Nevada tourism report shows increase in travel spending

The Nevada Division of Tourism announced Wednesday a preliminary 2016 report showing increased revenue and employment powered by the travel sector.
 
The report was announced during the industry’s designated education day at the Nevada State Legislature. Hoteliers, visitor bureaus and others from the travel industry gathered at the Legislature to educate legislators about the value of tourism to the state.
 
The preliminary report, created by Dean Runyan Associates compiles data through November 2016 and projections for December 2016. A final report will be available this spring and is expected to align with projections, as there were no visible downturns in visitation in the final month of 2016.
 
Among the report’s findings:
 
· Total travel spending topped $65.8 billion in 2016, an increase of $1.4 billion or 2.2 percent over 2015.
 
· Travel spending supported 492,300 Nevadans in 2016, an increase of 1 percent over 2015. This accounts for approximately 29 percent of the total workforce in Nevada, and the increase continues a five-year trend in Nevada.
 
· State and local tax receipts generated by travel spending increased 3.9 percent, totaling $3.23 billion. This accounts for a quarter of all state and local tax revenues in Nevada.