Gregory Koenig - Travel Nevada

Welcome to the 82nd session of the Nevada Legislature!

We are the Division of Tourism (Travel Nevada), and we operate within the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to help achieve the priority of a vibrant and sustainable economy. In addition to managing the state’s tourism efforts, Travel Nevada provides communities and businesses with development resources, training, and grant assistance that help bolster local economic bases and diversify regional economies.

With a presence statewide, Travel Nevada is focused on creating a fulfilling quality of life for all Nevadans. As our research shows, travelers who visit Nevada leave with a deeper understanding of our western heritage, knowledge of the state’s abundant outdoor recreation opportunities, and a renewed appreciation for wide open landscapes. And while those travelers leave with a promise to return, the state benefits with increased tax generation, job creation and retention, infrastructure investment, and more opportunity for residents.

Brenda Scolari

Director, Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs

Print Statewide Information

Total Churchill County Impacts

$80.2M

Spending

1,148

Employment

$36.0M

Income

Direct Churchill County Impacts

$47.0M

Spending

714

Employment

$22.3M

Income

Total Esmeralda County Impacts

$1.7M

Spending

Employment

$0.3M

Income

Direct Esmeralda County Impacts

$0.9M

Spending

Employment

$0.2M

Income

Total Mineral County Impacts

$13.4M

Spending

210

Employment

$4.9M

Income

Direct Mineral County Impacts

$7.8M

Spending

131

Employment

$3.0M

Income

Total Nye County Impacts

$184.3M

Spending

2,607

Employment

$71.6M

Income

Direct Nye County Impacts

$111.7M

Spending

1,673

Employment

$44.9M

Income

Total Lyon County Impacts

$129.9M

Spending

1,938

Employment

$62.6M

Income

Direct Lyon County Impacts

$78.2M

Spending

1,221

Employment

$39.5M

Income

Partner Testimonials

"While small in population, Lincoln County is big in tourism! Our multitude of State parks, outdoor recreation opportunities, historical landmarks, and cultural sites beckon tourists each year. We appreciate that visitors want to see and experience the beauty in our area. Our small businesses and local economy rely on the [...]"

Melissa Clary

Pioche Chamber of Commerce / Friends of Gem Theater

Nevada Silver Trails Territory

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"The Nevada Silver Trails territory provides unlimited opportunities for travelers and tourists to experience small-town charm while fueling rural economies that do not have the benefit or support of hotel tax revenues.

Attracting tourists is crucial to the success of small businesses within our rural communities. We achieve this by promoting not only the cities themselves and highlighting their iconic histories, but also the nearby attractions and activities that accentuate every guest's visit.

From state parks to wildlife refuges, and iconic ghost towns to open desert terrain and ATV trails, our region thrives on experiences that visitors won't find elsewhere.

Legendary tales of our Wild West origins, haunted hotels and schools, proximity to mysterious Area 51, and eclectic outdoor open-air art installations are all part of the territory's unique allure, and our rural communities benefit and depend on the travelers who come through their town.

Tourism is absolutely essential to the economic health of every township within Nevada Silver Trails. "

Marvin Minnick

Chair, Nevada Silver Trails Territory

Nevada Silver Trails Territory

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"Nevada is rich with so many stories and beautiful locations to share with visitors from near and far. Tourism should help showcase a community or location. It should be a grassroots effort that starts within a community where the residents are proud of their cultures, history, beautiful locations, available activities, and events. Visitors are always seeking new and unique experiences. Working together the community can share their unique stories which in turn will help increase the appreciation and stewardship of the area. Enhancing tourism does need to be very thoughtfully planned to help conserve both the authenticity of the place and the natural environment and it is also a way to enhance the quality of life for residents while enhancing economic diversity."

Barbara Keleher

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Nevada Outdoor Recreation Partner

Cowboy Country Territory

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"There are nine National Wildlife Refuges in Nevada that are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration and coordination with numerous state and local partners: Sheldon, Anaho Island, Fallon, Stillwater, Ruby Lake, Ash Meadows, Desert, Moapa Valley, and Pahranagat. National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters serve a purpose distinct from that of other U.S. public lands: Wildlife conservation drives everything on national wildlife refuges, from the purposes for which each refuge was established to the recreational activities offered, to the resource management tools used. The national wildlife refuges in Nevada are special places for wildlife and people. They provide important habitats for hundreds of plant and animal species, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and provide recreation opportunities that include hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, photography, and education, as well as associated activities such as hiking, backpacking, boating, and camping. All these recreational activities support the outdoor recreation-based tourism economy in Nevada, especially in the small rural communities near the refuges. In the fiscal year 2020, recreational spending by 61 million visitors to national wildlife refuges helped generate about $3 billion in economic activity and support 41,000 jobs."

