Travel Nevada to Distribute $1.5 Million to Nevada’s Tourism Territories
CARSON CITY, NV – The Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) on Thursday, June 15, 2023, approved $1.5 million in marketing grants to rural communities aiming to better position themselves as tourism destinations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. Travel Nevada will distribute 36 grants across 36 organizations to support a variety of marketing projects that will result in overnight stays, generating room tax revenue for the state.
“The tourism industry has evolved. Nevada’s rural destinations continue to be more desirable for a more authentic traveler experience. As the Chair of the Nevada Commission on Tourism I am thrilled to support these efforts to develop Nevada’s rural communities,” said Lieutenant Governor, Stavros Anthony.
Some of the funded projects include:
- A $120,000 award was granted to the Cowboy Country (CC) to support ongoing marketing efforts to promote CC both domestically and internationally; fund the digital awareness and conversion campaign that aims to improve ROI by 500%; and increase CC presence through membership participation in familiarization (FAM) tours, sales missions, and travel and tradeshows.
- The Las Vegas Territory (LVT) was awarded a $167,800 award to support marketing efforts that promote rural tourism in Southern Nevada and connect travelers with tour operators. LVT will host a sales mission and FAM with vetted travel providers, expand their industry portal, upgrade their website and collateral, and amplify their social media presence.
- A $102,875 award was granted to the Nevada Indian Territory (NIT) to strengthen cultural awareness and identity through eco-cultural tourism, while being environmentally responsible and inclusive of the Great Basin Indigenous People. The eco-cultural tourism grant will also provide economic development opportunities through tourism for all 28 Nevada Tribes.
- Nevada Silver Trails (NST) was awarded a $125,490 grant to support their marketing efforts, including maintaining and updating their website; continuing communication efforts to partners through digital platforms; developing social media campaigns for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and placing digital ads; and developing radio advertisements. The award will also be used for NST participation at domestic and international trade shows, and to fund administration to ensure the entire territory is promoted to potential visitors.
- A $155,000 award was granted to the Pony Express Territory (PET) to support marketing efforts that promote travel along Highway 50, “The Loneliest Road in America” by targeting potential visitors from Reno, Carson City, and Minden, along with the foothills of the Sierra. Marketing efforts will include both print and digital advertisement, radio broadcasts, and increased web presence via the PET website and social media platforms. Funds will also be used to host a FAM tour in partnership with the LVT for the Go West Summit in Lake Tahoe.
- The Reno-Tahoe Territory (RTT) was awarded a $168,000 grant that aims to support marketing efforts for public relations (PR), sales, and a data-informed analytic platforms subscription to increase destination awareness and understanding of its visitors to and within the territory. The PR plan will leverage the recent momentum achieved by boosting overall destination awareness of the RTT, securing both regional and national stories with impactful media, and elevating solid collaborations with the RTTs destination management organization (DMO) partners and Travel Nevada.
Marketing grant applications were reviewed by staff and members of the Territory Advisory Committee (TAC) on Friday, June 2, 2023, before being submitted for final approval to NCOT.
For a complete list of grant recipients, click here.
Applications for FY25 will open in the first quarter of 2024. To help applicants through the grant process, Travel Nevada will host webinars, provide resources, and host office hours. For more on the Rural Marketing Grants program, click here.
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The Nevada Division of Tourism is a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. More commonly known as Travel Nevada, the Nevada Division of Tourism is responsible for promoting and marketing Nevada as a travel destination to domestic and international travelers. Operating within a performance-based budget structure, Travel Nevada is funded solely by a percentage of lodging tax paid by overnight guests throughout the state. For more, visit TravelNevada.biz.
