Claudia Vecchio, Director of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs for TravelNevada, will discuss her organization's efforts to promote Nevada tourism
 
TravelNevada, in partnership with statewide tourism industry entities, engages in a robust integrated marketing campaign that promotes Nevada to leisure travelers from across the country and around the world.  This presentation provides an overview of the strategic approach and tactical advertising, sales, public affairs and media relations programs administered by TravelNevada and the impact on state revenue.
 
 
Claudia Vecchio brings more than 25 years in the destination and consumer brand marketing arenas to her post as Director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.  Within this role, Claudia oversees the Division of Tourism, Nevada Arts Council, the Division of Museums and History and the Nevada Indian Commission.  During the five years she has served in this role, the Department has launched a successful statewide brand and popular “Don’t Fence Me In” tourism campaign, resumed full-time operation at most of the state’s museums, enhanced the State’s international sales and marketing efforts, evolved marketing efforts to reach Millennial travelers and worked with statewide partners to develop and execute Nevada’s Sesquicentennial celebration. 
 
TravelNevada’s public relations campaigns have recently been awarded a Silver Anvil by the Public Relations Society of America for the best travel/hospitality campaign of 2015 and with a Mercury Award for the best public relations program among state tourism offices by the U.S. Travel Association. Claudia is the 2015 recipient of the J. Desmond Slattery award for tourism marketing awarded by the Travel and Tourism Research Association and was named among the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization in 2015 by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.  Claudia also has served on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Travel Association as well as the boards of the National Council of State Tourism Directors and the Public Relations Society of America.