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Long-Time Convention Authority Exec Sticks to Tried-and-True Tourism Tactics

LAS VEGAS -- During his 30-year tenure with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Rossi Ralenkotter has seen the city's tourism industry overcome one major challenge after another.

These days, it's taking on multiple trials at once.

Despite the magnified threat to the city's tourism industry, Ralenkotter recently said Las Vegas will succeed by sticking to the same approach it's used to lure new visitors for decades: aggressive research and marketing.

"I've seen energy crises and shortages, recessions, the first Gulf War, the start of (gaming) competition in Atlantic City and throughout the United States, and increased competition in the convention industry,"

Ralenkotter said. "Now we've got the war going on and the lingering impact of 9-11 (2001), threats of terrorism, the economy, outside competition and the need to find new (customer) markets, as well as the roller coaster on Wall Street stemming from (the) Enron (scandal).

"All of those things are with us at the same time, so we have to be very diligent with how we spend our marketing dollars," said Ralenkotter, who on March 19 began his 31st year as a convention authority employee.

Though he no longer directly supervises the authority's marketing division after his November promotion to executive vice president, Ralenkotter still places his trust in the department he helped create decades ago. Now under the direction of Senior Vice President Terry Jicinsky, the authority's 137-employee marketing division will this year devote about one-third of its approximately $87 million annual budget toward marketing and research efforts.

"Research really helps us understand what type of message will resonate with the traveling public," said Jicinsky, who cited recent research that told the authority consumers are more interested in short, two- to three-day getaways as opposed to week-long trips. As a result, it focused its ads accordingly.

"We don't want to be out there with a message that's inappropriate for people's everyday lives," Jicinsky said. "Knowing what's going on allows us to share our message more effectively."

Fueled by several months of research, the authority launched its $58 million, 20-month ad campaign in January, just weeks before the start of war in the Middle East. As a result of that timing, Ralenkotter said public and private sector tourism leaders must w ork closely together to help maintain the program's effectiveness.

"In all of the years I've been here, I think we're working closer with the hotel properties" than ever, Ralenkotter said. "That gives us a tremendous marketing advantage against the other destinations."

Mandalay Resort Group spokesman John Marz said the lines of communication between local hotels and the convention authority are always open, though their activity picks up during times of crisis.

"We've got a good, open dialogue and it's been very beneficial for the destination and the hotels," Marz said.

After 29 years of working primarily with research and marketing, last year's promotion has fueled rumors that Ralenkotter is poised to take control of the authority whenever current President and Chief Executive Officer Manny Cortez decides to step down. Though he maintains he's happy as a No. 2, Ralenkotter admits he's entertained thoughts of someday replacing Cortez.

"At the time Manny does decide to retire, I would hope to be considered for his position," Ralenkotter said.

Ralenkotter's desire to head a convention and visitor agency isn't without limits, though. Over the years, he said he's declined several opportunities to be the top man in other cities because he's comfortable working on behalf of the town he's lived in since age 4.

"For all these years to be able to market and sell my hometown has been both a challenge and a joy," Ralenkotter said. "This is where I've grown up, my family is here ... and this is where I want to be."

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