Las Vegas is a popular destination for tourists, but visitors aren’t flocking to the city in the numbers they once were.
In March 2025, visitor volume was down by 7.8% from the same period last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
Beyond falling visitor numbers, gaming revenue on the Strip, where many of the iconic hotels and Vegas experiences exist, was down 4.8%.
Gaming revenue was up on the Boulder Strip and Downtown, but they rake in a fraction of the revenue that the Strip sees.
Hotel occupancy in the city reached 82.9%, down from 85.3% last year, and the total room nights occupied was down by 6.1% year over year.
Vegas sees more convention attendees
On the face of it, a drop of 7.8% in the overall number of visitors to Vegas is a startling reality. The city’s tourism-based economy relies heavily on the dollars that out-of-towners spend in their hotels, restaurants, bars, casinos, and more.
Although the city is experiencing a drop in overall visitors, not all forms of foot traffic are down. Surprisingly, convention attendance is up by 10%. The spike in convention attendance is due in large part to a recent health care conference, which brought a massive number of attendees to the city. But since this conference rotates locations each year, Vegas likely won’t enjoy this conference-related bump to the economy next year.
Why visitors aren’t flocking to this gambling metropolis right now
It’s clear that visitor traffic is down in Las Vegas, and there appear to be multiple contributing factors.
The LVCVA report cited “a slightly less‐packed event calendar and as‐yet unclear impacts of evolving federal policies rippling through international and domestic markets.”
The Trump administration’s tariff and immigration policies are unpopular around the world. International visits to the U.S. fell approximately 14% in March from the same period last year, according to government data cited by the U.S. Travel Association in April. It added that “domestic travel has held relatively steady so far in 2025 — but early signs suggest this momentum may not last.”
Many visitors may be choosing to skip a Vegas vacation due to cooling feelings toward the U.S. Last year, the city drew five million international visitors, and more than half were from Canada and Mexico, according to the LVCVA. U.S. relations with both countries have been tense lately.
Americans may also be nervous about the economy and spending. A recent Bankrate survey found that only 46% of U.S. adults plan to travel domestically or internationally this summer, down from 53% last year. Sixty-five percent of the non-traveler group said it’s because they can’t afford it, even though travel costs are actually down compared to this time last year, per Nerdwallet.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
