issue we face in the U.K. market is the out-of-date perceptions of Las Vegas and that it is all about gambling, said Jonathan Sloan, managing director of Hills Balfour Synergy in the United Kingdom. "While we have been working hard to change these perceptions, U.K. visitors that have never been or visited over 10 years ago quite often have strong views on what Las Vegas is all about, but those views are changing every day."

Sloan said the U.K. market did have an issue with air travel into Las Vegas, but with the launch of daily direct British Airways service in 2009 and twice-weekly Virgin Atlantic service from Manchester in 2011, those issues have eased.

In the U.K., Sloan said his office focuses on selling the lifestyle elements of Las Vegas, including the shows, nightlife and dining options.

"Key sporting events such as the USA Sevens Rugby and boxing are also popular with the U.K. market," Sloan said.

Hills Balfour has represented the convention authority office for more than three years. In Canada, the travel board is represented by Aerial Communications Group.

"Of particular interest to Canadians is the robust food and wine culture -- with so many outstanding restaurants, celebrated chefs and master sommeliers, Canadians are building vacations around where to eat, and culinary events such as Vegas Uncork'd," Aerial Communications Group President Naomi Strasser said.

Where tourists hail from often can determine what might interest them once they land in the state. For example, German tourists are very interested in cowboy poetry and the cowboy way of life, Drysdale said.

In Quebec, Strasser said, "Celine Dion is revered, and her return to Las Vegas is hailed as a triumph."

At the state level, the Nevada Commission on Tourism is planning to unveil a rebranded Nevada marketing campaign in the fall that will run on television, in print and online in targeted domestic markets including Sacramento, Calif.; Phoenix; Los Angeles; and Salt Lake City.

"We've never done this before where we try to encapsulate the whole state in one brand or one idea," Drysdale said.

To complement its marketing campaigns, members of the Nevada Commission on Tourism will travel overseas on sales missions throughout the next few months. Staff members just returned from a trip to Mexico, and in March, a journey is scheduled for Brazil. In April, Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is scheduled to go on a sales mission to China. Through these missions, information is gathered about how to best appeal to potential tourists while networking connections are made.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@review
journal.com or 702-380-4588.