Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority Recognizes World Tourism Day

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to us at no cost to you if you decide to make a purchase. You can click to read our affiliate disclosure policy.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) joins hundreds of destinations worldwide in recognition of World Tourism Day, an event held each year on Sept. 27. Sanctioned by the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the event provides an opportunity to look beyond borders and celebrate the unique opportunities created by travel and tourism.

Travel is a critical resource in improving America’s image around the world. It is also one of the United States’ largest industries, directly employing 7.5 million people and generating tax revenues of about $110 billion. It ranks fifth among the 20 major industry sectors measured by the U.S. Census Bureau. Travel expenditures within the U.S. total $740 billion. Tourism globally set a new record in 2007, with nearly 900 million arrivals worldwide, according to the NWTO. The U.S. welcomed 56 million international visitors from 213 countries during 2007, up 10 percent from 2006, according to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

‘Travel is a vital industry in Southern Nevada,’ said Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. ‘Las Vegas welcomes approximately 39 million visitors annually who contribute $41.6 billion in economic impact to the community. Between now and fiscal year 2015, visitor-paid room tax is projected to generate approximately $2 billion that will go directly back into the community to fund schools, roads, parks and local government services.’

The LVCVA works closely with its partners in the travel industry on initiatives to improve the appeal of travel to Las Vegas. A longstanding collaboration with McCarran International Airport has seen the development of new international air service to the destination from Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Currently, the LVCVA has 12 international representative offices serving a total of 75 countries spanning the globe

With the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), a Washington-based trade association that represents the common interests and concerns of travel in America, the LVCVA works to promote legislation designed to make traveling to the U.S. more appealing for international visitors. Recently, progress was made when the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Travel Promotion Act. This bill establishes a public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier international travel destination and communicate U.S. security and entry policies. According to TIA President and CEO Roger Dow, the move brings the U.S. one step closer to creating thousands of new jobs and billions in new spending.

ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With approximately 136,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 9.7 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA’s mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.VisitLasVegas.com.