Heidi Seevers Gansert - Travel Nevada

Welcome to the 83rd 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. We also produce Nevada Magazine & Visitor Guide, a publication that provides travel inspiration through its articles and photography.

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.

Rafael Villanueva

CEO, Travel Nevada

Print Statewide Information

Total Washoe County Impacts

$5.2B

Spending

43,463

Employment

$1.9B

Income

Direct Washoe County Impacts

$3.3B

Spending

27,776

Employment

$1.2B

Income

Partner Testimonials

"Tourism enhances the quality of life for Reno Tahoe residents, providing jobs, opportunities for new businesses and attractions, and generating important tax dollars for general improvements and infrastructure. Destination management practices, powered by tourism, build stronger communities through public and private partnerships that benefit visitors and residents."

Charles Harris

President/CEO, Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA)

Reno Tahoe Territory

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"Tourism accounts for an estimated 62% of the Lake Tahoe Basin’s economic output, up from about 40% in 2010. With Nevada's abundant outdoor recreation opportunities--more in demand than ever--combined with our gaming and entertainment, the stunning and diverse geography, and rich history and culture, our State is poised to dominate [...]"

Carol Chaplin

President/CEO, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority & Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority

Reno Tahoe Territory

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"Investments made in the Nevada travel and tourism industry greatly improve the quality of life for Carson City residents. At Visit Carson City, we proudly position our community as a desirable destination for leisure and group travelers. By showcasing our local businesses and area attractions to travelers, visitors invested their dollars ($210M in 2021) in our community by engaging in activities, eating at local restaurants and staying overnight in area accommodations. In 2021, the visitors we brought into Carson City helped employ 3,600 residents at a variety of businesses and in support of numerous industries. In that same year, visitors helped generate $32.8M in total state and local taxes – enough tax revenue to cover the starting salaries of 583 teachers in the Silver State."

David Peterson

Executive Director, Visit Carson City

Reno Tahoe Territory

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"As a 37-year resident of NV, all spent in travel industry leadership, I’d respectfully offer a few thoughts. 32% of the workforce in Douglas County is employed by tourism/hospitality. Our county has two destination marketing organizations (Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, and ours, Carson Valley Visitors Authority). Well over 300 diverse small businesses rely on and support tourism as listed in our travel resources. These communities are heavily vested into the future of tourism, most notably with the new Tahoe Events Center, but well beyond that important step."

Jan Vandermade

Executive Director, Carson Valley Visitors Authority

Reno Tahoe Territory

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"Tourism is the key that unlocks the success of the Nevada State Railroad Museum. During FY2023, approximately 73 percent of the museum’s visitors came from outside Nevada. In the past summer, The Great Western Steam Up brought over 8000 visitors to the museum. This was Carson City’s biggest ticketed event in history. Tourists came from throughout the United States, as well as from every continent, to visit the museum. The collection is the finest in the world, and the museum is well-known for its preservation and interpretation efforts."

Daniel P. Thielen

Museum Director, Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City

Reno Tahoe 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 the Reno-Tahoe Territory spend about $524 per overnight visitor, rate their trip to Nevada highly (4.2 on a 5-point scale in 2023) and have a high likelihood of returning to Nevada in the next two years (4.2 on a 5-point scale in 2023).

Tourism Opportunities

Peppermill Reno

Lakeridge Golf Course

Somersett Golf & Country Club

Truckee River

Rancho San Rafael Regional Park

Miners Trail to The "N"

Jobs

In 2023, jobs sustained by visitor activity amounted to about one in every five jobs in the state.

Spending

Visitors in 2023 contributed a total of $83.7 billion in economic impact in 2023 including secondary impacts. This is an increase of 11.2% from the prior year.

Economic Vitality

The value of all visitor-associated goods and services produced in Nevada in 2023 reached nearly $37 billion, which equates to about 15.5% of Nevada’s economy.

Outdoor Recreation

Spending on outdoor recreation reached over $1.7 billion in 2023. Great Basin National Park welcomed over 146,000 visitors, and Nevada State Parks welcomed over 4.3 million visitors.

