Bowlers, air service hold key to tourism industry in '06

With the bowlers preparing to get back to Reno this spring and airport officials aggressively pursuing additional flights, tourism in northern Nevada is expected to grow in 2006.

Even if the national economy slows, as some economists project, tourism executives are optimistic people will travel for leisure.

Events such as the U.S.

Bowling Congress tournaments are expected to push visitor numbers past those of 2005.

The Reno Events Center,meanwhile, has had a very successful run bringing visitors for midweek and longweekends stays.

But the recent merger of American West Airlines and US Airways provides another a little noticed bright spot.

US Airways Vacations,with hubs in Charlotte, N.C., and Pittsburg and Philadelphia, Pa.,will begin promoting Reno vacations to travelers in Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Long Island.

Those travelers would travel through America West hubs at Phoenix and Las Vegas.

"We're going to be very aggressive with the tour operators," says Ralph Witsell, executive director of tourism for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.

His agency is working with the airlines to boost East Coast traffic.

Reno/Tahoe International Airport also is working on a direct flight from Guadalajara, Mexico, says Bruce Bommarito, executive director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

But the airline industry's troubles remain an unknown that could have an impact on tourism.

"If for some reason one of the major airlines would go out of business that would definitely have an impact,"Witsell says.

Other worries include another spike in energy prices.

"It could affect long term not just tourism in the Reno area but nationwide.

It all depends on what happens with energy prices and vehicle mileage," says Richard H.Wells, president of Wells Gaming Research in Reno.

Witsell is more optimistic.

"When times get tough people still want to get away from the reality.

They'll probably do away with other things but they will still travel," he says.

Another bright spot is the region's work to create a new image for itself.

"Reno-Tahoe America's Adventure Place" seems to have caught on.

believe local officials.

"That brand marketing is a long term effort and we're expecting to see the results of that campaign every year.We expect to see the same in the coming year," says Deanna Ashby, RSCVA's executive director of marketing.

In fact, the success of the brand was evidenced in the selection of the Reno-Tahoe area to host the Collegiate Nationals, a series of sporting events,April 20-23.

The RSCVA is in talks to organize a mountain biking event in the Reno area,Ashby added.

Nevada Commission on Tourism is upbeat on tourism prospects expecting that the number of visitors in the state fiscal year that ends in June will top the 50.5 million recorded a year earlier.

The Nevada Passage reality television show that spotlights outdoor adventure is continuing for the second year, strengthening the Reno- Tahoe brand.

It brings about 20 athletes to compete in adventure sports at spots including Winnemucca, Battle Mountain and Virginia City.

Last year NCOT invested about $500,000 in the show, and Bommarito figures the state recouped its investment in free TV time and media exposure.

The show ran in 95 television stations nationwide, some running it two or three times, Bommarito says.

"Having that kind of a track record we will be able to exceed that (next year) by a long shot,"he says.

On the gaming front, the local gaming scene seems to be on a recovery path with five months of revenues that exceeded figures from the previous year.Winter weather will play a big role in determining if the trend continues.

"We may or may not see that positive run continue through the winter," says Wells."But that's a positive in terms of stabilization and actual improvement over prior year."

Several new casinos and expansion of existing properties are proposed in California, increasing competitive pressures on northern Nevada over the next several years,Wells adds.