Understanding the Role of the Virginia City Tourism Commission

You’ve seen a ghost or a camel or a parade (or all three – oh my!) in Virginia City, Nevada, but have you ever wondered where the Virginia City Tourism Commission (VCTC) fits into these things?

My name is Leah Kruse, and I am the Events and Assistant Tourism Director for the VCTC. This is the first in a new series of “behind the scenes” articles for our monthly newsletter, and since you’re a subscriber, I figured what better place to start than with the question I get asked the most: What exactly does the VCTC do?

This will be the longest article in the series – promise. Going forward, these “behind the scenes” pieces will be shorter, but I wanted to start with a full picture of what we do. The VCTC is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Virginia City and Storey County, Nevada. In plain terms, that means that we promote tourism, preserve history, and support local businesses. Sounds good on paper, right? But what does this look like?

Let’s start at the Visitor Center. Located at 86 South C Street, it’s often the first stop for visitors. There, we offer maps, attraction tickets, up-to-date information, and answers to just about every question under the sun (yes, even the weird ones – look for an upcoming article on those). We do our best to stay current on hours for shops, restaurants, saloons, and attractions all so you can make the most of your visit. Tell us how much time you have, and we’ll help you plan your day.

Now, let’s talk about the camel in the room, events. Whether it’s a parade, a saloon crawl, or a street filled with chili tastings, chances are the VCTC is behind it. Along with our contracted event planning team, we are responsible for organizing Virginia City’s annual signature events like the International Camel and Ostrich Races, the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, our Hauntober festivities, Chili on the Comstock, and many more!

These events don’t just happen; they’re months in the making. We’re involved in everything from planning, permitting, and promotion to porta-potties and execution.

We don’t just create events on our own, though; we are also the go-to starting point for anyone looking to host something in Virginia City. If you’ve got an idea and think that this quirky little town might be the perfect backdrop for it, come see us first. From film festivals to fundraisers, we’ve helped all kinds of events find a home here.

Of course, the Visitor Center and events are just a small portion of the big picture. Behind the scenes, we are also busy promoting Virginia City through digital, print, and broadcast media, with the help of our contracted marketing team. From maintaining our website and running targeted ad campaigns to posting about our haunted hotels and vintage vibes on social media, our marketing efforts are designed to keep Virginia City top of mind. We collaborate with media outlets, travel influencers, and tourism partners to make sure the world knows that Virginia City isn’t just a stop, it’s a destination.

We also take pride in being a transparent and accessible organization. Our board meetings are open to the public, our agendas and minutes are posted online, and we welcome and need community feedback. Tourism should help the people who live and work here, and we want our stakeholders, you, to feel informed, supported, and included.

And let’s not forget history. Preserving and promoting Virginia City’s incredible past is a cornerstone of our work. Whether we’re supporting educational walking tours, marketing historic sites, or keeping the spirit of the Comstock alive through storytelling and interpretation, we never lose sight of the fact that history is not just our past, but what we build our future on.

At the heart of everything we do, whether it’s throwing a parade or handing out a map, is a commitment to supporting our merchants and preserving Virginia City’s unique history. These aren’t just boxes we check; they’re the reason we exist. Every event we produce, every social media post we make, every brochure we print, and every ticket we sell at the Visitor Center is designed to keep Virginia City thriving. We want visitors like you to walk our
boardwalks, yes, but more importantly, we want you to linger, shop, dine, learn, and connect with the past.

Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes looks at how we do what we do. And if you ever have questions or want to get involved, our doors and inboxes are always open.