Las Vegas Visitor Numbers Fall 8% in March, While Convention Attendance Grows

Visitor volume was down by almost 8% during this March from the 3.69 million visitors recorded in the same period in 2024, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). As the decline has raised caution, experts have funneled their concerns to the lighter event calendar and economic uncertainties.

While leisure travel and tourism are changing, the business convention segment of the city is flourishing. Over 500,000 trade show attendees in March alone indicate continued strength in business travel.

Even though hotel occupancy has declined, primarily midweek, rates have increased. As a result, revenue per available room has remained steady. Caesars Entertainment has publicly stated there are no signs of market softening on their end, and contingency plans are in place should conditions change.

Concerns over staffing changes have also surfaced. MGM Resorts stated that it is adjusting its concierge service, but said that the employees who were removed from that role have been reassigned to other positions. In conjunction with the shift in visitor demands, the company is moving more guest services to self-service and digital platforms. The Culinary Union, which represents more than 60,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas, reassures it has solid labor contracts protecting members' rights.

Addressing public concern, LVCVA CEO and President Steve Hill emphasized that the current slowdown should not be considered a significant downturn. "What we're looking at right now, we think, is just a downturn in business for a period of time. It used to be a pretty normal thing. It does not mean that the public should extrapolate that into being COVID-like or Great Recession-like; we do not see that right now. There's no evidence that it'll turn into something like that," Hill said. One convention attendee had similar thoughts, saying, "I don't see a downfall at all."

While challenges remain, Las Vegas' business travel resilience and strategic adaptation efforts signal optimism for the months ahead.