Tourism in Las Vegas - statistics & facts
Las Vegas is famous worldwide for its glitzy casinos and vibrant nightlife, most notably found on the Las Vegas Strip. However, Sin City's appeal extends beyond just this, offering world-class entertainment, dining, shopping, conventions, and exhibitions that draw business travelers and families alike. In 2023, there were almost 41 million visitors to Las Vegas, showing growth over previous years, but not yet reaching pre-pandemic levels.
Whether people are visiting for business or pleasure, Las Vegas’ growth in visitation and visitor spending underscores its enduring appeal to all kinds of travelers. Indeed, for a city famed for gambling, the chances of this continuing into the future appear a safe bet.
How big is Las Vegas’ tourism industry?
The total economic impact of tourism in Southern Nevada reached as much as 85.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. The city's tourism industry has rebounded strongly since the coronavirus pandemic, with visitor spending in Las Vegas in 2023 reaching well above pre-pandemic levels at 51.5 billion U.S. dollars. Also showing growth was the average spending per visitor in Las Vegas, which peaked in 2023 at around 1,260 U.S. dollars, a figure that has remained over 1,000 since the start of the pandemic.What are the most popular attractions in Las Vegas?
Vegas’ visitors are spoilt for choice. Not only do theaters and concert halls provide entertainment, but famous hotels like the Bellagio and the MGM Grand are in on the act too. Productions, ranging from Cirque du Soleil to Elvis tribute acts, were the most attended type of entertainment in Las Vegas in 2023, with almost 60 percent of visitors saying they had attended one. Vegas is also known for its residencies of world-famous artists. As of 2024, the Las Vegas residency that generated the highest gross revenue was Celine Dion's "A New Day...".Las Vegas’ booming gambling industry
Of course, it would be remiss not to mention one of the biggest drivers of tourism to Las Vegas – gambling. In 2023, a staggering 79 percent of visitors to Vegas participated in gambling. As they say, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, and this is the definitely case in Vegas’ casinos, where much of this gambled money remains. In 2023, the casino gaming revenue in Nevada reached as much as 10.9 billion U.S. dollars. It therefore comes as no surprise that almost half of the leading casino companies globally were headquartered in Las Vegas, with MGM Resorts recording the highest revenue at around 16.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.Conventions and exhibitions: Vegas can also be all work and no play
Las Vegas also knows when tone down the glitz and get serious. In 2023, the economic impact of conventions and meetings in Las Vegas was just over 15 billion U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Convention Center was not only the second largest convention center in the U.S., it also ranked as the best-rated U.S. meeting venue in 2023.Whether people are visiting for business or pleasure, Las Vegas’ growth in visitation and visitor spending underscores its enduring appeal to all kinds of travelers. Indeed, for a city famed for gambling, the chances of this continuing into the future appear a safe bet.
