It's not just the Reno-Sparks area hunting for more tourism business; rural towns like Elko and Tonopah are throwing their cowboy hats into the ring in the hopes of driving up visitors.
And now, they're getting a little help.
The Nevada Department of Tourism has awarded nearly $900,000 in grants to various rural communities so they can make some improvements or market themselves to a broader audience.
It may seem that rural destinations would be a hard sell to tourists used to the attractions of Reno-Tahoe or Las Vegas, but Department of Tourism Director Claudia Vecchio said that's not the case anymore. She said that task is getting much easier as Millennials start traveling more. Those of that generation, who reached young adulthood around the year 2000, like adventure, but don't like feeling like tourists.
"People just want to get out and experience the wide open spaces, these authentic small towns," Vecchio said, "and just the wonderful warmth of characters that you meet while you're out in Nevada."
Vecchio added that these small Nevada towns are especially appealing to international tourists looking for the "authentic American experience." Asian visitors, especially from China, look for a taste of the Wild West, and enjoy the sunshine, open spaces, and clean air.
And now the work of marketing rural towns to potential tourists is more efficient. Tourism officials can specifically seek out the groups that would be most interested.
"The wonderful thing about marketing today is that we can be very targeted, Vecchio said. "Through social media we are targeting a particular group. Through TV we are targeting a particular group."
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