Las Vegas tourism is down this summer, with resorts and convention centers reporting fewer visitors than last year, especially from abroad, and some senior officials are blaming tariffs and the immigration policies of President Donald Trump's administration, the Associated Press reported, BTA reported.
The city, known for its lavish parties, constant catering and round-the-clock gambling, welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11 percent drop compared to the same period in 2024. Foreign tourists were down 13 percent, and hotel occupancy fell nearly 15 percent, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The mayor City Councilor Shelley Berkeley said that the flow of tourists from Canada, Nevada's largest international market, has declined significantly. The same is true for Mexico.
Ted Papageorge, head of the influential Culinary Workers Union, called the trend "the Trump decline." He said visits from Southern California, where there is a significant Latino diaspora, are also declining because people are afraid of the administration's crackdown on immigration.
"If you tell the rest of the world they're not welcome, then they won't come," Papageorge said. The decline in tourism in Las Vegas reflects a nationwide trend. Tourism Economics, a travel forecasting firm, (Tourism Economics), which in December 2024 expected the United States to register nearly 9 percent more international tourist arrivals this year, adjusted its annual forecast last week to a decline of 9.4 percent. According to the company, the largest outflow of tourists will come from Canada, which in 2024 brought the most tourists to the United States - more than 20.2 million, according to US government data.
Data from Canadian airlines show that fewer passengers from north of the border are arriving at Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport. "Air Canada" reported a 33 percent drop in passenger numbers in June compared to the same period last year, and "WestJet" reported a 31 percent drop. Low-cost carrier "Flyer" (Flair) has seen a huge 62 percent drop.
Tour operators in Canada have reported a significant drop in the number of their customers wanting to visit the United States in general and Las Vegas in particular. Wendy Hart, who books trips from Windsor, Ontario, said the reason is certainly political. She suggested it was a matter of "national pride" for people to stay away from the United States after President Donald Trump said he wanted to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.
"Tariffs also play a significant role. They seem to contribute to the rising cost of everything," Hart noted.
At the "Circa Resort and Casino" in downtown Las Vegas, international visits have declined, especially from Canada and Japan, said Derek Stevens, the resort's owner and CEO. He emphasizes that the decline is still being recorded after the peak following the pandemic. And while hotel room reservations are weak, there is no shortage of gamblers, especially sports betting enthusiasts.
"It's not like the sky is falling on us", said Stevens, emphasizing that wealthier visitors are still coming, and the complex has also introduced cheaper package deals to attract people with less money to spend.
"Many stories have been written about how "the end is near" in Vegas," he notes. "But Vegas continues to reinvent itself as a destination worth visiting."
In the American Automobile Association's (AAA) annual list of the top 10 best Labor Day destinations, Las Vegas fell to last place this year from 6th place in 2024. Seattle and Orlando, Florida, home to Disney World, are holding steady in the top two spots, with New York City climbing to third place by 2025.
The decline in tourist numbers surprised Allison Ferry, who traveled from Donegal, Ireland, to see huge crowds at the casinos and on the Strip.
"It's been very busy. It's been busy everywhere we've gone. And it's really hot," Ferry said. She added that she doesn't pay much attention to U.S. politics.
Not far from the Strip, the Pinball Museum, which features games from the 1930s to the present, is no slouch. Manager Jim Arnold says the attraction, built two decades ago, is recession-proof because it's one of the few places that offers free parking and free admission.
"We decided that our plan was to just ignore inflation and pretend it didn't exist," Arnold said. "So you're still taking twenty-five cents out of your pocket and putting it into the game without having to pay a resort fee or a cancellation fee or anything like that."
But Arnold isn't surprised that overall tourism could be down because of skyrocketing prices at upscale restaurants and resorts, which is "pushing out lower-end tourists."
According to Shelley Berkley, rising prices for groceries, hotel rooms and attractions are also driving away visitors.
"People feel like they're not getting value for their money," she said, urging business owners to make Las Vegas more accessible to tourists.
"And that's all we want - for them to come and have fun, spend their money and go home," she said Berkeley. "Then come back in six months."