LAS VEGAS (AP) – Tourism in Las Vegas has been declining this summer, with resorts and convention centres reporting fewer visitors, particularly compared to last year. From overseasand some officials have denounced the Trump administration Customs and Immigrants Decay policy.
Known for its gorgeous shows, endless buffets and 24-hour gambling, the city welcomed 3.1 million visitors, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Mayor Shelly Berkeley said tourism from Canada, Nevada’s largest international market, has dried up from the “drip.” Same as Mexico.
“We have a lot of very high rollers coming from Mexico, but we’re not that enthusiastic right now. That seems to be a common attitude internationally,” Berkeley told reporters this month.
Trump’s Slump
Ted Papp Gorge, Head of Powerful Cooking Workers Unioncalled it “Trump’s poor performance.” He said visits with a large Latino population from Southern California are also depleted as people fear the regime’s crackdown on immigrants.
“If they say they’re not welcome in the rest of the world, they won’t come,” Pappe Gorge said.
Vegas dip mirror a Nationwide trends. Travel forecasting company Tourism EconomicsIn December 2024, the US expects to win nearly 9% international arrivals this year, revised its annual outlook to forecast a 9.4% decline. The company said some of the sharpest declines could be from Canada. Canada was the largest visitor to the United States in 2024, with over 20.2 million people, according to US government data.
Data from the Canadian airline show fewer passengers from the north of the border, arriving at Harry Reed International Airport in Las Vegas. Air Canada In June, passenger numbers fell 33% in June compared to a year ago, while Westjet fell 31%. Low-cost airline Flair reported a whopping 62% decline.
The Canadian travel agency said there is a major recession for clients who want to visit the US, particularly those who want to visit Las Vegas. Wendy Hart, who booked a trip from Windsor, Ontario, said the reason was “certainly politics.” She speculated that it was the point of “national pride” that people were separated from the United States after the president. Donald Trump He said he wanted Canada to be the 51st province.
“The tariffs are big too. They seem to contribute to rising costs all,” Hart said.
The sky hasn’t fallen
According to owner and CEO Derek Stevens, the Circa Resort and downtown casinos have seen international visits, particularly from Canada and Japan. But the recession comes after post-pandemic spikes, Stephens said. And although hotel room reservations are saggy, he said the game numbers, especially for sports betting, are still strong.
“It’s not like the sky is falling,” he said. Wealthy visitors are still here, and Circa is introducing cheaper package deals to seduce people with less money.
“There were many stories written about Vegas’ ‘ends coming near’,” he said. “But Vegas continues to reform itself as a destination worth visiting.”
At the top day destination on the AAA’s annual top 10 list, Las Vegas skated to its final spot this year from 6th in 2024.
Reports of the decline of tourism were news to the Allison Ferry, arriving from Donegal, Ireland, where we managed to find a large crowd at the casino and the Las Vegas Strip.
“It’s very busy. It’s busy everywhere we went. And it’s really, really hot,” Ferry said. She added that she has not paid much attention to our politics.
Business withstanding recession
Right next to the strip, there was no slowdown at the Pinball Museum, which featured games dating back to the 1930s. Manager Jim Arnold said the charm of two years ago could withstand the recession. Because it is one of the few places that offer free parking and admission.
“We decided our plan was to ignore inflation and pretend it doesn’t exist,” Arnold said. “So you still take a quarter of your pocket and put it in the game and you don’t pay either the resort fee, the cancellation fee, or that jazz.”
However, Arnold said he was not surprised that overall tourism could be slowing down, citing surges in prices at high-end restaurants and resorts “thinning low-end tourists.”
The mayor said rising costs of food, hotel rooms and attractions are also absent from visitors.
“People feel it’s getting dark with nickel and they’re not getting the value of the dollar,” Berkley said. She urged business owners to “see if we can’t make it more affordable” for tourists.
“That’s all we want. We want them to come, have a good time, spend their money and go home,” the mayor said. “I’ll come back in six months then.”
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Weber reported from Los Angeles.
