Q&A With Mike Larragueta on the Thriving Northern Nevada Group Market

 

Mike Larragueta is a third-generation Nevadan with 30 years of travel and tourism industry experience evenly split between Vegas and Reno Tahoe. In May 2024, he became the new President and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority. In this Q&A with Meetings Today senior contributor Jeff Heilman, Larragueta shares his outlook and plans for a thriving Northern Nevada group market.  

Q&A: Mike Larragueta, President and CEO, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority

Jeff Heilman: What does your leadership role mean to you?

Mike Larragueta: It fills me with pride and responsibility. My career in Reno Tahoe has allowed me to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders ranging from hoteliers to small business owners to the University of Nevada. My goal is for every visitor to experience my love for this destination and its people.

How have you seen the Northern Nevada group landscape evolve?  

We now compete with larger cities such as Denver, Salt Lake City and Phoenix. Like these cities, we are welcoming more capital investment in resorts, retail and restaurants, which has contributed to higher room rates over the years. Regularly adding pre- and post-stays to their convention dates, our groups are more willing to visit again outside of their meeting, which is a testament to our strong destination-wide offerings.

What sensibilities do you bring to the table as president and CEO?

Working with businesses from local family-owned resorts to larger corporations throughout my career, I am passionate about customer service at all levels, from catering and facilities management to marketing, convention sales and more. These experiences have given me the insights and tools to succeed in the role, along with my leadership pillars of communication, collaboration, community, engagement, partnership and motivation.

What are your benchmarks for success?

Measures include room tax revenue, occupancy and ADR, and group room night production. We’re also strengthening actions to benefit the community, including creating demand to increase air service to the destination. I’m personally invested in maintaining high employee morale and promoting retention and employee satisfaction. 

[Related: Group Dining Experiences in Reno and Lake Tahoe]

What are your key growth opportunities?

We are excited about the new indoor track at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. One of only three indoor tracks on the West Coast, this World Athletics-certified investment will open doors for us as a sports destination, attracting NCAA, USA Track & Field and other meets. The track also creates more opportunities for university and local amateur athletics, providing a spark for tourism in the traditional December-February shoulder season.

Reno-Tahoe International Airport added 90,000 more seats this summer compared to 2023. More air service brings more demand for accommodations, and Reno Tahoe resorts are answering the call, from the billion-dollar capital investment at Grand Sierra Resort to Jacobs Entertainment’s investment in the Neon Line.  

[Related: How Investment in the Reno Tahoe Region Is Changing the Meetings Game]

What is your message to planners? 

Year-round, four-season Reno Tahoe offers abundant activities, from hiking and boating to skiing. Accessibility is a key differentiator, with 11 airlines connecting Reno-Tahoe International Airport to over 20 nonstop destinations, including new Delta service from Atlanta for East Coast connectivity.

Our bottom line is value, plus quality, from affordable amenities to competitive meeting space and room rates. Unique planning flexibility provides significant cost-savings for hosts, exhibitors and attendees. We want to make it easy for planners to do business with Reno Tahoe, including touring the destination and seeing the selection of 15,000-plus hotel rooms and more than 1 million square feet of meeting space through our Come See, Fly Free program. 

Reno Tahoe will make a believer out of anyone once they visit, and I envision increasingly positive local and national brand recognition for the destination.

Read more meeting and event news in Nevada.