Nevada Division of Tourism

Nevada Division of Tourism

The Division of Tourism operates within the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to help achieve the Governor’s strategic priority of a vibrant and sustainable economy.

In addition to managing state tourism efforts, the Division provides communities and businesses with development resources, training, and grant assistance that help bolster local economic bases and diversify regional economies.

Who We Are

The Division of Tourism operates within the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to help achieve the Governor’s strategic priority of a vibrant and sustainable economy. In addition to managing state tourism efforts, the Division provides communities and businesses with development resources, training, and grant assistance that help bolster local economic bases and diversify regional economies.

Mission

Effectively promote statewide tourism to enhance the economic vitality of Nevada.

Vision

A vibrant quality of life for all Nevadans.

The Division will accomplish the Mission and Vision through the development and execution of two major program components:

Promotion

  • Advocate for the tourism industry through stakeholder engagement initiatives.
  • Develop and execute a results-driven integrated marketing and PR program that compels consumer purchase decisions through effective use of key marketing channels, media relations, and public perception.
  • Increase international and domestic visitation and room tax collection by attending the leading travel trade shows, working with travel agencies, tour operators, online tour operators, and receptive agents.

Education

Our approach is twofold:

  • Create professional development opportunities for members of the Nevada tourism industry that raise the level of expertise across all industry sectors.
  • Educate potential visitors through a robust integrated marketing program, including Nevada Magazine, to convey the experiences available throughout the state.

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Tourism Territories

The Nevada Commission on Tourism was created in 1983 at the proposal of Governor Richard H. Bryan with the intent of diversifying the state’s gaming-based economy.

The general goal was to create a more stable economic base in local communities in terms of economic development and to position Nevada as a business and leisure destination. As such, rural counties were divided into territories with the purpose of tourism promotion.

Five a designated geographically by location and one – Indian Territory – is cultural. In each territory, representatives from private and public sector tourism businesses and agencies have formed a nonprofit territorial committee that oversees promotional efforts in the region.

The chairperson of each committee serves on the Territory Advisory Committee, which reviews the recommendations by the Nevada Division of Tourism staff for grants.

Nevada’s Tourism Territories Map Cowboy Country Indian Territory Reno-Tahoe Pony Express Territory Nevada Silver Trails Las Vegas

Reno-Tahoe Territory

Communities benefiting from tourism in Reno-Tahoe include Carson City, Carson Valley (Gardnerville, Genoa, Minden), North Lake Tahoe (including Incline Village and Crystal Bay), South Lake Tahoe (Stateline), Reno, Sparks, Topaz Lake, and Virginia City.

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Cowboy Country

Communities benefiting from tourism in Cowboy Country includes Battle Mountain, Carlin, Denio, Elko, Gerlach, Jarbidge, Jackpot, Lamoille, Lovelock, McDermitt, Owyhee, Unionville, Wells, West Wendover, and Winnemucca.

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Pony Express Territory

Communities benefiting from tourism in Pony Express Territory include Austin, Baker, Dayton, Ely, Eureka, Fallon, Fernley, McGill and Silver Springs.

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Nevada Silver Trails

Communities benefiting from tourism in Nevada Silver Trails include Alamo, Amargosa Valley, Ash Springs, Beatty, Belmont, Caliente, Gabbs, Goldfield, Hawthorne, Pahrump, Pioche, Rachel, Rhyolite, Round Mountain, Tonopah, and Yerington.

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Las Vegas Territory

Las Vegas Territory includes Blue Diamond, Boulder City, Cal Nev Ari, Henderson, Indian Springs, Jean/Goodsprings/Primm, Las Vegas, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Overton and the Moapa Valley, and Searchlight.

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Indian Territory

The entire state of Nevada is known as Indian Territory and no wonder. Nevada’s Indian Territory is rich and robust in Western heritage representing 32 active American Indian communities throughout the state. Home to four major American Indian tribes – the Washoe, Northern Paiute, Southern Paiute and Western Shoshone – who all fee a deep connection to the environment and all its gifts, Nevada’s tribes sustained their ethnic identity longer than in other areas because it took longer for Euro-Americans to settle there.

Legislative Authority

The Nevada Division of Tourism (known publicly as Travel Nevada), an agency within the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, is the chief consumer marketing agency for the State of Nevada.

Through a dynamic sales and marketing program, the Division promotes the state to potential leisure and business travelers in the U.S. and throughout the world.

The Division of Tourism is given its authority to function as a state agency through NRS 231.160 requiring the agency to:

  1. Promote this State so as to increase the number of domestic and international tourists.
  2. Promote special events and exhibitions which are designed to increase tourism.
  3. Develop a State Plan to Promote Travel and Tourism in Nevada.
  4. Develop a comprehensive program of marketing and advertising, for both domestic and international markets, which publicizes travel and tourism in Nevada in order to attract more visitors to this State or lengthen their stay.
  5. Provide and administer grants of money or matching grants to political subdivisions of the State, to fair and recreation boards, and to local or regional organizations which promote travel and tourism, to assist them in:
    • (a) Developing local programs for marketing and advertising which are consistent with the State
      Plan.
    • (b) Promoting specific events and attractions in their communities.
    • (c) Evaluating the effectiveness of the local programs and events.

    Each recipient must provide an amount of money, at least equal to the grant, for the same purpose, except, in a county whose population is less than 55,000, the Division of Tourism may, if convinced that the recipient is financially unable to do so, provide a grant with less than equal matching money provided by the recipient.

  6. Coordinate and assist the programs of travel and tourism of counties, cities, local and regional organizations for travel and tourism, fair and recreation boards and transportation authorities in the State. Local governmental agencies which promote travel and tourism shall coordinate their promotional programs with those of the Division of Tourism.
  7. Encourage cooperation between public agencies and private persons who have an interest in promoting travel and tourism in Nevada.
  8. Compile or obtain by contract, keep current and disseminate statistics and other marketing information on travel and tourism in Nevada.
  9. Prepare and publish brochures, travel guides, directories and other materials which promote travel and tourism in Nevada.
  10. Publish or cause to be published a magazine to be known as the Nevada Magazine. The Nevada Magazine must contain materials which educate the general public about this State and thereby foster awareness and appreciation of Nevada’s heritage, culture, historical monuments, natural wonders and natural resources.

Ensuring these mandates are met and exceeded, the Division of Tourism operates as a dynamic, results-driven marketing organization, developing and executing sales and marketing programs that promote the state to both domestic and international visitors.

Funding

The tourism promotion fund, through which Travel Nevada is funded, is mandated, per NRS 231.250:

The Fund for the Promotion of Tourism is hereby created as a special revenue Fund. The money in the Fund is hereby appropriated for the support of the Department. Travel Nevada is funded solely through revenues derived from lodging taxes and conference registrations. Travel Nevada receives 3/8 of one percent (1%) of the lodging taxes collected throughout the state.

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