Household Impact

Each household in Nevada would need to be taxed an additional $5,161 to replace the visitor-generated taxes received by Nevada state and local governments in FY 2023.

Income

The $23.6 billion in total income generated by tourism is the equivalent of $20,316 for every household in Nevada.

Heads in Beds

Room tax collections set a record in 2023 reaching over $32 million.

Visitors

Travel & Tourism is a foundational cornerstone of Nevada’s economy. In 2023, over 52 million travelers visited Nevada.

Tax Generation

Tourism in Nevada generated $12.5 billion in tax revenue in fiscal year 2023, and $6 billion accruing to state and local governments.

Local Support

The $6 billion in state and local taxes generated by tourism in fiscal year 2023 could support the equivalent of 102,750 school teachers.

Visitor Spending

The $55.2 billion in visitor spending in 2023 means that more than $151 million 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 $1.5 million per year to rural partners for a variety of marketing projects.
The 3D (Destination Development Design) Program is a long-range, tourism-based community planning program that enables Nevada’s rural communities to be intentional about growing their visitor economies. Now in its third round, each awarded destination project goes through a strategic planning process and will share $1 million to execute their plans at the completion of the process.

Your district lies in the Reno-Tahoe Territory. Below is a list of some of the projects that have been funded as part of the grant programs:

Your district lies in the Reno-Tahoe Territory. Below is a list of some of the projects that have been funded as part of the grant programs:

A $163,500 award was granted to the Reno-Tahoe Territory (RTT) to fulfill the territory’s ongoing efforts included in their strategic plan that includes public relations, sales, and data platform subscription components.
A $58,655 award was granted to the Carson Valley Visitors Authority to develop a marketing plan that includes investment in an influencer program for the development of fresh content.
A $50,500 award was granted to the Virginia City Tourism Commission to develop a marketing plan that will promote and educate the public on the town’s architectural diversity, artistic nature, and cultural influence, ultimately supporting the historic preservation of the town.
A $43,607 award was granted to Visit Carson City to develop cooperative opportunities, attend travel trade events to promote Carson City, and grow their media and marketing assets to showcase their destination.
A $13,375 award was granted to the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway for a website redesign. The process will include collaboration with nearby communities to expand the website’s content and attract new visitors.
A $5,000 award was granted to the City of Carson City to fund the promotion of the Carson City Murals and Music Festival. This event fosters community engagement and boosts tourism and partnerships, stimulating economic growth and cultural exchange as the city showcases vibrant murals and live music.
A $2,500 award was granted to the Brewery Arts Center to develop a marketing plan for the annual Mark Twain Days festival in Carson City. Strategically placed digital ads that celebrate the literary arts will reach potential visitors, leading to a boost in attendance at the event.
Statewide

A $61,600 award was granted to Nevada’s Indian Territory to strengthen cultural awareness and identity through an eco-cultural tourism project, while being environmentally responsible and inclusive of the Great Basin Indigenous People and providing economic development opportunities.
A $20,000 award was granted to the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (RSIC) to implement a marketing plan to increase tourism within Washoe County and bring recognition of the culturally enriched history of the Washoe, Paiute, and Shoshone Tribal Nations that celebrate and support history, arts, culture, and traditions, reaching larger populations to attend events hosted by RSIC.
A $4,272 award was granted to The Buckaroo Traditions Gathering event in Winnemucca to promote the celebration of Nevada’s Buckaroo heritage. This event will partner with the Moving Forward Powwow event in Fallon to honor Native American culture. They will boost tourism and attract visitors by showcasing their diverse traditions in different regions, fostering economic growth and community cohesion statewide.
Upcoming 3D Projects in your District

Carson City/Reno Tahoe Territory – The tourism authorities of Carson City, Carson Valley, and Virginia City were awarded $631,350 to establish a Cultural Corridor connecting the region’s arts and culture assets while leveraging existing history and heritage to build a reputation as a must-see attraction for arts and heritage travelers. This will improve visibility for arts and culture attractions and create opportunities to improve economic opportunities for artisans, improve quality of life for residents, and connect local artisans with visitors.