Visitation to Southern Nevada has experienced a consistent decline, with June marking the sixth consecutive month of reduced numbers. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported an 11.3 percent decrease in visitors, with 3.1 million people visiting in June. This is the first double-digit percentage decline since February 2021. For the year, visitation has decreased each month, averaging a decline of 7.3 percent to 19.6 million.
Various tourism indicators showed declines, except for Clark County’s gaming win. Kevin Bagger from the LVCVA noted that economic uncertainty and reduced consumer confidence contributed to the drop, along with a slower convention month. Convention attendance decreased by 10.7 percent, partly due to some events relocating from Las Vegas this year.
Hotel metrics also saw declines, with occupied room nights down 9.7 percent and the occupancy rate dropping to 78.7 percent, the lowest since August 2022. The average daily room rate fell by 6.6 percent to $163.64. Air traffic at Harry Reid International Airport decreased for the fifth straight month, with a 6.3 percent drop in passengers. International arrivals fell 9.8 percent, while domestic travel decreased by 6.1 percent.
Despite these declines, there were positive aspects. Highway traffic into Las Vegas increased slightly, and Clark County’s gaming win saw a rise, with Nevada’s gaming win totals up 3.5 percent in June. Although it wasn’t enough to set a record for the fiscal year, gaming win has steadily increased since the pandemic shutdowns, ending a three-year streak of record growth.
In June, most Southern Nevada submarkets experienced increases in gaming win, with downtown Las Vegas and the Boulder Strip seeing double-digit gains. However, for the fiscal year, the Strip’s gaming win declined by 3 percent. Overall, Clark County remains the dominant gaming submarket, contributing significantly to the state’s total win.
The state’s gaming performance, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, was supported by sports and entertainment events, including concerts and major sports events at venues like Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena.