All sessions will take place in the Paradise Ballroom unless otherwise indicated.
GovCon 2026 will officially kick off with our Welcome Reception, hosted by Visit Reno Tahoe, at 5:30 PM. There are no other events or sessions scheduled earlier in the day, so we encourage you to take this opportunity to relax or explore the Reno Tahoe area at your leisure. Check out Visit Reno Tahoe for full itineraries and more.
Travel Nevada’s CEO, Rafael Villanueva, will open Nevada Governor’s Conference on Tourism (GovCon), welcoming Nevada delegates, tourism professionals, and partners to Reno.
Pro climber Alex Honnold has long known that getting a little out there takes more than nerve. It takes serious preparation, focus, a crew you can count on, and the ability to adapt when the route changes. Making Get a Little Out There with Alex Honnold put those lessons to work in a whole new way. In this keynote, Alex takes us behind the scenes of the five-part Nevada series, sharing what it took to bring it to life, from long approaches and changing weather to unexpected only-in-Nevada encounters. He’ll reflect on what surprised him along the way and what the experience revealed about teamwork, curiosity, and venturing beyond the familiar. He’ll also look at what happened after the credits rolled, when a champion of his sport found himself ready to champion something new: the state he calls home.
The team at Tripadvisor will take you through its 2026 Trendcast report, highlighting what they got right, not what we got right, what may be ahead of its time, and how each trend is showing up in Nevada.
In a panel moderated by Brand USA, join Travel Nevada and its core international market representatives as they discuss core strategies, insights, and trends. Following the discussion, Travel Nevada Specialists from Australia and Canada will take the stage to discuss their recent road trip across the state and share insights about how they plan to sell rural Nevada to their audiences.
Film tourism is projected to generate $120B in global economic impact by 2030, yet many DMOs still have only a simple “Movies filmed here” page. Expedia’s 2026 research shows that 81% of Gen Z and Millennial travelers plan trips around film and TV locations, but many destinations treat film tourism as an afterthought. Join Danette Tull, Lydia Beck, Matt Stiker, and Chris Orr to explore the rapidly evolving dynamics of film tourism and hear real-world examples of how destinations are successfully engaging these audiences.
Join us for a luncheon to recognize and celebrate John Farahi, our 2026 Battle Born Legacy recipient.
This session will explore economic trends, their impact on travel and hospitality, and how travelers are reacting nationally and in Nevada. What are the invisible forces that have enabled travel and hospitality to defy economic gravity? What are the conflicting economic fundamentals that support what is happening in the economy and travel? Why is consumer confidence low but consumers continue to spend? Is the job market tenuous? What are the biggest threats that could impact the economy and travel? Finally, what does all this mean for travel and hospitality in the foreseeable future?
Sponsored by Noble Studios and The Shipyard/Fahlgren Mortine
Travelers don’t just search anymore. They ask, and your destination either shows up in the AI answer or it doesn’t. Industry experts who create integrated plans to optimize and monitor Travel Nevada’s AI visibility will share how paid, earned, shared, and owned media work together to drive AI visibility, and how destination marketing organizations, hoteliers, and tourism businesses can build an integrated presence that captures AI discovery and drives real-world opportunity.
Join Travel Nevada’s Rafael Villanueva, LVCVA’s Fletch Burnelle and RSCVA’s Mike Larragueta for a candid conversation about the state of tourism across Nevada. In this informal “around the bar” discussion, the three leaders will share perspectives from southern Nevada, northern Nevada and the state as a whole—exploring current opportunities and challenges, evolving visitor expectations, statewide collaboration and what may be ahead for Nevada’s tourism industry. Expect an engaging conversation that moves beyond destination updates to examine how Nevada can continue competing, growing and succeeding together.
Join us for a networking hour to close out this year’s GovCon!
Sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
*The current agenda is NOT final, all agenda items are subject to change. Please check back as more details are finalized.
