LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas will showcase its resiliency and thank those on the frontlines of the hospitality industry during National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, May 3 – 9, 2020.

Organized by the U.S. Travel Association, this year’s celebration will spotlight hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with the theme, the Spirit of Travel. With tourism being Southern Nevada’s largest industry and among the hardest hit due to the impact of coronavirus, a complete recovery will take time and perseverance. But thanks to strength of the hospitality industry and its commitment to a safe and healthy reopening, Las Vegas will rise to the occasion.

“At the heart of the travel industry are the dedicated hospitality workers, and we appreciate all they do to make Las Vegas the world’s best destination,” says Steve Hill, LVCVA president and CEO.  “Despite these trying times, Las Vegas remains a popular escape and we look forward to welcoming our guests back when the time is right.”

Las Vegas will honor NTTW with the release of a video on Sunday, May 3 featuring poignant messages from local hospitality workers. During a Red Takeover on Tuesday, May 5, from 7:30 pm to midnight, various resorts and attractions from downtown to the Las Vegas Strip, including the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, will be lit red, the official color of NTTW, in a show of solidarity. And a #SpiritofTravel social media campaign will feature red filters and sharable assets.

Also on Tuesday, May 5, beginning at 9 am, the U.S. Travel Association will host a Virtual Road Trip on Twitter, which will highlight the destinations, restaurants, hotels, small businesses, parks and attractions that embody America’s spirit of travel. Participants can engage by using the hashtag #VirtualRoadTrip while 50 stops across the country are highlighted within 12 hours. Nevada is scheduled to be featured at 4:15 pm PT.

As the global COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the travel industry, now more than ever, the travel and tourism community must come together and support each other. NTTW is an opportunity to remind our country that even through the most difficult times the Spirit of Travel cannot be broken.

“Through every hardship, I find myself in awe of the travel industry’s ability to join together, adapt, and emerge stronger than before,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “This is our toughest challenge yet, but what I’ve seen is that the spirit of travel has not been shattered.”

Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S. Visit www.ustravel.org/NTTW to learn more about NTTW. For more information about the Las Vegas Convention Center, visit www.vegasmeansbusiness.com.

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ABOUT THE LVCVA    
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, as well as operating the Las Vegas Convention Center.  With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and approximately 12 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA’s mission centers on attracting leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.comor www.visitlasvegas.com.