Partnership is key in regional tourism

It's a copacetic tourism relationship: Lake Tahoe draws them in, and Carson City has the hotel rooms for those who can't afford to or prefer not to stay by the lake.

Regional tourism partnership is a rising trend, says Candy Duncan, Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director. And it's getting funded by the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

Collaboration was a theme in this week's disbursement of $1.2 million in grants to rural agencies that organize the region's most popular tourism events.

The tourism commission awarded $30,000 to Carson City tourism, a majority of which it is sharing with other agencies. About $48,000 was awarded to Virginia City, and more than $70,000 to the Lake Tahoe area.

The Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau was awarded a $10,000 grant for the Big Blue Tahoe 24-Hour Adventure Race.

"The benefit to Carson City is that we'll be the home base," Duncan said Monday. "Everybody who is coming to participate in this race will stay in Carson City, so we'll get the room tax."

Navigating in teams, the athletes will cover the area by foot, watercraft or bike.

"The infrastructure Carson City has lends itself to be able to host an event," said Todd Jackson, executive director of the Big Blue Adventure Series. "The forest and state parks are right outside Carson City's doors, but you still need some place for these athletes to stay."

Tahoe may be a given when it comes to attracting sleek sportsmen and -women, but historians are also a boon, and ghost tours are what they want.

For the first time this year, the historic Ghost Tour through the haunted homes in downtown Carson City will be expanded into a weekend-long event incorporating a walking tour in Gardnerville and the Genoa cemetery.

The $3,000 grant is another example of collaborative event organization and marketing. The Oct. 20 Ghost Tour begins with a night tour around historic homes in Gardnerville. On Saturday, visitors will tour the Carson City homes then round out the experience with a late-night visit to the Genoa cemetery.

This is a way to keep visitors in the area for multiple days, said Laurie Hickey, chairwoman of the cemetery tour for the Douglas County Historical Society.

"They'll go to our restaurants, buy gas, and spend another night," she said. "And they learn a little bit about our history."

Virginia City is reaching into the deep, with its mine tours and with firm, entrepreneurial handshakes to Tonopah and Elko - areas known for active and inactive mining claims.

In 2005, the Dig Mines campaign was funded entirely by the three cities, but its creativity and success were what predicated an $11,000 grant from the state this year, said Susan Sutton, executive director of the Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority.

Using the money, the tourism agencies will print more informative postcards to pass out at trade shows and advertise in mining magazines.

"If it wasn't for (Nevada Commission on Tourism) funding, small cities with 1,000 population like Virginia City would wither up and die," she said. "We are so appreciative of their efforts."

The second round of grants will be awarded in December. The grants require a match of either funds or work hours by the recipients. Visit www.travelnevada.com for more information.

• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.