Las Vegas tourism faces sixth consecutive monthly decline as officials defend city’s value
Las Vegas experienced its sixth straight month of declining visitor numbers in July 2025, with tourism dropping 12% compared to the previous year, even as the city’s top tourism official maintains that Sin City remains competitive and affordable.
Significant drop in visitor numbers
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reported that approximately 3.1 million people visited the city in July, down from 3.5 million during the same period in 2024. This marks an 8% decline in overall visitor volume for the year so far.
Hotel occupancy also took a hit, falling to 76.1% in July compared to 83.7% the previous year—a 7.6% decrease. The average room rate dropped 3.4% to $154.76, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) plummeted 12.1% to $117.77 per day.
Tourism chief addresses concerns
LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill acknowledged the downturn but pushed back against social media narratives declaring “Vegas is dead” due to rising costs. “The idea that generally Las Vegas is not a value, that it is overpriced, I don’t think our customers are doing math when they are concerned about a specific issue,” Hill told reporters Friday.
Hill cited two primary factors behind the decline: economic uncertainty keeping people home to stretch their budgets, and expensive visa requirements deterring international visitors. “You know, if you’ve got a family of four and you want to get a visa to come to the United States, it’s going to cost you about $1,150, and that’s reason enough for a lot of families not to come.”
International travel challenges
Canadian visitors, who represent Las Vegas’s largest international market, have decreased by 18%. Hill attributed this decline partly to political tensions and tariffs. Meanwhile, visitors from Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Australia have shown increases, helped by additional flight routes.
The broader U.S. tourism industry faces similar challenges, with the World Travel & Tourism Council projecting that America would be the only country among 184 studied where foreign visitor spending would fall in 2025.
Resorts respond with promotions
To counter negative perceptions about pricing, several Las Vegas properties have introduced promotional offers:
- Resorts World waived resort fees and parking charges through September 10
- Sahara Las Vegas Hotel offers free parking, late checkout, and room upgrades
- Downtown Grand Hotel bundles dining credits and free slot play with no resort fees
- The Strat promotes “Summer of Value” rooms with all taxes and fees included
Gaming revenue remains resilient
Despite fewer visitors, Nevada casinos maintained strong performance, keeping $1.36 billion from gamblers in July—a 4% increase year-over-year. The Las Vegas Strip drove this growth with $749 million in gaming revenue, up 5.6%.
Hill expressed optimism about the fall season, citing strong convention bookings through December and a packed events calendar. “Don’t believe the narrative,” he insisted, maintaining that Las Vegas continues to offer value across different price points.
Image Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/las-vegas-visitors-tourism-drop-sin-city/
Category: Local News
Subcategory: Tourism & Economy
Date: 08/30/2025
