Sluggish summer in Sin City: Las Vegas sees big drop in tourists

It’s been a sluggish summer for tourism in Sin City. 

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority saw a double-digit decline in visitors in June compared to the same time last year. It’s the first double-digit decrease since 2021. 

Why is tourism slumping in Las Vegas? 

Big picture view:

In the simplest terms, it comes down to money: between flights, resort fees and service charges, travel to Vegas can add up quickly. Convention traffic, a huge moneymaker for the city, has declined, and international visitors are also down, particularly from Canada and Mexico. 

The Las Vegas Strip and Bellagio Water Fountain Show is viewed after dark on February 10, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

By the numbers:

Data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) show 3.1 million people visited in June, which is 400,000 (11.3%) less than last year. 

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LVCVA says hotel occupancy is down 6.5%, with average daily room rates dropping to $163.64.

Traffic at Harry Reid Airport has also declined 4.1% year-over-year. 

The other side:

Major operators on the strip say they aren’t concerned: Vegas is coming off of a record year in 2024, and they say the slump can be attributed to “normal seasonality, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

What they’re saying:

“I’ve been around Vegas a very long time…(and) this is normal seasonality that we haven’t seen in a while here. It’s nothing that leaves me concerned,” Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg said on a recent earnings call. 

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“Las Vegas is as solid as ever,” Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and president of MGM Resorts International, said on Wednesday’s quarterly earnings call, according to the Review-Journal. 

Hornbuckle said he’s optimistic about the second half of 2025, with several large conventions and trade shows planned.

How to do Vegas on a budget

What you can do:

Travel experts say one perk to the “soft” summer is potentially lower airfare and hotel prices as tourism numbers continue to dip. 

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Mallory Dumond, Travelmation adviser and supervisor, told Fox News Digital that visitors can save money during the summer slow season in Vegas by staying from Sunday-Thursday, and by eating at nicer restaurants for lunch rather than dinner.