Las Vegas Tourism Head Expects Rebound In 2026
After experiencing difficulties due to shifting travel patterns during the summer of 2025, tourism leaders in Las Vegas remained optimistic about the future and expressed confidence that the local economy would recover.
Despite a 7% decline in total visitation compared to 2024, visitor numbers are expected to return to a growth trajectory through mid-2026.
The November 2025 report is expected to show approximately three million fewer visitors to the Las Vegas area compared with 2024.
The declines began to ease during the fall months, with October and November each recording visitation levels about 5% lower than the same months in 2024, signaling a stabilization of demand by late 2025.
The most significant drops occurred during the summer, when Las Vegas relies most heavily on leisure travelers.
These declines followed the unusually strong travel years of 2023 and 2024, when pent-up demand from the COVID-19 period drove elevated visitation.
Inflationary pressures and tighter household budgets have also changed travel behavior compared with pre-pandemic patterns.
In response, resorts aggressively marketed fall travel deals and lowered room rates to counter perceptions that Las Vegas hotel pricing had become too expensive.
These measures helped stabilize occupancy heading into winter and maintain overall demand.
International travel remains a challenge.
Annually, approximately 1 million fewer international visitors have traveled to Las Vegas compared with 2019, due to factors such as visa processing delays, higher travel costs, and federal policy decisions.
Until these issues are addressed, concerns about affordability and weakened consumer confidence are likely to persist among overseas travelers.
Officials note that substantial investment in major infrastructure projects, including Allegiant Stadium, the Sphere, and the Las Vegas Convention Center, has helped stabilize tourism by attracting visitors even as overall travel demand softened.
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Group bookings through 2026 are reportedly the strongest on record, with many venues already facing limited availability.
Industry leaders expect the current calendar year to rank among the best in Las Vegas history for convention activity.
Las Vegas typically welcomes approximately 6 million convention and trade show attendees annually, who generate more extended hotel stays and more room nights than leisure travelers.
Growth in midweek group business has allowed the city to maintain relatively high midweek occupancy levels during periods of softer demand.
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The reopening of the Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center following a $600 million renovation further reinforced the city’s convention capacity.
The facility reopened during CES with more than 140,000 attendees, many from outside the US, and complements the $1 billion West Hall that opened in 2021.
Although Las Vegas is not a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, officials still expect the event to boost overall tourism, particularly during the slower summer months.
Improvements made to the local economy in late 2025, along with rising convention attendance and a packed calendar of major global events, are expected to support increased tourism throughout 2026.
