Throughout the summer, reports have swirled that Las Vegas is ‘dead’. The Strip is described as empty, along with casinos, sportsbooks, and entertainment venues. Visitors have also slashed spending, according to reports.
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Some believe the setback is due to a range of factors, from rising prices in Vegas to the California wildfires, and could be temporary. Other outlets paint a slightly less optimistic picture based on the expertise of long-time Vegas staff.
Regardless of the reasons why, the data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is clear: the number of visitors is smaller than it was last year, and these visitors are spending less than their 2024 predecessors.
What’s behind the Las Vegas tourism slump?
According to the LVCVA, one reason that tourism numbers are down in the city is due to anxiety around the economy, which means consumers are spending less.
That’s an obvious note here: Vegas is designed for no-holds-barred vacations where just about any delight is allowed… at a premium price, of course.
In short, that type of indulgent vacation is the first to get axed by Americans who are worried about their savings account.
On top of decreased spending from domestic visitors, Las Vegas is also facing a downturn in Canadian tourists and other international visitors. As per Emily Stewart’s reporting for Business Insider, fewer tourists are coming from Asia, and even California, where some are still recovering financially from this year’s devastating wildfires.
Additionally, LVCVA also noted Las Vegas’s increasingly exorbitant prices. Like I’ve mentioned multiple times when covering Vegas, the city has pivoted away from being an after-dark mecca for naughty activities and toward a more welcoming and general entertainment hub.
It’s lost its specific Sin City appeal while also boosting prices, which hasn’t gone over well with tourists.