Kevin DesRoberts

US Fish and Wildlife Service—Desert National Wildlife Refuge

Cowboy Country Territory

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Print Statewide Information

Visitor Profile

Visitors to Nevada Silver Trails spend about $608 per overnight visitor, rate their trip to Nevada highly (4.3 on a 5-point scale in 2021) and have a high likelihood of returning to Nevada in the next two years (4.3 on a 5-point scale in 2021).

Tourism Opportunities

Mizpah Hotel

Tonopah Stargazing Park

International Car Forest of the Last Church

Middlegate Station

Walker Lake Recreation Area

The Loneliest Road in America, Highway 50

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

Berlin-Icthyosaur State Park

Lahontan State Recreation Area

Jobs

In 2021, tourism-supported jobs accounted for 19.3% of all jobs in the state.

Spending

Visitors spent $39.4 billion in Nevada in 2021. This supported a total of $23.2 billion in business sales when indirect and induced impacts are considered.

Economic Vitality

The value of all visitor-associated goods and services produced in Nevada in 2021 stood at $27.7 billion, an increase of 26% over the prior year.

Outdoor Recreation

Spending on outdoor recreation reached over $1 billion in 2021. In 2021, Great Basin National Park welcomed over 146,000 visitors, and Nevada State Parks welcomed over 4 million visitors.

Rural Recovery

In 2021, visitor spending in Nevada’s 15 rural counties increased from pre-pandemic levels by about 2.8%. In 2021, room tax collections in Nevada’s 15 rural counties increased from pre-pandemic levels by about 17.7%.

Income

The $17.9 billion in total income generated by tourism is the equivalent of $15,800 for every household in Nevada.

Heads in Beds

Room tax collections set a record in FY21 reaching nearly $26.7 million, eclipsing pre-pandemic levels by 6.3%.

Visitors

Travel & Tourism is a foundational cornerstone of Nevada’s economy. In 2021, more than 43 million travelers visited Nevada.

Tax Generation

Tourism in Nevada generated $10 billion in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021, with over $4.4 billion accruing to state and local governments.

Local Support

The $4.4 billion in state and local taxes generated by tourism in fiscal year 2021 could support the equivalent of 79,100 school teachers.

Visitor Spending

The $39.4 billion in visitor spending in 2021 means that nearly $108 million dollars was spent every day by visitors in Nevada.

Money for General Fund

Travel Nevada is one of the only state entities to generate money for the General Fund each year without drawing any money off of it.

Grant-funded Projects in Your District

Travel Nevada offers opportunities to communities to develop their tourism products via two grant programs. The agency’s Rural Marketing Grants help communities market their destination to visitors to generate overnight stays. Travel Nevada awards $1.4 million per year to rural partners for a variety of marketing projects. The 3D Program is a long-range, tourism-based community planning program that enables Nevada’s rural communities to be intentional about growing their visitor economies. Six projects were recently chosen to go through a strategic planning process and will share $2 million to execute their plans at the completion of the process.

Nevada Grant Funds Graphs

Your district lies in the Nevada Silver Trails Territory. Below is a list of some of the projects that have been funded as part of the grant programs:

The Beatty Chamber of Commerce was granted $7,315 for radio advertising. Beatty will promote itself as a great place for a weekend getaway on three radio stations with listeners within a day’s drive of the small community.
Nevada Silver Trails received a $15,080 grant for a print and online ad campaign that will run through fiscal year 2022 in Desert Companion Magazine. Attractions and landscapes in central Nevada communities will be showcased in this promotion.
The Town of Pahrump was awarded $19,875 to expose Nevada and California markets to the town and outlying areas of the state. The grant includes advertising in target publications as well as digitally at sporting events in the Los Angeles and Las Vegas markets.
A $55,267 award was granted to the Lincoln Communities Action Team, INC. (LCAT) to promote and market tourism in all parts of the county; refresh and rebrand LCAT as well as their visitor guide; boost social media efforts; and expand their presence.
A combined award of $19,750 was granted to the Town of Pioche for outdoor billboards, digital marketing, and social media exposure.
Mineral County received $10,000 to promote the outdoor recreation opportunities in the area on television in the Reno market.
A $15,608 award was granted to the Nevada Indian Territory to strengthen cultural awareness and identity; implement a sustainable marketing plan; create economic development opportunities that are inclusive of 28 Nevada Tribes; and to sponsor numerous Nevada powwows and cultural events.
Upcoming 3D Projects in your District

Lincoln County/Nevada Silver Trails Territory – Lincoln County Authority of Tourism: This group plans to leverage tourism to contribute to economic sustainability by developing an ongoing management plan. By increasing community support, they seek to capitalize on existing assets and enhance and expand tourism services, amenities, and wayfinding.

Nevada’s Indian Territory (Statewide) – As part of this plan, Nevada’s Indian Territory will develop statewide eco-cultural tourism assets that focus on environmental stewardship and cultural aspects of the Great Basin Indigenous People. In addition, the group will work to establish itineraries and tours representative of Great Basin Tribes.