CARSON CITY, Nev., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Bruce Bommarito, director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT), has accepted a top position in Washington, D.C., with the nation's largest and most authoritative travel and trade association.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050725/SLNVCOMTUR) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040114/NEVTOURLOGO)

Bommarito will leave NCOT Dec. 1 to become vice president of international planning for the Travel Industry Association (TIA), which represents the interests of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and promotes increased travel to the United States.

"Bruce Bommarito has provided great leadership to the Nevada Commission on Tourism, and has been instrumental in developing partnerships and tourism infrastructure that benefit not only individual communities, but the entire state," Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, NCOT chair, said. "His professionalism, creativity and drive will be very much missed. We wish him the very best in his new position and know that TIA will benefit greatly from his expertise."

Bommarito currently serves on TIA's Board of Directors and chairs its International Strategic Planning Committee. He also is co-chair of the U.S. Tourism Export Expansion Initiative working to rebuild tourism with Japan since 9/11. Bommarito was instrumental in obtaining for NCOT the first license the Chinese government has ever granted to a U.S. tourism entity to advertise in China and in opening NCOT's office in Beijing. He oversees the operations of NCOT's international representatives in Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and France.

"The work to be accomplished at TIA building tourism to the United States will directly benefit Nevada, which is a favorite destination for international visitors and ranks No. 6 in spending by these travelers," Bommarito said.

Bommarito was appointed to direct NCOT in June 2001 following a 28-year career managing hotels, resorts and casinos across the United States and serving on state and city tourism boards of directors. He has been licensed by gaming regulatory commissions in Nevada, Arizona and Mississippi and served on the watchdog Gulf Coast Crime Commission.

NCOT markets and promotes Nevada's No. 1 industry, tourism, worldwide with tourism-building missions, trade shows, publicity, advertising, familiarization tours, a made-for-TV adventure competition program, rural marketing grants and many other activities.

In 2002, Bommarito guided the launching of an innovative advertising and promotional campaign that for the first time characterized Nevada as an outdoor adventure destination. He has directed production of NCOT's Governor's Conference on Tourism since 2001.

Before coming to NCOT, Bommarito was vice president of operations at Caesars Tahoe resort, now MontBleu Resort at Stateline, Nev., where he managed 1,200 employees and a $100 million budget. He also served as general manager of the Native American-owned Blue Water Resort and Casino in Parker, Ariz., chief operating officer of President Casino/Broadwater Beach Resort in Biloxi, Miss., general manager of Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., and held executive management positions for hotels and convention centers in North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky, South Carolina and Colorado.

A successor will be chosen later by the governor from among three candidates the commission recommends.

CONTACT: Chris Chrystal, cchrystal@travelnevada.com, or Bethany
Drysdale, both of Nevada Commission on Tourism, +1-775-687-4322

Web site: http://www.travelnevada.com/