LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Another deep drop in Las Vegas tourism numbers showed visitor numbers declining by 12% in July, and resorts are making less money from the tourists that do make the trip.
Hotel occupancy dropped to 76.1% in July, according to a Friday report from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). That’s a 7.6% decline compared to July 2024, when occupancy was at 83.7%.
Steve Hill, LVCVA president and chief executive officer, said there are at least two factors behind the recent trend. First, people are staying home to make their money go farther. Second, federal policies are making travel much more expensive for international visitors.
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“You know, if you’ve got a family of four and you want to get a visa to come to the United States, it’s going to cost you about $1,150, and that’s reason enough for a lot of families not to come. And on top of that, it takes a long time to clear the visa process in those non-waiver countries,” Hill said.
Average room rates are down 3.4% — $154.76 compared to $160.15 in July 2024.
An important measure of resorts’ profitability, RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room), has fallen dramatically compared to last July. Overall, RevPAR is down 12.1%. That means each room is generating $117.77 per day, a big drop from $134.05 last July. RevPAR indicates how much guests are spending at the resort.
Hill addressed recent headlines that have cast Las Vegas as too expensive.
“Don’t believe that narrative. Vegas is not too expensive. Vegas is still a value and there are great values out there right now,” Hill said.
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“Don’t just believe what you read. Go and do a little bit of work, call a travel agent, call on the properties. See what the price of Las Vegas really is rather than some general headline that, frankly, is not accurate,” Hill said.
Some resorts have countered the drop in tourism by offering free parking and waiving resort fees. Hill sees that as a sign of how competitive the market is right now.
He said the LVCVA has new initiatives coming soon that intend to show people that Las Vegas has an offering for every budget.
LVCVA’s report cited slower tourism trends of recent months that continued into July.
Casinos came out of July with improved winnings compared to last July, up about 4% as gamblers lost $1.36 billion. Las Vegas Strip casinos showed a 3.24% increase, winning just over $749 million.
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On Thursday, Harry Reid International Airport reported passenger counts were down by 4.4% in July.
The Strip typically outperforms the average, but occupancy was down to 79.5%, down 7.0% compared to July 2024. The average Strip room was $164.57, down from $170.38 last July, and RevPAR fell by 11.2%, $130.83 compared to $147.38.
Downtown prices are lower, but occupancy there was also down, 63.0% compared to 67.8% last July. Downtown rooms averaged $87.69 compared to $90.77 last July, and RevPAR was 10.2% lower, coming in at $55.24 compared to $61.54.
The report on Las Vegas visitation showed an estimated 3,089,300 visitors. A year ago, that number was 3,512,500. So far in 2025, Las Vegas is 8.0% behind last year’s pace for visitor volume, according to LVCVA.
The total number of hotel rooms available is down compared to last year. The Mirage is shuttered as Hard Rock International rebrands the resort, contributing to lower room counts.
But most of the decline in tourism has been attributed to economic uncertainty that has reduced travel nationwide and from international destinations including Canada.
