40 million tourists foreseen for Las Vegas in 2012

21 December 2012

LAS VEGAS -- As 2012 draws to a close, the future of tourism is looking bright.

Locally, 40 million tourists are expected to visit Las Vegas this year, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is optimistic that prediction will ring true.

As of October, the last month for which statistics are available, 33.58 million visitors had come to the city year-to-date, leaving a difference of 6.42 million people needed to come in November and December for Vegas to hit its goal. In October and September, 3.52 million people and 3.35 million people visited, respectively, so if the last months at least mirror those, the city could very well see 40 million visitors this year.

"I think that we recognize 40 million is a goal and I still think we are going to get really close to it. We're going to be on the doorstep of that 40 million, if not at it," said Scott Russell, the senior manager of research for the travel authority.

In any case, 2012 will exceed 2007's highwater mark of 39.2 million visitors, Russell said.

The year saw many developments come to fruition, which may have helped attract travelers.

Notably, McCarran International Airport's $2.4 billion Terminal 3 opened in June lessening traffic concerns in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. In March, the Smith Center for the Performing Arts welcomed its first performances. The center already has a steady lineup of major Broadway productions.

The Mob Museum, Oscar Goodman's steakhouse, American Coney Island and Commonwealth opened downtown, while the new Bacchanal Buffet, Gordon Ramsay Steak and Rattlecan opened on the Strip. In entertainment, "Zarkana" opened at Aria, while Shania Twain and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill began their residencies.

And while all that happened, the actual inventory of hotel rooms stayed relatively flat, Russell said.

Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Commerce is projecting travel to the U.S. will continue experiencing strong growth through 2017, based on the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries 2012 Fall Travel Forecast.

Visitor volume in 2012 is expected to finish at plus 6 percent and reach 66.48 million visitors who stay one or more nights in the U.S. This growth would build on the 4.9 percent increase in arrivals in 2011, which resulted in a record 62.7 million visitors.

According to the current forecast, the U.S. would see 3.6 percent to 4.3 percent annual growth rates in visitor volume over the 2013-2017 timeframe. By 2017 this growth would produce 80.48 million visitors, a 28 percent increase and nearly 18 million additional visitors compared to 2011.

Six countries are expected to account for 72 percent of the projected growth from 2011 through 2017, including Canada, China, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom and Japan.

In mid-December, Travel Leaders Group released its annual Travel Trends Survey, and more than 92 percent of the group's agents surveyed throughout the U.S. say clients will spend the same or more on travel in 2013 as compared to 2012. The survey is based on actual booking data and includes responses from 1,045 U.S.-based travel agency owners, managers and frontline travel agents.

"The continued uptick in travel spending year-over-year - and the fact that over 82 percent of agents state the number of bookings are the same or higher than last year at this time - may indicate that Americans are fairly confident we won't go over the 'fiscal cliff' and it goes hand-in-hand with travelers heading to more distant and unique destinations," said Travel Leaders Group CEO Barry Liben.

Related Links
Nevada Online Gambling
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Gaming Vendor Information


Copyright GamingWire. All rights reserved.
Featured Vendors
Casino Network
Rymax Marketing Services, Inc.
Casino Network
20+ years experience selling refurbished slot machines, parts & glass for all major brands
Rymax Marketing Services, Inc.
Leader in creating award winning player & employee loyalty programs & events proven to increase ROI
Regulatory Management Counselors, PC
Texas Slots & Gaming
Regulatory Management Counselors, PC
Over 45 years of experience serving the legal and regulatory needs of casino industry clients
Texas Slots & Gaming
Wholesale gaming reimagined. Texas Slots & Gaming is your sustainable gaming partner.
REDW Business & Financial Resources, LLC
TribalHub
REDW Business & Financial Resources, LLC
Improve Your Odds of Success: Trust in REDW’s Tribal Casino Operations & Audit Experts!
TribalHub
26th Annual TribalNet Conference Sept 15-18, 2025 at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada
Slot Machines Unlimited
Imagine This
Slot Machines Unlimited
Exporter of IGT, Williams, AVP, Trimline, Aristocrat, Konami, Bally, & parts over 20 yrs experience
Imagine This
Imagine This #1 Source for Player Gifts. Over $50 million in stock ready to ship! Let us serve you!
Prezzee
Concept 3, LLC
Prezzee
Prezzee provides digital gift cards from top brands to reward loyal guests and employees.
Concept 3, LLC
Custom Creations, Unmatched Value – Elevating Brands with Quality & Savings Since 2004
Sunkist Graphics, Inc.
Casino City Press
Sunkist Graphics, Inc.
Specializing in the creation of best-of-breed gaming graphics - slot glass, sign faces, and more
Casino City Press
A leading publisher and distributor of casino and gaming business data and market research reports.
Players Pal
Betson Imperial Parts & Service
Players Pal
Revolutionize the way you connect with your casino players with the Players Pal mobile app
Betson Imperial Parts & Service
Your one stop shop for all your gaming and OEM needs!
Casino Schedule Ease
Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) Conference
Casino Schedule Ease
Full Featured & customizable for the complex scheduling needs of table games & other casino depts
Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) Conference
The biggest little show in Indian gaming! Save the date: July 14-16, 2025 Oklahoma City


Your Guide to 14,963 Gaming Industry Suppliers