The “international” part of McCarran International Airport has received a lot of attention lately. Now, a website offering analysis of airline routes and airport traffic has determined that McCarran had the biggest increase in new international routes in 2011 of any U.S. airport.
What a week it was for tourism news: An estimated 44,000 people raced down the iconic Las Vegas Strip, online poker suffered a blow and the National Transportation Safety Board looked at a recent helicopter crash.
The state has a comprehensive study by the Brookings Institute to guide the preparation of an economic development plan, a full-time executive director and an Economic Development Board that officially has met a half-dozen times.
While U.S. tourism attractions are clamoring for efforts to reduce the wait time for processing visa applications for foreign visitors, a Commerce Department official said today the State Department already has made gains to accommodate record demand.
The fastest growing commercial air carrier at McCarran International Airport in 2011 will have a head start toward keeping that status next year with the announcement of two new flights beginning in February.
The “international” part of McCarran International Airport has received a lot of attention lately. Now, a group has determined that McCarran had the biggest increase in new international routes in 2011 of any U.S. airport.
McCarran International Airport posted its best monthly passenger counts of the year in October and is on a pace to break the 40 million passenger barrier in 2011, said a report released today.
Tourism is a complex machine and its numerous cogs — federal policymakers, state government leaders, convention and visitors bureaus, industry strategists and the airport — came together Wednesday to map out how they can team to lead Nevada out of its economic doldrums.
Bet you didn’t know that the volcano in front of the Mirage will become known as the world’s largest cowboy campfire for the next week and a half, or that Mandalay Bay is being transformed into “Cowboyville.” It’s all the result of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo coming to town.
Brand rollout is due May 28, concepts to be tested in mid-December
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011
With the Nevada Commission on Tourism six months away from unveiling the state’s new tourism branding message, commissioners agreed Tuesday to double their meeting schedule next year to offer more frequent feedback to their new director on the project.
Gov. Brian Sandoval told tourism leaders that they’ll be working arm in arm with economic development experts to rebuild Nevada’s economy as he opened the 26th Governor’s Conference on Tourism at the Rio on Tuesday. The 1 1/2-day conference brings tourism leaders from across the state together to discuss strategies to attract visitors.
Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today to reorganize its finances, but the air carrier — currently the fifth busiest operator at McCarran International Airport — says there won’t be any service disruptions and business will continue as usual.
Champion's Week a treat for fans, boon for sponsors
Monday, Nov. 28, 2011
NASCAR will crown its 2011 Sprint Cup champion and do one of the things that the popular motor sports series does best — get up close and personal with its fans.
It’s been nearly four years since the Governor’s Conference on Tourism made an appearance in Las Vegas. Not coincidentally, that’s roughly the same time frame as the span of the Great Recession and former Gov. Jim Gibbons’ term of office.
At a recent meeting discussing plans for DesertXpress' high-speed rail to Victorville, I found myself wondering why a room full of experts didn't question some of the flaws of the proposed system.
It was one of those comic-relief moments of the monthly Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority meeting. Brenda Siddall, the LVCVA’s vice president of finance, faced the board and its chairman, former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, to talk about tax collections, financial forecasts and how tourism marketing was faring during the stormy days of the recession.
Should a casino company have to pay the state’s live entertainment tax if a piano player, guitarist or small band is playing ambient background music for diners?
Free wireless Internet access will be available in public areas of the Las Vegas Convention Center beginning next year, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and its telecommunications contractor said today.
A third federal government agency has given a stamp of approval for a high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif. The Bureau of Land Management on Thursday issued a record of decision for the DesertXpress Enterprises LLC passenger rail line.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is ready to have fun again. In announcing a three-year, multitiered destination innovation and leadership plan to the LVCVA board of directors, President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter announced the city would play host to a birthday party for one of the most storied boxing champions in history, Muhammad Ali.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air kicked off its new service to Mesa, Ariz., today with a surprise — in two months, it will double the number of flights it has to that airport.
Southwest Airlines will be the subject of a new reality television series giving a behind-the-scenes look at the discount air carrier’s employees and customers.
Volatility of baccarat market could hurt any gains
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011
Analysts at CB Richard Ellis project Strip revenue to increase by up to 5.7 percent next year, but the volatility of the baccarat market could offset any gains.
Spirit Airlines, McCarran International Airport’s fastest growing domestic air carrier in 2011, will open a Las Vegas crew base and a maintenance base early next year.
Station Casinos LLC, the controlling company for the Las Vegas-based locals casino giant, narrowed its losses in the third quarter that ended Sept. 30 according to documents filed today with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is ready to call the Great Recession history and initiate a multiyear, multilayered plan to spur growth in the city’s $36 billion tourism economy. LVCVA President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter said he would present details of his destination innovation and leadership plan on Thursday.
State Gaming Control Board gearing up to start investigations that month
Monday, Nov. 14, 2011
The state Gaming Control Board in February will begin taking applications to license companies to operate Internet poker sites, according to a state gaming regulator.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s compensation committee may not have done LVCVA President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter any favors by recommending that he be given a 4 percent raise and a 12.5 percent bonus for the work he’s done this past year.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air is acquiring up to 13 twin-engine MD-80 jets and 12 spare engines, giving the company the flexibility to expand its fleet or cut maintenance costs.
A prominent gaming attorney said he doesn’t expect an online poker bill to be passed anytime soon, even though the demand is present, states are clamoring for tax revenue and sufficient technological safeguards would be in place to prevent underage players from gambling.
A flurry of code-share agreements negotiated by WestJet, McCarran International Airport’s busiest international air carrier, could lead to more overseas visitation from all over the world through Canada.
Southern Nevada tourism continued its steady climb as the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority today announced a 5.5 percent increase in visitation in September over last year.
International Game Technology, the world’s largest slot machine manufacturer, more than doubled earnings and boosted revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter thanks to strong North American machine sales.
Taxicab loadings last month at McCarran International Airport hit the highest level in the airport's 63-year history, and the current pace would result in a record annual total. Airport officials said today that 322,322 taxis were loaded at McCarran's two terminals in October.
Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment joined the club of gaming companies boosted by improved Southern Nevada results, despite an overall third-quarter revenue decline primarily caused by Hurricane Irene.
Southwest should be ashamed at how it has priced its flights between Las Vegas and Reno. Today, the base price for a one-way ticket from Las Vegas to Reno is $91. Make it a round trip and throw in the taxes and the ticket price is $203.
Seeking to change travel trends of fewer foreigners visiting the United States, a public-private partnership launched Brand USA today, the nation’s first tourism marketing campaign.
High-speed rail has become the new “bridge to nowhere” in the eyes of taxpayers and it’s up to elected officials at the local level to explain to the public that big capital investments are critical for long-term prosperity nationally and locally, panelists at a rail conference concluded Friday. A panel of experts on the subject said opponents of a national high-speed rail network are making many of the same arguments that were made in opposition to the interstate highway system in the 1950s.
Gov. Brian Sandoval today said he will bring back the 11-member Gaming Policy Committee to advise regulators, legislators and him on how Nevada can maintain its edge as the leader of gaming regulatory policy at a time when technology is expanding industry boundaries.
A representative of DesertXpress Enterprises, the company planning to build a 185-mile high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif., today said as the company negotiates supply and construction deals, one of the considerations would be attracting contractors willing to manufacture materials in Nevada or Southern California.