LAS VEGAS
A multi-pronged strategy for the next three years to boost travel to the “Entertainment Capital of the World”--which includes a renewed focus on group and business travel--has been announced by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The city’s new, aggressive plan targets international travelers too.
Most noteworthy on the meeting and convention front, the LVCVA said in a written statement it has “committed $5 million in aesthetic and functional enhancements to the Las Vegas Convention Center.” The renovations are part of a larger plan to make improvements to the convention center district. LVCVA officials also plan to call upon powerful friends in the industry to “influence travel policy,” according to the statement, and boost air lift by hosting some international travel industry conferences.
To drive visitors from overseas, the bureau will conduct “comprehensive travel research” in major foreign markets [many of which bring in business travelers and conventions], including Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Additionally, the LVCA made a commitment to double sales, public relations, and marketing efforts overseas, focusing particularly on Brazil and China.
Bureau officials say the new efforts stem from Vegas’ successful turn-around following the recession, allowing it to shift gears from emergency, plug-up-holes mode. "The economic conditions over the past three years required a flexible marketing strategy that could be adjusted as frequently as week-to-week, but with the recovery having taken hold, we can now return to long-term strategy development,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, LVCVA president and CEO. “The overall strength of the Las Vegas tourism industry provides the opportunity to develop new markets and invest in our facilities.”
