LAS VEGAS’ UK
winter trade advertising campaign has been brought forward to try to drum up
bookings in the wake of the US terrorist attacks.
A
window display campaign for agents scheduled for the turn of the year was
instead launched last month after requests from the trade, and since November 1
the UK office has been running co-operative advertising with tour operators.
The
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority UK representative Stella
Clery-Ackland said the adverts carry the “It’s time for you” theme,
but also feature the operators’ own message.
“We
have dropped the Las Vegas image adverts and are focusing on getting people
travelling again,” said Clery-Ackland.
Las
Vegas usually attracts 350,000-400,000 UK visitors a year.
She
added: “Campaign funds were in place and we are not planning to increase
them until we can take stock of the situation in the new year.
“What
is for sure is that we will be reactive to the current situation and we will
not do nothing.”
The
LVCVA UK office is also planning a major training programme for tour operators’
reservation staff.
“It
is more difficult to get agents together, but if they want to organise
themselves into groups we will happily train them” said Clery-Ackland.
She
added that Las Vegas is showing signs of recovery since the attacks. The mood
is not sombre, and people are out on the Strip enjoying themselves. It has been
very busy over recent weekends.
“We
believe that Las Vegas will be the first place in the US to recover from this
and the figures indicate this is starting to happen,” she said.
Hotel and motel occupancy in September was down just
over 14% to 73%, but weekend occupancy is now around 82%.