A small conference in Las Vegas this week is expected to bring huge tourist dividends to southern Nevada over the next three years.
IPW, an international gathering of US travel organizations from across the country representing all categories of the industry, meets until Wednesday in the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“After more than a year of unbelievable losses, our industry has never looked so united,” said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the US Travel Association, which organizes the IPW.
Dow opened the 52nd IPW on Monday with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
“We look forward to getting in personal contact with our travel colleagues again in the next few days, initiating new business and inspiring a strong comeback for international inbound travel, an effort that we will achieve through our joint work,” he said at an opening ceremony.
Around $ 5 billion in future travel deals will be negotiated through 15-minute meetings between leisure and business planners and various travel destinations in the United States that began Monday.
Las Vegas has a home advantage at this year’s IPW as travel sales reps can show it off in person.
“Securing and sponsoring the US Travel Association’s IPW show in Las Vegas, especially while we continue to recover, is a huge coup for our destination,” said Lori Nelson-Kraft, senior vice president of communications for the Las Vegas Convention Visitors Authority.
“As the host city, we can step in front of travel shoppers and journalists to showcase the world-class hotels and experiences that can only be found in Las Vegas,” she said.
IPW is also an opportunity for Brand USA, the United States’ destination marketing organization, to step in front of shoppers to promote attractions both large and small across the country.
In terms of visitor numbers, the IPW does not rank among the top shows in the city. But it’s the influence of the attendees that makes the event good for Las Vegas.
“We worked hard to make it happen”
This year, 2,600 exhibitors, buyers and media representatives will take part in the event. There are 600 buyers, 1,700 US exhibitors, and 300 media representatives, more than 200 of whom are from outside the United States.
The number of international media goers came as no surprise to Dow.
“Not because we worked hard for it,” Dow said in an interview. “We discovered this thing called the National Interest Exemption, which allows the State Department to allow people from restricted countries to enter the United States as long as they affect the national interest.
“So we went up to them and said, ‘Bringing this media and these buyers to Las Vegas with 300 or 400 of them is not going to make a difference with COVID with 360 million Americans.’ But if they don’t come it will have a phenomenal impact, ”he said.
“IPW will typically book $ 4 billion or $ 5 billion in future trips in three or four days,” Dow said.
“If they weren’t here you know what? They are planning their trip to Thailand, Great Britain, Mexico or elsewhere. That is why it is so important to bring them here. “
The association said 300 attendees came to Las Vegas through the National Interest Exemption.
Of the international participants, the five largest delegations come from Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain and France.
Promising investment
Las Vegas hosted the IPW five times, in 1982, 1989, 2008, 2013 and this year.
The return on investment should be good for Las Vegas. Historically, there was $ 5.5 billion in future trips to the United States in the next three years according to IPW. That’s an estimated $ 467 million for the host city.
LVCVA said that while the numbers will look different in the face of the pandemic, IPW would lead the city’s economic recovery and job recovery for the recovery in 2022 and beyond.
“Here in Las Vegas, we have the opportunity to transform the itinerary over the coming weeks, months and years to serve as a model for resuming international travel and conducting safe meetings and events,” said Dow.
“As the nation’s destination marketing organization, Brand USA inspires people around the world to experience the diverse travel destinations and attractions of the United States, from our most famous travel destinations to our small towns and everything in between,” he said.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
