Head of Las Vegas tourism insists Sin City isn't dead despite drop in visitors

LAS VEGAS — The top tourism official in Las Vegas says the city hasn't priced out regular travelers, even as July visitor counts fell and casinos took in more from gamblers.

Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), said monthly figures can bounce around but argued the destination remains competitive at different price points.

"We're not happy with the downturn but the city's taking steps to address that," Hill told reporters Friday.

Las Vegas saw a 12% decline in visitors compared to a year ago, hosting about 3.1 million people, according to LVCVA data.

Convention attendance fell about 10% in June, then rose about 10% in July. Looking over a longer stretch, Hill said the meetings business is roughly flat and the next 16 months of bookings look especially strong.

With social media griping about add-on costs, resorts are leaning into promotions.

Recent examples include: Resorts World waiving resort fees and paid parking through Sept. 10, the Sahara Las Vegas Hotel offering free parking, late check-out and upgrades on select stays, Downtown Grand Hotel bundling dining credits, free slot play, no resort fee and The Strat touting "Summer of Value" rooms with taxes and fees included.

The tourism agency is also pushing budget tips and free activities citywide.

"The idea that generally Las Vegas is not a value, that it is overpriced, I don't think our customers are doing math when they are concerned about a specific issue," Hill said. "They're expressing concern about that specific topic, that tends to then move into a narrative around Las Vegas is expensive or Las Vegas is not a value, but if you actually do the math on that, that's not accurate."

International travel remains mixed.

Traffic from Canada is down about 18%, which Hill attributed in part to friction caused by politics and tariffs. By contrast, visits from Mexico, the United Kingdom and Australia are rising, with more flights into Las Vegas.

He also criticized a $250 U.S. visa fee for travelers from non-waiver countries, costs that can top $1,000 for a family of four, and long processing times that he said suppress demand.

Despite the downward trend in overall visitors, Nevada gaming revenue remains resilient, a sign that visitors who do come are still spending.

Nevada casinos kept $1.36 billion from gamblers in July, up 4% from a year earlier, according to data from state regulators.

The Las Vegas Strip drove the increase with $749 million, a 5.6% gain. Downtown Las Vegas rose 3.6%.

Hill expects momentum to build in the fall, citing a packed events calendar and stronger bookings into December.

"Don't believe the narrative," Hill said.