Tourism

Las Vegas has everything, except NCAA Tournament games

The Fresno State mascot performs during their Mountain West Conference tournament game against New Mexico Thursday, March 13, 2014 at the Thomas & Mack Center. New Mexico won 93-77.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/sports/ncaabasketball/las-vegas-has-everything-except-ncaa-tournament-games.html

Water park plans to blow away visitors with new attraction

Riders cool off on the Tornado water slide on a hot sunny day at Darien Lake Theme Park Resort in Darien Center, N.Y., Wednesday, June 8, 2011.

What could make Wet ’N’ Wild better? The water park's boss details upgrades for Year Two that include more parking and shade, heated water and an "exhilarating" new ride called...

Unhappy with extra fees and surcharges? Try these tactics

The South Point hotel and casino is seen Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2014/03/09/fees-surcharges-social-media-campaign-boycott/6233491/

Palms rolling out 24-hour checkout for hotel guests

An exterior view of the Palms Casino Resort, June 6, 2013.

http://www.usatoday.com/experience/las-vegas/vegas-buzz/the-palms-in-vegas-lets-guests-sleep-in/6120681/

Joe Downtown: Historical society crowdsourcing for not-so-famous Las Vegas photos

Long before they were lawyers and judges, Carl J. Christensen and Lloyd
George let their fists make the ruling (1947).

Some of the pictures the society already has are ones you may not have seen before: Elvis checking into the Sahara a day before “Viva Las Vegas” shooting began; Liberace standing by his car talking to a priest; and Lloyd George as a young man in 1947.

McCarran reports solid start to 2014 with increase in January passenger traffic

Southwest Airlines planes sit at McCarran International Airport.

McCarran International Airport kicked off the first month of 2014 with a healthy increase in passenger traffic. Nearly 3.3 million passengers passed through the airport’s gates in January, up 5.3 percent from January 2013, according to figures released this afternoon by the Clark County Department of Aviation.

Space-tourism enterprise opens office in Las Vegas

An artist's rendering provided by World View Enterprises shows a capsule lifted by a high-altitude balloon up 19 miles into the air. The price to spend a couple hours looking down at the curve of the Earth: $75,000.

Jane Poynter is joining the space-tourism race. The part-time Las Vegas resident has opened a small office in downtown Las Vegas in support of World View Experience, a venture that by 2016 would tow tourists to the upper limits of the atmosphere by helium balloon. The Las Vegas office eventually would be expanded into a sales office, but for now, it also doubles as a base from which to explore possible launch sites in Nevada.

Nevada tourism officials see India as next big market

Tourists pose in front of the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign Tuesday, March 6, 2012.

India is the next frontier for attracting international tourists to Nevada, and state tourism leaders this month took their first steps in marketing to the nation of 1.2 billion people.

In the name of decency, House committee votes to bar cellphone conversations on airplanes

In this Oct. 31, 2013, file photo, a passenger checks her cellphone before a flight in Boston.

The bill would not, however, ban other mobile communications activities that do not involve talking, such as texting or surfing the Internet.

Tourism agency not concerned about dip in 2013, optimistic about 2014

Pedestrians cross a driveway north of the MGM Grand on the Strip Friday, Oct. 25, 2013.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority thinks it knows why visitor volume dipped 0.1 percent to 39.7 million people in 2013, and 2014 already is setting up to be the year that the number of tourists breaks the elusive 40 million barrier.

Las Vegas Chamber joining US Travel Association

Tourists are seen at the entrance to Planet Hollywood on the Strip Thursday, April 28, 2011.

The Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce is joining the board of directors of the U.S. Travel Association.

Pay your way out of TSA routine

Take off those shoes, belts and jackets. Get that laptop out of your travel bag. Empty your pockets. And be sure to put your deodorant and toothpaste on public display in a quart-sized plastic bag.

Adelson takes on Disney in Florida casino battle

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-05/disney-battles-casino-operators-over-florida-expansion.html

FAA to allow more air tours at Grand Canyon

An aerial tour of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Air tour operators that use aircraft with quiet technology will be able to fly more people over the Grand Canyon.

X Train derails plan for scheduled service, to offer charter trips instead

Kenny Walker, right, event captain for Masterpiece Cuisine, makes Smore desserts during a tour of X Train Club cars Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014.

Las Vegas Railway Express unveiled a revised plan to bring Southern California visitors to Las Vegas in upscale rail cars, which shifts its model to charter excursions.