Tourism officials hope that residents of Reno and Sparks who belong to just about anything — a church, a professional organization, a group of hobbyists — will give a boost to the region’s efforts to attract more conventions.
The newly launched “Local Legend” campaign encourages residents who belong to groups with a regional or national footprint to tell the groups’ leaders about their hopes to have a meeting or convention in Reno.
Once residents have made that initial contact, the sales staff of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority will take over. (The starting point for residents is VisitRenoTahoe.com/LocalLegend.)
VP of sales, RSCVA.
Image: RSCVA
Meetings and conventions account for a significant portion of the tourism business in Reno and Sparks, says Mike Larragueta, vice president of sales at RSCVA.
In 2018, Larragueta says, conventions accounted for nearly 20 percent of the paid nights at the region’s large resort hotels.
And the Local Legend program also benefits the participating individuals.
“With this partnership, the RSCVA can help local business and thought leaders achieve their own professional development goals, while benefitting the community as well,” Larragueta says. Participants will be recognized at RSCVA events through the year.
Larragueta says the Local Legend program taps into two passions of the area’s residents — their love for the region and their enthusiasm for their professional and personal activities.
The types of organizations that RSCVA wants to reach through the Local Legend program include corporations, professional and business associations, military, ethnic or fraternal groups, religious groups and sports conventions.
Laarragueta says the Local Legend program is expected to become a permanent element of the RSCVA sales effort.
