Northern Nevadans honored by commission on tourism

Four northern Nevada residents and a group that brings together tourism interests throughout the Reno and Lake Tahoe regions were honored by the Nevada Commission on Tourism last week.

Honored with awards for excellence were:

* Andrea Robb-Bradick of Reno, the owner of the Jim Butler Motel in Tonopah, for her work establishing a Monte Cristo State Park in Esmeralda County.

* Rick Gray of the Fallon Convention and Visitors Authority for development of a regional bird-watching marketing campaign to be used as a model for a statewide program.

* Dr.

Elizabeth Tom of Elko for work, including a newsletter, to promote tourism in northeast Nevada.

She also is tourism liaison with the Elko Chamber of Commerce Board.

* Leah Brady of Elko for her work as director of the Great Basin Basket Association, a Native American organization of basket weavers, and as co-director of the Shoshonean Reunion V, a gathering of Shoshone tribe members in Elko and Spring Creek in fall 2004.

* The Regional Marketing Committee of Reno and Lake Tahoe for its successful efforts in bringing new air service into Reno/Tahoe International Airport.

The committee includes representatives of the tourism, gaming and hospitality industries in the region.

Bruce Bommarito, executive director of the tourism commission, told participants the state's plan for increasing tourism in rural areas includes expanded training programs for attracting and accommodating international visitors, forming partnerships and assisting with technology requirements.

"Besides increasing our attractions,we are expanding our markets to expose rural Nevada to more visitors from different places, such as Mexico and China where we opened offices last year," Bommarito said.