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The mission of the Nevada Commission on Tourism is to generate revenue for the state of Nevada by attracting visitors to spend money in the state. Tourism is Nevada’s Number 1 industry and generates billions in revenues from visitor spending.
The Commission on Tourism invests in Nevada’s economy. Every $1 dollar spent on advertising generates a return on investment of $20 in state and local tax revenue. This is in addition to the millions of dollars that flow to the private sector, including hotels, shops, shows, restaurants and other businesses.
The Commission receives 3/8 of 1 percent of the room tax to fund its vital work and investments. It does NOT receive or spend general fund revenue. NCOT’s budget depends wholly on the State’s tourism economy. This is a direct correlation that makes fiscal sense.
The Nevada Commission on Tourism is the only agency that promotes tourism for the entire state, including Las Vegas, Reno/Sparks, Lake Tahoe and all of Nevada’s rural communities. Like weaving threads to create a tapestry, NCOT integrates Nevada’s multitude of attractions to showcase an enticing, compelling destination, with many choices for the visitor.
To weaken or diminish NCOT’s work would reduce the Commission’s ability to invest in generating state and local revenues. It would negatively impact marketing to generate new visitors for Nevada and efforts to retain existing visitors. It would cripple various programs, such as the Rural Tourism Grants Program, that draw visitors to local communities and help sustain tourism-reliant economies.
Example: Colorado eliminated $11.2 million in funding for its state tourism program in 1992-93. As a result, the state lost billions in tourism revenue and suffered a significant decline in tourism market share as measured against competing destination resorts. Since Colorado restored state tourism funding in 2006, visitor expenditures for hotel and other lodging, restaurants, retail, attractions and sightseeing are all higher, some by double-digit percentages. Let’s not make a mistake that we know will be a mistake!
For the past 25 years, with the direction and support of industry professionals and state leaders who serve as Commissioners, NCOT staff has developed unique expertise in understanding Nevada’s communities, their tourism products, and their marketing and promotional needs. Most Nevada communities are rural and do not have the means to independently promote their tourism product on national and international levels. They depend on the Nevada Commission on Tourism to accomplish this essential work.
Currently 300 to 400 million Chinese are financially able to travel overseas (that’s more than the entire population of the United States). In 2008, 47 million Chinese traveled abroad; over 600,000 came to the U.S. Over 90 percent of these Chinese travelers spent part of their U.S. travel in Nevada. We live and do business in a global marketplace. Only a continued focus by NCOT, with its proven structure of governance and professional expertise, will maintain Nevada’s leading presence in marketing to China.
The Commission on Tourism’s statewide network of tourism territory volunteers and partners helps keep goals in sight, projects on track, and ensures the efficient coordination of tourism promotion. NCOT helps all six tourism territories chart a course and achieve tourism promotion goals.
• National and International Advertising and Marketing
• State, National and International Media and Public Relations
• The Rural Tourism Grants Program
• Assistance with tourism brand development at the community level
• Assistance in promoting Native American cultural attractions
• A variety of cooperative marketing programs, including print programs
• Web Site and Internet Marketing, including the development of online brochures
• Partnerships to generate convention business leads and new leisure market visitors
• Nevada’s only statewide Visitors Guide and State Map
• Nevada Magazine
• Coordination and Support for Nevada’s Tourism Territories
• Partnerships with the private sector in support of tourism marketing and promotion
• Tourism research and related programs
• A sophisticated methodology for determining Return on Investment for tourism expenditures
The work of the Nevada Commission on Tourism is wholly supported by room tax revenue. It does NOT receive funding from the State’s General Fund. It makes no sense to dismantle the Commission’s current and proven funding mechanism, Commission and management structure, and staff expertise. It makes no sense to dismantle NCOT’s vital network of public and private partnerships throughout the state. NCOT helps to generate revenue at the state and local level. Tourism marketing and promotion is an investment, not a low priority expenditure of public funds. Based on the experience of others, we know that weakening or diminishing NCOT’s ability to market and promote Nevada will further reduce state and local revenues and cost all of us more money in the long run.
Please act immediately to contact your State Senator, Assembly Member, and the Governor’s office to voice your strong support for the current funding and operational structure of the Nevada Commission on Tourism. Today, more than ever, we must aggressively promote and support Nevada’s tourism industry, both national and globally.
(click here for a .pdf version of this information.)
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