Convention of tour operators expected to bring benefits

Hosting a successful convention for the National Tour Association, which visits Reno this week, is of paramount importance to the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, says Adam Feehan, tourism sales manager for the agency.

Nearly 1,700 NTA members tour operators and distributors of tourism packages are expected to hit town Saturday through Wednesday. Implanting a favorable impression of Greater Reno-Tahoe could bring in additional business for the region and make selling Reno as a destination much easier for NTA members. The NTA hosted its annual convention in Reno in 1985 and 1995.

"We need to be focused on people who have never been here and people who haven't been here in a long time and maybe have the wrong perception or preconceived notion of what the area is all about," Feehan says. "By having a valuable partner in town we will be able to showcase to them why we think it is so special to live here, as well as to see the destination as a truly viable vacation and sightseeing venue."

The RSCVA has several educational tours planned, as well as a themed special events icebreaker at the National Bowling Center. The icebreaker will showcase the area's special events, from Hot August Nights to the Reno Rodeo, the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off to the National Championship Air Races.

The goal is to educate tour operators and help them better develop itineraries for tours to the area.

"We tried to hit on as many as we could," Feehan says. "They may not be able to come to the events, but we tried to bring events to them so they can go back and sell these popular times of the year."

The RSCVA won the bid for the NTA's 2009 convention seven years ago. Despite large dips in convention attendance due to the recession, the NTA registration is only about 6 percent below last year's convention in Pittsburgh.

Lisa Simon, president of the National Tour Association, says the potential for repeat and return business to the area is a rewarding economic opportunity for the host city. The convention itself is expected to contribute $2.9 million to the local economy.

"We have very high standards of what we expect and accept from a city, and each of the three times Reno has bid on our convention it has won the bid," Simon says. "The way our board saw it was that we had two great experiences in Reno, and they did a great job of attracting members; our attendance was always good in Reno and it makes sense to go back."

Feehan adds that the majority of NTA members who are attending have weathered the depths of the recession and are the seasoned veterans of the tourism industry.

"It took a lot of hard work to get something like this together, and it takes a huge amount of support from our partners in the community," he says.