Reno-Sparks Tourism Tops 5 Million For First Time Since 2007

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The number of tourists visiting Reno-Sparks and Washoe County over the past year has topped the 5 million mark for the first time since 2007.

Officials for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority told the Reno Gazette Journal that key reasons for the increased visitation include a strong U.S. economy, a renewed push to market the Reno-Tahoe area and buzz from the arrival of high-profile companies such as Apple, Google and Tesla.

The RSCVA started tracking visitors in 2002 when the area was in the midst of an economic boom that saw nearly 5.7 million tourists. Tourism took a big hit during the nationwide recession five years later, and visitor counts fell by nearly a quarter to as low as 4.3 million in 2011.

Gov. Brian Sandoval says the Reno area is in the midst of a renaissance.