LAS VEGAS — Southern Nevada tourism officials are starting a $12 million ad campaign to invite visitors and conventioneers to town despite high gasoline prices, sagging consumer confidence and a global credit crisis.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, representing area governments and the largest Las Vegas area hotel-casinos, gave the go-ahead last week to the "Vegas Right Now" campaign to run through June.

The aim, officials said, is to spur trips to Sin City by customers the authority dubs "Vegas enthusiasts."

"Every magazine and every newspaper and every television station has covered the economy," said Terry Jicinsky, marketing vice president for the authority. "This campaign will address some of that."

The convention and visitors authority, which controls the "What Happens Here, Stays Here" ad campaign, mounted a similar ad blitz amid a tourism slump following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The "Vegas Right Now" unveiling coincided with the announcement of a $20 million campaign by the Vegas.com Web site, called "The Vegas Experts." Those ads feature Vegas.com employees scouting parties, clubs and hotels on behalf of Web site users.

Research presented during the authority's monthly meeting showed declines in arrivals and departures at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, decreasing visitor traffic from Southern California and a dip in casino gambling revenue.

The CVA ads will be targeted in cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and San Francisco as well as Boston, Atlanta and Dallas.