Las Vegas tourism faced a decline last year, but recent data indicates potential recovery. According to the New York Post, Las Vegas led Priceline’s list of U.S. destinations with the highest year-over-year search increase for September, surpassing Orlando and New York.
Reports from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reveal a 2.7% rise in visitors compared to the previous July. This marks a partial rebound, following a 12% visitation drop in July 2025.
Hotel occupancy saw a modest increase with a 1.1 percentage point rise to 77.2%, although convention attendance fell by 5.6%. Despite challenges like increased costs, tourists show signs of returning to Las Vegas.
“Vegas is starting to attract tourists again despite high prices,” according to an iStock report.
Controversies arose due to rising costs, such as a $26 minibar water bottle at the Aria hotel, which sparked social media outrage. Tourists complained they were being excessively charged.
Las Vegas hasn’t yet fully regained its pre-pandemic tourism levels. In 2025, 38.5 million visitors were welcomed, down by 7.5% from 2024. Visitor spending decreased to $50.8 billion from $55.1 billion in 2024.
The LVCVA stated that current annual visitor numbers are about 10% lower than the 42.5 million recorded in 2019. LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill highlighted the impact of a decline in Canadian travelers, usually a significant international market for Las Vegas.
Canadian visitation has dropped around 30% from 2019 levels, alongside a 20% rise in airfare costs. Tourists often note the increased expenses for accommodations, dining, entertainment, and other activities as factors affecting vacations.
Hill shared with the Nevada Economic Forum that leisure travelers are dwindling, but strong convention attendance compensates for this loss.
Visitor demographics in Las Vegas are shifting. In 2025, 75% of visitors earned $100,000 or more, with 44% earning $150,000 or more. Moreover, the 21 to 29 age group saw visitation decline over 10% since 2022.
“Gaming was once the biggest revenue source, but today premium room rates, luxury dining, nightlife, entertainment, retail, and large-scale events are contributing significantly,” said luxury travel expert Whytney Rawls.
Rawls added that Las Vegas is appealing to affluent travelers by focusing on luxury experiences. New upscale restaurants, enhanced hospitality packages, and events like the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix emphasize this shift.
Live entertainment continues as a major attraction. The Sphere grossed $379 million from 1.7 million tickets sold in 2025, ranking as the highest-grossing arena globally for the year.
Contributions from Jessica Mekles of Fox News Digital informed this report. Teresa Mull from the Lifestyle team at Fox News Digital provided additional writing.