Tourism

Southwest Airlines CEO talks about fares, fees and new routes

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly speaks during his "Message to the Field" presentation on Feb. 7, 2013 at Planet Hollywood.

Southwest Airlines is, by far, the busiest commercial air carrier at McCarran International Airport. And, McCarran is Southwest’s second-largest station of the 98 airports it serves. With more than 2,700 Southwest employees in Las Vegas, the company is a major economic force in Southern Nevada, and the airline views the city as a key corporate partner.

18 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Unions hot under the collar

When Punxsutawney Phil peered out of his burrow in Gobbler’s Knob, Pa., this month, he projected an early spring but didn’t say anything about how hot it was going to get this summer. It has taken a few remarks and actions from Southern Nevada’s labor unions for local prognosticators to forecast how much heat we’re going to get.

18 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Miss America pageant moving from Las Vegas back to New Jersey

2013 Miss America Mallory Hytes Hagan, 23, of New York during a news conference after winning the 2013 Miss America Pageant in PH Live at Planet Hollywood on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013.

There she is, Miss America, headed back to Atlantic City. The Miss America pageant was an Atlantic City staple for decades before it was moved to Las Vegas in 2006.

13 February 2013
Associated Press

Troubling airline developments

Two big national aviation stories could affect Las Vegas tourism in the months and years ahead. One is a potential merger between American Airlines and US Airways. The other is the grounding of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

11 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Las Vegas sets record with 39.7 million visitors in 2012

A group of tourists use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun while walking down the Strip,Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012.

Las Vegas closed the book on 2012 visitor volume with moderate growth in occupancy and average daily room rates, on top of a record 39.7 million people who came to the city for vacations and conventions.

8 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Las Vegas deemed sexiest city in America, just in time for a Valentine's Day tourism bump

Randy Anderson and Jenni Lafollette of Minneapolis, Minn. look at a photo on their digital camera after getting married Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. Las Vegas wedding chapels were busy all day as many couples wanted to get married on the date of 12-12-12.

Las Vegas, for the sixth year in a row, will be the most popular Valentine's Day destination in America. The city also scored an added bonus this year. It was named the nation's sexiest city by customers of the travel website Orbitz.com.

8 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

LVH joins forces with Red Lion to boost hotel occupancy

An exterior view of LVH, or Las Vegas Hotel, formerly the Las Vegas Hilton, on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012.

The LVH hopes that teaming with a hotel chain will help fill its rooms. The Las Vegas Hotel, which has struggled since losing its Hilton name in 2011, signed a licensing agreement this week with Red Lion Hotels Corp. It will give the LVH access to the Red Lion reservations database and to the chain's customer loyalty program reaching 48 hotels in nine states and Canada.

4 February 2013
By Ron Sylvester

Southwest adding nonstop service between Las Vegas and Flint, Mich.

Southwest Airlines’ conversion of its AirTran subsidiary to the Southwest brand will lead to a new nonstop route for Las Vegas.

4 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Las Vegas voted one of the world's most stunning airport arrival cities

Las Vegas Strip casinos are viewed from the window of a Southwest Airlines passenger jet as it takes off from McCarran International Airport on Dec. 9, 2011.

What happens when a bunch of aviation geeks get together to talk about the best airport approaches in the world? A lively discussion about which destinations are the most fun to fly into — and likely an argument or two about why some are better than others. McCarran International Airport recently landed on a list of the top 10 most stunning airport approaches in the world, compiled by British private jet charter booking service PrivateFly.com.

4 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Big developments in tourism

January ended with a flourish of big announcements, all of which bode well for Southern Nevada’s tourism industry.

4 February 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Taxi company shuts down talks, strike possible

A taxi cab drives down the Strip Thursday, April 28, 2011.

Representatives of the Yellow-Checker-Star taxi group won’t return to contract negotiations, saying a contract rejected by 70 percent of the drivers’ union membership on Monday is their best and final offer.

31 January 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

McCarran passenger counts flat in December but up in 2012

In this photo provided by the Las Vegas News Bureau, Officials welcomed British Airwaysi first flight from Londonis Gatwick Airport with the traditional water cannon salute at McCarran International Airport on October 29, 2012.

Passenger counts at McCarran International Airport were flat in December, but the city’s airport – the seventh busiest in the country – closed 2012 with a 0.4 percent increase over the previous year with 41.7 million passengers.

29 January 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Taxicab Authority approves extra cabs for Super Bowl weekend

The Nevada Taxicab Authority had in its monthly meeting in Las Vegas today.

29 January 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Make UNLV Now happen

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s mission is to put heads in beds. It therefore should become an industry advocate for the proposed $800 million, 60,000-seat UNLV Now stadium — and direct room-tax money toward it.

28 January 2013
By Richard N. Velotta

Fun with science and history

Museums and tourists typically go hand in hand, but here in Las Vegas, the Natural History Museum is busier with locals than out-of-town visitors.

28 January 2013
By Bruce Spotleson
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