MORE than 37 million people visit Las Vegas every year with tourism providing jobs for more than a quarter of the population and generating almost 40 per cent of the region’s GDP – so the city was the obvious choice to host the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit 2012.
“We are honoured to host the 11th Global Travel & Tourism Summit,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which will host the event.
“Las Vegas is a premier destination for leisure and business travel and welcomes more than 37 million visitors annually from around the world. Las Vegas was built to host events.
“The travel and tourism industry generates $30 billion for Southern Nevada and employs 235,000 people. The industry is the economic driver for the State of Nevada.
“The industry will be key in the continued recovery of economies worldwide and the WTTC Global Summit will provide the platform to convey that message to business and government leaders everywhere.”
The event will be held at Aria Resort & Casino, the centrepiece of CityCenter, the urban resort destination which opened on the Las Vegas Strip in December 2009. CityCenter is a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World.
Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage, said: “It is a humbling honour to host such an esteemed group of leaders from around the world. While we come together from diverse backgrounds, countries and cultures, we share a deep understanding of the importance that travel plays in the global economy.
“It is most important, especially during these difficult economic times, that we gather to discuss the issues facing our industry and work together to carve out a clear path for our future.”
Las Vegas’s summit bid was significantly strengthened by support from local and regional governments, as well as key industry bodies, such as the US Travel Association (US Travel).