FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LINCOLN, Neb. (June 22, 2016) --- Planning for the 2016 Nebraska Tourism Conference is in full swing. This year’s conference, themed Renewing Our Legacies, will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18 to Thursday, Oct. 20.  Gering’s Convention and Visitors Bureau will host the event at the Gering Civic Center.

The Nebraska Tourism Conference, held annually at different locations across the state, is designed to bring educational opportunities to the tourism industry that appeal to convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, tourist attractions, festivals and event planners, lodging facilities, tourism-related businesses and federal, city, county and state government offices.

“It’s an honor for Gering to serve as the conference hosts again; we’re excited about the Conference agenda that offers networking and valuable industry knowledge for attendees and the opportunity for Gering to share with industry peers our sense of pride for this area and our attractions,” said Karla Niedan-Streeks, Executive Director of the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The 2016 conference will highlight educational sessions dedicated to marketing, hospitality communication, event planning, inventive sponsorships; as well as updates on planned activities for the Nebraska 150 Celebration in 2017 and the Total Solar Eclipse that will traverse diagonally across Nebraska’s southeast corner to the northwest corner of the state on August 21, 2017. 

“As part of the planning committee, our goal is to secure speakers who will present educational topics and innovative ideas to the industry,” said Nebraska Tourism Commission staffer, Lisa Karnatz, who’s helping lead the Tourism Conference planning committee. “Looking at this year’s speaker lineup, the Conference offers innovative ideas in social media, customer service, tourism trends and current Nebraska events that affect the whole state.  The theme, Renewing Our Legacies, solidifies the Nebraska tourism industry’s desire to support, inspire and cultivate the state as a whole.”       

Hotel reservations may be made now at these Gering/Scottsbluff hotels:
Monument Inn & Suites, (headquarter hotel) $78 a night, 308-436-1950
Hampton Inn by Hilton, $114 a night, 308-635-5200 
Super 8, $75 a night, 308-635-1600.

Registration will be available online beginning August 1 at VisitNebraska.com/Industry.