Vegas tourism is slumping. Are Californians staying home?
Traffic on Interstate 15 at the California-Nevada border was down 4.3% over the same span, suggesting fewer visitors from the Golden State heading for Vegas casinos.
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Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: California can't take all the blame for Las Vegas' tourism decline
To the editor: Staff writer Terry Castleman asserts that 'Californians could be responsible for a significant portion of the decline in Vegas tourism' ('Las Vegas is down on its luck as tourism drops. Why it's kind of California's fault,' Aug. 4). Although this may be true, the article does not go into other factors as to why tourism in Las Vegas has significantly declined. Before tourism in Vegas decreased, its expenses were already high, from fast food combo meals costing at least $30 to cocktails pricing at $25, not to mention the typical price of a hotel room being more than $160 per night. With Californians dealing with our own economic struggles, Vegas is just way too expensive to vacation to, which could also be a major reason for Vegas tourism declining. Madison Fujimoto, Gardena .. To the editor: Castleman's article on tourism being down in Las Vegas should be a wake-up call to and an opportunity for California. We know that the world is not enamored with President Trump. But we still need tourism, so let's set ourselves apart from Trump's America. All tourists to California should get an across-the-board 10% reduction on hotel rooms, meals, ride-share services and tickets to museums and theme parks. Let's put the welcome mat out to the world. Chuck Heinz, West Hills
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Las Vegas tourism is sinking — and younger Americans could be to blame
The latest statistics confirm the social chatter that Las Vegas tourism has hit a dramatic low, with some even calling Vegas an experience of the past. Only 3.1 million people visited Sin City in June, down 11.3% compared to last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Advertisement Social media users have called out the high prices of everything from dining to parking, citing these and other reasons for staying away. Robby Starbuck, conservative activist and host of 'The Robby Starbuck Show,' told Fox News Digital it is not just prices that are keeping people out of Vegas. 'Now nearly everyone under 40 who bets seems to do it online,' Starbuck said this week. 'I don't know one person under 40 who goes to Vegas regularly to bet or play slots,' he added. Advertisement 'This trend will continue with younger people because, honestly, our minds are wired differently.' The U.S. online gambling market in 2024 was estimated at $12.68 billion, according to Grand View Research. Tom Reeg, Caesars Entertainment CEO, said it would be a 'soft summer' on a recent earnings call, according to local reports. 3 The latest statistics confirm the social chatter that Las Vegas tourism has hit a dramatic low. lucky-photo – Advertisement Starbuck said generational differences also could be pushing down the popularity of visiting Las Vegas. 'Another differentiator is that older generations focused on real-life interaction, while younger generations feel just as content with parasocial online experiences,' he said. 'The Vegas marketing image is one centered on slots and showgirls, two things young people have no interest in,' said Starbuck. He added, 'The typical casino feel and marketing just won't be as successful with young people who have 40 options to gamble on their phones from the comfort of their own home.' Advertisement 3 Only 3.1 million people visited Sin City in June, down 11.3% compared to last year. SvetlanaSF – An additional generational difference, Starbuck pointed out, is that younger generations are ditching the bottle. 'Younger generations drink alcohol at lower rates than older generations did at their age. That's going to have a material impact on the Vegas business model if young people drink less,' he said. The number of people in their 20s who chose to abstain from alcohol more than doubled between 2001 and 2019, going from 9% to 22%, according to a 2019 National Drug Strategy Household survey. And a recent Gallup survey found that roughly 38% of adults under age 35 now identify as fully abstaining from alcohol. In addition, more than a quarter of Gen Z respondents felt 'very concerned' about the potential health effects of drinking alcohol, according to Civic Science. Hotel rates down, too The hotel industry is also feeling the burn of fewer visitors. Occupancy rates dropped 6.5%, while average daily room rates have lowered to $163.64 – down 6.6%, according to the LVCVA. Advertisement Meanwhile, a 43-story hotel and casino has been put on an indefinite pause, SF Gate reported. The property has a prime location on the Vegas strip and will remain an empty lot for parking for now. Starbuck said he's been to Las Vegas a number of times in his life and doesn't see himself visiting again unless there is a change. 3 The hotel industry is also feeling the burn of fewer visitors, according to reports. Kristof – Advertisement 'If it feels like a place where I can see the future and bring my whole family, then you'll see me in Vegas again,' he said. 'Without that kind of transformation, Vegas is in trouble in the coming decades,' he predicted. 'If Vegas wants to win with young people in the future, it's going to have to transition to a must-see destination that makes you feel like you have just entered the future.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Las Vegas is down on its luck as tourism drops. Why it's kind of California's fault
Sin City is facing a summer swoon, and Californians — by far the largest tourist contingent, data show — are partially to blame. Visits to Las Vegas were down 11.3% in June 2025 versus a year earlier, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Traffic on Interstate 15 at the California-Nevada border was down 4.3% over the same period, suggesting fewer visitors from the Golden State heading for Vegas casinos. The number of air travelers into Las Vegas overall declined 6.3% over the previous June. In 2024, Californians made up more than a fifth of air travelers into Vegas, with nearly half of those coming from the Los Angeles metro area. A demographic report from the visitors authority estimated that Southern California provided 30% of all visitors to Las Vegas in 2024. Add it all up, and Californians could be responsible for a significant portion of the decline in Vegas tourism. Tourism within the U.S. is only part of the picture, though, as experts previously predicted slumps in international tourism across the country. The convention and visitors authority estimates that 12% of the city's visitors are international. A report from the World Travel and Tourism Council projected that the U.S. would lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending in 2025. "While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the 'closed' sign,' Julia Simpson, the council's president, said in a statement. The report cited air-travel booking data from March that showed a 15% to 20% drop in expected travel from major tourism sources including the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. Visitors from Canada and Mexico made up more than half of international tourists to Las Vegas in 2024, according to data from the visitors authority. But President Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state and his decision to hit Canada with tariffs have not endeared him to Canadian travelers. Meanwhile, media overseas have been bombarded with stories of capricious denials and detentions at U.S. border crossings. Las Vegas is not alone in its travel woes. In May, Gov. Gavin Newsom predicted a "Trump Slump" in international travel to California brought on in part by the president's tariff regime. "Las Vegas thrives on tourism," Rep. Steven Horsford wrote last week on X, "but under the Trump slump, the numbers are tanking." Horsford, a Democrat represents Nevada's 4th Congressional District, which includes a portion of Las Vegas. By many metrics — including visitor totals, convention attendance and room occupancy rates — Las Vegas has yet to recover fully since the onset of the pandemic. In dollar terms, however, Sin City continues to profit even as visitor numbers drop: Clark County collected $1.16 billion in gambling revenue in June 2025, up 3.5% from a year earlier. In the end, the house always wins. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword
