SPECIAL TO THE PVT Paula Elefante of Pahrump, executive director of EDEN Inc., receives an Excellence in Tourism Award from NCOT Director Tim Maland, far left, Lt. Gov. Brian K. Krolicki, chairman of the Nevada Commission on Tourism and, at right, Pioneer Territory Chairwoman Kari Frilot, chief executive officer of the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce. Advertisement

ELKO -- The Nevada Commission on Tourism briefed rural tourism officials last week on ways to capitalize on promotions through the Internet and the importance of international tourists, during the annual rural roundup held here last week.

Seven Nevadans received Excellence in Tourism awards, including Paula Elefante, executive director of EDEN Inc., the economic development authority for Nye County.

Elefante picked up the award for bringing expertise in marketing and special events to Pioneer Territory.

Specifically, she was recognized for working with the Pioneer Territory for six years; organizing the 100th reenactment of the Nelson-Gans fight in Goldfield in October 2006; reuniting the Indian Territory branch of NCOT and expanding the Pahrump Pow Wow.

The awards were handed out during the three-day conference at the Elko Convention Center.

NCOT officials are placing more emphasis on the potential of rural Nevada for visiting tourists. The Elko Daily Free Press quoted NCOT Executive Director Tim Maland as saying rural tourism brings in $1.5 billion in annual business to Nevada.

"We do a rural profile and we do find that the room revenue and the taxes coming from the rural communities are going up actually more so than in the Reno-Las Vegas areas," Maland said.

Maland, formerly the general manager of the Reno Hilton, was appointed NCOT director in January 2007 by Gov. Jim Gibbons.

NCOT has tried to generate an appreciation of rural Nevada tourism instead of just the bright lights of Las Vegas, with the icon campaign -- advertisements showing famous Las Vegas images strikingly out of place in rural settings, like Las Vegas showgirls on skis or Wayne Newton riding a mountain bike.

Then there's the annual Nevada Passage, a travel show highlighting couples participating in adventure activities throughout the state, which has highlighted Nye County attractions, showing contestants navigating Spring Mountain Motor Sports Ranch or the Big Dune in Amargosa Valley.

Ryan Larsen, coordinator of the program for international education and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, briefed attendees on ways to make the international visitor welcome.

Maland said Pahrump, which lies midway on the route between Death Valley National Park and Las Vegas, can be a stopover for international visitors.

"An international visitor will be in Nevada a long time. They won't be here just a weekend like a Southern California visitor. It's important we offer them alternatives. What can they do after two or three nights in Las Vegas?" he asked.

Tourist officials were encouraged to create blogs on the Internet as a free source of publicity. Tourists are encouraged to post their photos on a flicker account sponsored by NCOT or on You Tube videos.

"We're finding more photographers are interested in getting on our Web site for the publicity aspect than getting paid for it," Maland said.

Maland said the Nevada Commission on Tourism is planning a program to encourage Las Vegas residents to explore Nevada, possibly through off-road recreation, instead of having them travel to Utah. The Western States Policy Council, a board of tourism directors from western states, signed a memorandum of understanding recently with federal land agencies to work in cooperation on land use policies, he said.

The price of gas could affect summer travel in rural Nevada this year, but Maland said that cost may encourage Nevadans to take trips within their home state.

The state already has a compact disc which tourists can play while driving through parts of Nevada. The Silver Trails CD covers rural attractions on Highway 95.

NCOT is thinking of updating that with information that would be accessed through vehicle, on-dash, navigation systems and Blackberry mobile phones.

In a news release, Maland said: "Rural Roundup is the only conference that brings together Nevada's network of rural tourism industry leaders and volunteers to share ideas for drawing more visitors to enjoy the colorful history, adventure and scenic wonders of the American West beyond our urban areas."

The annual Rural Roundup was held in Pahrump in spring 2004.

Local representatives making the trip to Elko included Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Kari Frilot; Pahrump Town Board Chairwoman Laurayne Murray; Pahrump tourism board members Marvin Minnick and Karen Spalding; Bob and Joyce Baker from the United Way; Cassandra Radwich from the Pioneer Territory tourism board, and Beatty Chamber of Commerce members Debbie Wilkenson and Shirley Ailiff.

Attendees were entertained by Basque dancers; toured Elko tourist attractions like the Western Folklife Center, Northeastern Nevada Museum and the Sherman Station, a former historic ranch house now used as a chamber of commerce office; and sipped complimentary wine served up at local businesses.