Carson City, Nev. – Nevadans have nominated and begun the elimination process to name their favorite attractions in the Silver State. The “Discover Your Nevada” campaign is down to the final two contenders in each tourism territory.

Discover Your Nevada is a campaign by the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) designed to spur in-state travel and educate Nevadans about what makes their state so unique. Locals’ favorite spots were nominated as “Nevada Treasures” in each of the state’s six tourism territories. Three rounds of voting will narrow the choices down to the No. 1 treasure in each territory.

“Everyone loves a friendly competition, so we use this program to educate Nevadans about some areas they may not know about, and to encourage them to explore and travel within the state,” Claudia Vecchio, director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, said. “This year we took the competition to Facebook, a site that many people look at daily, and where we can get the most exposure for each potential winner.”

The finalists are: Cowboy Country: Safe Haven Rescue Zoo and The Star Hotel Basque Restaurant.  Reno-Tahoe Territory: Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park and the Wilbur D. May CenterIndian Territory: The Lost City Museum and Pyramid Lake Pony Express Territory: Great Basin National Park and the Nevada Northern Railway Nevada Silver Trails: Belmont Courthouse and the Pahrump Valley WineryLas Vegas Territory: The Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery and the Nevada State Museum

“Our state is so varied and vast that we could not possibly have a single ‘treasure’ that represents the entire state, so we highlight one iconic attraction in each territory that the voters decide is their top treasure,” Vecchio said. The competition began on July 3 with a nomination period followed by two rounds of voting. Then a final round of voting began today and ends at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, and will deliver the winners.

Each treasure will receive a commemorative plaque and be featured in future NCOT promotions.

Go to www.facebook.com/TravelNevada and click on the “Discover Your Nevada” tile at the top of the page. One vote may be cast per territory in 24 hours, so visitors are encouraged to vote daily and rally support for their favorite treasure. -end-