Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority releases 2022 visitor profile study

(PRESS RELEASE) -- As Las Vegas welcomed nearly 39 million visitors in 2022, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority took notice of their visitation interests, behaviors, and spending trends. The findings were part of the LVCVA’s annual Visitor Profile Study, compiled by its Research Center.

Nearly two-thirds of visitors are more likely to attend a meeting or convention in Las Vegas than if it was held elsewhere, according to research published today by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Las Vegas has been named the number one trade show destination in North America for 26 consecutive years, according to the Trade Show News Network, the world's leading resource for the trade show and event industry. Its combined 15 million square feet of meeting and event space is more than any destination in North America.

Among those who attended a convention or corporate meeting during their 2022 visit, 63% said they were more interested in attending the event because it was in Las Vegas, up from 41% last year and 44% in 2019.

Additionally, once business travelers were in Las Vegas, most stayed longer. Among those surveyed, 58% extended their stay to enjoy leisure time in Las Vegas by an average of 1.7 days. In 2021, 44% of business visitors extended their stay, and did so by an average of 1.2 nights.

Nearly all (97%) visitors who participated in the survey felt their experience either met or exceeded their expectations. And a vast majority (87%) said they were either extremely or very likely to return to Las Vegas for a leisure trip in the future.

The Las Vegas Visitor Profile Study is reported annually, to provide an ongoing assessment of the Las Vegas visitor, and trends in visitor behavior over time. Through 2021 the report was based on ongoing intercept surveys of travelers to Las Vegas. Beginning in 2022, about a third of the surveys were conducted online, reaching a broader cross-section of visitors. In total 6,267 interviews were conducted over the course of 2022.

Some other findings include:

- Strong satisfaction with the Las Vegas visiting experience: More than three-quarters (77%) of visitors to Las Vegas in 2022 said that they were “Very Satisfied” with their visit, up from 70% in 2021.
- Gradually expanding advanced booking windows: More Las Vegas visitors booked their trip over a month before arrival in 2022 (54%) vs. 2021 (48%), while about one-third (35%) booked their trip from a week to a month in advance, down from last year (43%).
- Gaming spend grows: While comparable levels of visitors gambled during their stay in 2022 vs. recent years (75% in 2022), the average gaming budget per visit was $761, well above pre-pandemic levels when gaming budgets averaged under $600.
- Younger and more diverse visitors: The average age of visitors was 40.7 years, down from 43.2 years in 2021, and the 2022 visitor was more ethnically diverse, with higher rates of Asian/Asian American and Hispanic/Latino visitors. This follows a trend of visitors skewing younger and more diverse over the last 30 years. The average age of visitors in 1992 was 47.2.
- International visitation improves and Southern California visitation sustains: Last year saw triple the number of international visitors (9% vs. 3% in 2021) as international travel restrictions eased. Southern California maintained its perch as Las Vegas’ largest feeder market, representing 27% of visits to the destination.