Governor Bob Miller





	Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov and Nevada Governor Bob Miller	U.S. President Bill Clinton and Nevada Governor Bob Miller

When Bob Miller talks tourism, people listen. For 10 years - longer than any man in the state's history - Bob Miller was governor of Nevada. For two years before that, he was its lieutenant Governor and chairman of the Nevada Commission of Tourism. So, for the period 1987 through 1998, Governor Miller set the tone for assuring that the millions of tourists who would visit the state during his tenurewere treated hospitably.Involving himself peronally, he assisted staff at the Nevada Commission on Tourism in their efforts to build new markets and entice new customers from domestic and international markets. Governor Miller personally made forays in to several nations - Mexico, Korea, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Japan and throughout Europe - always carrying with him the banner of Nevada business and tourism.

In 1998 alone, Miller made three tourism development missions abroad. Each is a microcosm of the success that exemplifies the Miller legacy:
	A June visit to Japan yielded the first non-stop flights between Tokyo and Las Vegas An August visit to Latin America resulted in new charter air service to Las Vegas and 18 top travel wholesalers booking new tours into Southern Nevada. An October excursion to Europe left tourism providers on that continent with more reasons to consider Las Vegas as a gateway city for international travel, while designating certain European cities as "hubs" for travelers making their way to the western United States.
Realizing the importance of tourism within the Nevada economy,Governor Miller involved himself more in the production of the Governor's Conference on Travel and Tourism than any other public official before or since... By 1998, more than 1,000 travel industry professionals gathered at this annual meeting to discuss a wide range of topics. Governor Miller personally arranged for the former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater to speak to the delegates on transportation and airline issues.

Governor Miller 's attention to tourism detail paid off:
	Annual visitor volume in Nevada increased from 34 million to 42,2 million Tourism-related employment in Nevada tripled - from 100,000 to 307,500. Annual convention attendance in Las Vegas rose 141 percent - from 1,7 million to 4,1 million per year. Airport passengers in Nevada increased 104 percent - from 18.6 million in 1989 to 37.9 million in 1997.


	Sources: 1996 Nevada Statistical Abstract prepared by the Nevada Department of Administration, Las VegasConvention and Visitors Authority Ten - Year Review 1988-1997 and 1993 Summary, Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority 1996 Marketing Report, and Discover the Facts prepared by the Nevada Commission on Tourism. Figures shown in millions.

Governor Bob Miller has set a new standard for Nevada's tourism development efforts. His personal style and firsthand knowledge of Nevada's tourism industry has taken that state in a very promising direction. Working with elected officials, gaming and tourism industry executives, aviation experts and the media, Governor Miller built a broad base of support both within the state and within global corporate and government communities .

On the national level, Governor Miller participated as a member - and ultimately the chairman - of the National Governors' Associations. Because of his skill and high regard in Washington, D. C., Governor Miller was called upon several times to serve as a negotiator between Congress, the nation's governors and the White House. He was also invited to join in the American Assembly, a group dedicated to forward-thinking dialogue on critical issues affecting U.S. policy and interests. He was the only governor invited to attend its three-day session; most attendees were current or former White House advisers, ambassadors, journalists or heads of major universities.

Governor Miller remains a recognized figure, with tremendous experience and personal relationships in diverse corridors of power. His personal enthusiasm and uncanny ability to make friends in even a brief meeting are the continued hallmark of his success.