Las Vegas is in the middle of a tourism downturn, with visitor volume declining steadily through 2025. The city saw an 11.3% drop in June and a 12% decline in July compared to last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
International travel has been hit especially hard: July arrivals by air were down 5.7% compared to last July, according to Harry Reid International Airport data.
Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), attributes the decline in leisure visitors to economic uncertainty, weaker consumer confidence, and a perception that Las Vegas has become too expensive.
Resort fees now range from $40 to $60, while food and beverage prices have climbed sharply. “This is not helpful from a brand standpoint,” Hill said.
International policies are also playing a role. New visa processing fees of $250 for inbound travelers to the U.S. set to go into effect on October 1 will discourage some visitors from booking trips.. “This $250 fee is an additional deterrent for them to visit the U.S. At some point, it becomes too hard to overcome what we are throwing in their way,” Hill said.
Vegas Continues to Bet on Conventions
Convention attendance has fluctuated: down 10.7% in June but up 10.7% in July. The July rebound reflects the timing of major trade shows, which continue to bring large-scale business to the city even as leisure demand weakens. They included Cosmoprof North America, a beauty event that gathered 35,000 and the Las Vegas Market, a furniture and gift show that drew 38,000.
Conventions and trade shows booked in the city for 2026, are a bright spot, said Hill.
“2026 has a chance to be the best group meeting and trade show year in the history of Las Vegas,” said Hill. “We are headed into a 16-month stretch where Las Vegas has never had the lineup of meetings and trades shows that we have. It’s not that we are just being optimistic because these are all booked.”
CONEXPO-CON/AGG, a show that draws more than 130,000 construction professionals to Las Vegas every three years returns in 2026.
Vegas’ Message to the World
In response to tourism declines, resorts are responding, said Hill.
Examples include Resorts World waiving resort fees and paid parking through September 10 and Caesars offering $300 Escape packages that includes two-night stays at Harrah’s, The LINQ, or Flamingo with a $200 food and beverage credit. Hill said there is more to come.
“They’ve got plans to do more. We’ve talked with all of them over the past couple of weeks and you get encouraged by ‘We see that and we’re doing something about that.’”
The LVCVA itself is rolling out a new marketing campaign that will include ads, activations,and partnerships inspired by the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. The new campaign is a reminder of “how Las Vegas makes you feel,” said Michon Martin, CEO of R&R Partners, the agency that helped created the campaign.
At Harry Reid International Airport, the Terminal 1 rideshare area will be redesigned into “Fabulous Pickups” with neon décor, live performances, and selfie stations.
“This campaign is our renewed promise that as our city grows, our foundation remains unchanged: we are committed to providing fabulous experiences for every visitor, at every price point,” Hill said.
