Promotion with Southwest called successful

A promotion to build Southwest Airlines traffic into Reno-Tahoe International Airport and build awareness of the region's winter tourism opportunities drew more than 34,000 entries.

Equally important, however, the organizers of the effort say the promotion brought often-competing interests together and gave them the experience of running a successful program cooperatively.

The Reno-Tahoe Regional Marketing Committee, a two-year-old group, worked with Southwest Airlines to promote ski vacation travel from West Coast markets.

Centerpiece of the promotion launched in January was a contest offering free ski packages.

The top prize was a six-night stay in a suite, five days of skiing, $150 daily food and beverage credit, airfare, a rental car and spending money.

The contest drew 34,507 entries, says a report delivered to the Regional Marketing Committee last week.

A related contest only for Southwest Airlines employees drew 2,000 entrants the largest participation the airline has recorded for an internal, on-line promotion.

More than 7,000 entrants requested vacation-planning information from the regional marketing committee.

Stephen Ascuaga, chairman of the regional marketing group, called the results "a good solid double or triple." The contest entries reflect success in developing consumer awareness of winter tourism opportunities in the Reno-Tahoe market, he said, and the group is eager to find ways to build passenger traffic for airlines such as Southwest that have made a significant commitment to the Reno market.

In fact, Ascuaga said, a similar promotion is planned with Southwest to build summertime traffic into the region.

Equally important, he said, was the experience that members of the regional group gained in working together.

The group includes visitor and convention agencies from Reno, Carson City, Douglas County and the Lake Tahoe region as well as the Airport Authority of Washoe County and the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

"It's programs like these that keep everyone working together," Ascuaga said of the disparate group.

Twenty-two hotels, for instance, provided rooms for the contest's daily prizes.

Michelle Reimherr, a spokeswoman for Southwest, said the airline considered the promotion "incredibly successful" as it built awareness of a market served by Southwest.

She said, too, the program helped build an ongoing relationship between the airline and regional tourism officials.

Of the entries in the contest, the greatest number slightly more than 6,000 came from California.

Texas, Arizona and Florida took the next three places.

Not surprisingly, skiing was the toprated recreational interest among contest entrants.

Hiking was in a strong second position, followed by biking, golf and camping.

Gaming ranked in 12th position.

The campaign was supported by radio advertising in Las Vegas, Oakland, San Jose, San Diego and Phoenix along with advertising in the Southwest in-flight magazine.

The airline also distributed promotional materials to its customers, hung banners in airports it served and provided promotional buttons for its employees.