'Nesting' comes home to tourism

One of the great trends since the Sept.

11 tragedy has been nesting the desire of families to stay close to home, spend time with one another and learn more about the ties that bind.

The trend may have important implications as well for the tourism business.

The post-Sept.

11 woes of the travel business fearful travelers, travelers who don't want to put up with airport hassles, travelers who have less money to spend on vacation have been well documented.

But Candace Duncan, the executive director of the Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, says many communities in the West have developed strategies to recover.

Duncan should know.

She just became president of the Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, a position that keeps her close to 135 tourism agencies in the American West as well as the western provinces of Canada.

So what's working? For one, Duncan said last week, communities that are selling themselves as family destinations are doing well, particularly if they can assemble package vacations marketed to families.

Other visitor bureaus including Carson City successfully have marketed the past.

"One thing that seems to be working really well is focusing on history," Duncan said.

The desire of travelers to stay close to home means that many tourism organizations have re-focused their marketing efforts toward travelers who are driving, rather than flying, and Duncan said some communities are finding success with a similar pitch for business travelers.

Businesspeople may be unwilling to deal with airport hassles for a corporate getaway, but that doesn't mean they don't want to get away from the office for a corporate retreat or meeting.

That creates an opportunity for tourist destinations to sell themselves as a close-to-home alternative for meetings, Duncan said.

Besides, those meetings usually are less expensive no small concern during a recession.

Duncan brings more than 15 years experience in the tourism industry to the presidency of the trade group.

Before taking her current job in Carson City, she was executive director of the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors and Convention Bureau.

In those jobs, she helped create 1- 800-NEVADA-1, an informational and lodging referral line and helped create the Kit Carson Trail, a historical tour of Carson City.

Along the way, she's been consistently involved in the Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus and wins plaudits for her work there, too.

"She will make a positive impact by keeping the industry informed on trends and changes, especially as they relate to this economically challenged environment," said Steve Hammond, president and chief executive officer of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

So how will Duncan find time for a demanding volunteer post on top of her busy workday? Simple, she said.

"You can't ever stop to think about it."