ASTA Global Convention Puts Reno In The Spotlight

Photo: Ken Lund

This is the first time Reno Tahoe has welcomed ASTA’s Global Convention (AGC)—and the Biggest Little City in the World is seizing the opportunity to show agents all it has to offer, from stunning vistas to historical sites.

ASTA and Reno Tahoe USA, the city’s tourism arm, are offering ASTA Global attendees add-on tours for $25 each. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase what we have to offer,” said Reno Tahoe communications manager Ben McDonald. “The issue we’ve seen is not a perception issue, but a lack of perception instead. People don’t know what we’re about.” 

The region’s natural beauty is its biggest draw, making it a great destination for outdoor activities year-round. Reno is home to 18 ski resorts and 50 golf courses. During the warmer months, visitors can take a 40-minute drive to Lake Tahoe and go parasailing, kayaking or paddle boarding.  

There are also plenty of spas and casinos, and for those who prefer a more low-key vacation, museums. One of the top attractions is the National Automobile Museum, home to one car worth $30 million.  

Reno also hosts a variety of large-scale events; in fact, there’s something going on 290 days of the year. The Great Reno Balloon Race, the largest free hot-air ballooning event in the world, took place earlier this month. And the city brings in more than 120 tons of ribs for an annual cook-off, and welcomes more than 70,000 people come for the Burning Man festival.  

Where there’s growth, there’s development  
The Reno Tahoe area has increasingly been a top destination for travelers. It welcomed nearly three million visitors from January to July this year, up about 4% from the same period last year. 

The boost in visitors has led to investment the tourism sector, from hotel developments to new air service. New nonstop service out of New York on Jet Blue and Atlanta on Delta have been very successful, McDonald said, noting that more options will be introduced in the near future.  

Another major area of development has been the food and beverage sector. Boasting 12 breweries, most doubling as a full service restaurant, the city has put together a map for bike and walking tours.   

Sightseeing tours highlight the best of Reno Tahoe 
McDonald hopes agents take the Reno Area Hotel Site Tour to better understand the product; “I can’t stress that enough.” Stopping at premier properties, the four-star Spa Atlantis and the Hyatt Regency, it provides an up-close look at options for your clients.  

And the Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino, hosting some 600 AGC attendees, offers its own geothermal plant. “We’re the only property that can boast we supply our own hot water,” said Travis O’Donnell, convention services manager. In addition to this unique green initiative, the four-diamond resort has 10 restaurants, a spa, two resort pool and over 1,600 rooms. 

Other tours on tap for today are:

• Virginia City: Visit Old West saloons, shops, museums, historic churches and 19th century homes in this Victorian-era town. Ride the Virginia Truckee Railroad, a fully restored steam engine train that crosses the desert. 

• Thunderbird Lodge Land Tour: Tour the historic Thunderbird Lodge, including its secret passages and namesake wooden boat, complete with P-52 airplane engines. The mansion was built in the 1930s by eccentric millionaire George Whittell, who eventually left the land to be enjoyed by residents and visitors.

• Historical Reno Tour: The walking/bus tour is led by professional historian and author Alicia Barber, who discusses Reno’s history from its origin as a railroad and mining community to the present day. 
• Bike Brew Tour: Bike around downtown Reno, stopping at the local bars and breweries.