Las Vegas tourism is showing signs of recovery despite previous setbacks. According to new reports, the city leads in search increases for September. It surpassed cities like Orlando and New York, as reported by the New York Post.
Data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) indicates a 2.7% rise in visitors this July compared to the previous year. This marks a partial rebound following a 12% drop in visitors in July 2025.
Although hotel occupancy grew by 1.1 percentage points reaching 77.2%, convention attendance decreased by 5.6%, based on LVCVA statistics. Tourist complaints about rising expenses in Las Vegas persist. For instance, a $26 minibar water bottle at Aria led to social media debates in 2025, highlighted in a travel blog and covered by The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Las Vegas has not yet reached its pre-pandemic tourism figures. In 2025, the city attracted 38.5 million visitors, a 7.5% decrease from 2024, according to LVCVA data. Visitor expenditures reduced to $50.8 billion from $55.1 billion the previous year.
LVCVA President Steve Hill noted the visitor volume remains 10% below 2019’s 42.5 million.
The drop in Canadian travelers, once the largest international market for Las Vegas, contributes to this trend. Canadian visitation is down 30% compared to 2019. Additionally, airfare costs to Las Vegas have risen over 20% recently, impacting visitor numbers.
Hill mentioned, “We are still gradually losing leisure travelers, but our convention attendance compensates for this decline.”
The demographic of Las Vegas tourists is evolving. In 2025, 75% of visitors had earnings of $100,000 or more with 44% earning $150,000 or more. The age group 21 to 29 has declined by over 10% since 2022.
Luxury travel expert Whytney Rawls shared that Las Vegas capitalizes on luxury travel, targeting affluent clients through premium rooms, dining, and entertainment.
The city now hosts high-profile events like the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Sphere arena was the top-grossing venue globally in 2025, earning $379 million from ticket sales, according to Wall Street Journal reports.