Legislature approves overseas tourist-seeking missions

Thursday, May 7, 1998 | 10:11 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- To boost the number of visitors from foreign countries to Las Vegas, the state Tourism Commission has received approval to use nearly $45,000 to send the governor and other state officials to Asia, South America and Europe.

The Legislative Interim Finance Committee Wednesday allowed the commission to shift funds in its budget for trips for Gov. Bob Miller, Tourism Director Tom Tait and International Tourism Director Brenda Hughes.

Winnings at Las Vegas casinos are lagging behind predictions. There are 20,000 new hotel rooms on line to open in Southern Nevada in the next three years. Passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport is below expectations.

So on June 6, the state and local officials from Southern Nevada will embark for Tokyo and Taipei to encourage airline officials in those countries to schedule non-stop flights to Las Vegas.

At present Tait said tourists have to stop at two or three cities before they can reach Las Vegas. After Canada, Japan is still the top market for foreign visitors to Las Vegas, he said.

There were 377,000 tourists from Japan who visited Southern Nevada last year and Tait said he expects more with the addition of non-stop flights. Northwest Airlines is inaugurating non-stop service from Tokyo to Las Vegas June 1.

In July, the delegation will be off on a similar mission to Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Buenos Aires. In October the group will head for Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome and London.

Tait added the delegation will try to talk the airlines into sending more of its cargo through Las Vegas.

By shifting the funds, the out-of-state travel budget for this fiscal year is $111,000, Tait said. It will be $139,000 for the next fiscal year.