Las Vegas Tourism Takes a Hit: Visitor Numbers Drop 12% in July
Las Vegas has been grappling with a persistent decline in tourism, marking its sixth consecutive month of dwindling visitor numbers. In July, the city saw a significant 12% drop compared to the same period last year, as reported by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Visitor numbers fell to a mere 3.1 million in July, indicating a substantial downturn for what was once considered America’s top entertainment hotspot. The decline has been attributed to rising resort fees, parking charges, and overall high costs that are making Las Vegas less appealing to tourists.
Hotel occupancy saw a 6.5% decrease, while room rates dropped to $163.64, down 6.6% from the previous year. Despite the decrease in visitors, casino gaming revenues remained surprisingly resilient. Nevada casinos managed to retain $1.36 billion from gamblers in July, marking a 4% increase year-over-year.
“We’re not happy with the downturn but the city’s taking steps to address that,” said Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
International travel to Las Vegas has been particularly impacted. Canadian visitor numbers fell by 18% due to political tensions and tariffs. However, visits from Mexico, the UK, and Australia have seen an uptick.
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Source: www.covers.com