Governor to tout LV on trip to Far East

Tuesday, April 21, 1998 | 9:44 a.m.

Gov. Bob Miller plans to lead a contingent of tourism and casino officials to the Pacific Rim in June to attract more visitors to Las Vegas.

Miller and his entourage, sources said, expect to spend a week in Japan and Taiwan meeting with airline industry leaders, tour operators and travel agents there.

Stops in Tokyo and Taipai are likely to be on the group's itinerary.

The mission was prompted by slumping airline service to Las Vegas and the need to fill an estimated 20,000 new hotel rooms in the next three years.

Miller has been involved in high-level talks the past several months with casino, tourism and state officials looking for a new marketing strategy to attract millions of more visitors each year.

Last week, Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., held a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing in Las Vegas to discuss ways create a bigger demand for more flights.

Representatives from the state Tourism Commission, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Nevada Resort Association and McCarran International Airport are expected to make the Asian trip with the governor.

Miller was to hold a news conference this afternoon at his Las Vegas office to explain the mission.

LVCVA executives, who maintain an office in Tokyo, have targeted the Pacific Rim as one of its biggest growth markets. The LVCVA has estimated that 311,000 tourists visited Las Vegas from Japan alone in 1996.

Earlier this month, Northwest Airlines announced it was starting the first-ever nonstop service between Las Vegas and Japan in June. The new flights will run twice a week.

While in the Pacific rim, Miller and his delegation plan to meet with officials from Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, which are looking to expand service in the United States.

The delegation also expects to sit down with China Air officials and executives from at least one other airline in Taiwan.

Announcement of the Asian mission comes one week after state gaming regulators reported a 15.8 percent drop in casino winnings on the Strip for March. McCarran officials also reported a 3.8 drop in March passenger traffic at the airport.

The casino industry has invested $7 billion in new construction on the Strip.

Casino executives believe tourism officials need to better educate airlines, tour operators and travel agents about what Las Vegas has to offer as a world-class destination.