Miller reports progress in selling Nevada to South America

Friday, Aug. 14, 1998 | 10:37 a.m.

Gov. Bob Miller on Wednesday could have really used what he has been lobbying for all week -- a nonstop flight to Las Vegas from South America.

Weakened by high-elevation activities in Ecuador, hours of plane rides and a persistent bug, Miller wrapped up talks with transportation and tourism officials and airline executives in Argentina and Brazil this week and was due to return to Nevada today.

Miller led a week-long tourism and economic development mission to Latin America that was pre-empted over the weekend by a White House request to lead a delegation to the inauguration of Ecuadorean President Jamil Mahaud.

Miller considered the three-day stop an opportunity to meet with another nation's tourism leaders. He had to reschedule this week's sessions in Buenos Aires with representatives of Aerolineas Argentinas, a leading national carrier, and with Vasp and Varig Brazilian Airlines in Rio de Janeiro on his way back to the United States.

The governor considered his effort a seed-planting mission, not expecting immediate results or any kind of immediate announcement of new service. He stopped in Mexico before attending the inaugural in Quito, Ecuador, a capital city high in the Andes Mountains above 9,000 feet.

Following the three days of inaugural festivities where Miller was asked to lead President Clinton's congratulatory contingent and rub elbows with heads of state and former leaders of several nations, he was slowed by a minor illness.

But Miller found time to meet with Ecuadorean tourism officials and also exposed Nevada to the likes of Prince Phillip of Spain and former Polish leader Lech Walesa.

Mexico, where Miller started his mission last week, is one of Las Vegas' top international feeder markets while Brazil -- a country larger than the United States -- and Argentina, are considered important emerging markets for Southern Nevada.

Calling from Rio de Janeiro, Miller said Dallas-based American Airlines, which already has a minimal presence at McCarran International Airport, has acquired an interest in Aerolineas Argentinas. He met Wednesday with managers that will coordinate the Argentine airline's U.S. interests.

"As far as we're concerned, the timing was good to have these meetings because they're about to get some new availabilities (additional U.S. flights)," he said.

Because of the company's affiliation with American Airlines, Miller said it was more likely the company would look to operating flights to the airline's Dallas hub, but that could lead to one-stop flights to Las Vegas from Buenos Aires.

On Thursday, the governor made contact with Varig, Brazil's largest air carrier, which has operations that fly to Los Angeles and Tokyo from Rio de Janeiro. Miller said he was hopeful some of those Los Angeles flights could be split off to Las Vegas as an alternative port of entry to the United States.

The challenge is convincing airline officials there's a big enough market to support such a move and familiarizing Brazilians with Las Vegas being more than just a gaming destination.

"As well known as our product is in the United States, it's not defined yet in the rest of the world," Miller said.

Miami is the strongest gateway city to South America, primarily because of geography and the high Hispanic population of that area, and Miller said Brazilians are familiar with the theme-park environment offered by Orlando, Fla.

Explaining Las Vegas is friendly to families with its variety of entertainment attractions -- and is not just a casino destination -- is proving to be more challenging, he said.

Miller said he perceived a "mixed reaction" to his presentation. The airlines' marketing executives seemed genuinely interested in Las Vegas as a destination, but decision-makers on routes were more guarded on whether the market could support nonstop routes.

The governor, road-weary after spending nearly two full days of his week in airplanes, was obviously ready to make the long return trip, even though he couldn't do it directly.

"We still have a lot to work through with these companies," Miller said. "But at a minimum, at least Las Vegas is on the radar scope."