Las Vegas Visitor Numbers Fall in 2025, LVCVA Report Finds
LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported a more than 7% drop in city visitation in 2025, according to its latest visitor profile.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The decline was driven mainly by younger and lower-income travelers, signaling shifting demand patterns for casinos, hotels and tourism operators. The LVCVA said the shortfall was concentrated among people in their 20s and households with lower disposable income, while visitation rose among higher‑earning cohorts.
Kevin Bagger, vice president of the LVCVA Research Center, stressed that sustained visitor satisfaction remains the destination’s strongest asset.
We continue to see strong visitor satisfaction. They are having a really good time when they are in the destination. We are meeting and exceeding expectations." The authority reported that satisfaction metrics, which have hovered at high levels for decades, did not slide despite intense media coverage around prices
The survey showed a clear income bifurcation: adjusted for inflation, a growing share of visitors now report household incomes of $100,000 or more compared with a decade ago. Bagger described the shift as a reflection of the broader U.S. economy. "If you are higher income, you are generally OK and more likely to spend your discretionary dollars. If you are mid‑ and lower incomes, you are pulling back", he said. "That’s against the national economy where people are more cautious about rents, utilities, and food, because everything on average costs about 20% more than it did prior to the pandemic."
Kate Wik, chief marketing officer at the LVCVA, highlighted the role of media coverage in shaping perceptions. "Shock and awe headlines tend to drive engagement," she said. "Social media is the loudest voice in the room, but not always the representative voice in the room. We are going to normalize at some point, and when you look at Vegas’ performance over decades, you can see it’s very popular."
Related: Las Vegas Convention Center Forecasts Record Post‑Pandemic Attendance in 2026
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Spending, Gaming, and What to Watch Next
Despite the drop in arrivals, many visitors continued to spend robustly in casinos. The LVCVA reported that roughly 80% of guests gambled in 2025, and the average reported gaming budget rose to $849, up from $744 in 2019 (not adjusted for inflation). Gaming remains a strong pillar even as the city has evolved to emphasize non‑gaming entertainment and hospitality.
Other travel behaviors shifted as well. First‑time visitors fell sharply to just 10% of arrivals, a level the LVCVA described as "uniquely low", and average room nights per visit dipped to 3.2 from the typical 3.3–3.5 range. The number of guests per room remained elevated at 2.2, a post‑pandemic pattern driven in part by more families traveling together; the share of visitors traveling with children, which spiked during the pandemic, settled at 14% in 2025.
Age cohorts also moved. Visitors in their 20s fell to about 9% of the total – well below pre‑COVID levels – while adults aged 30–49 now represent a larger portion of the market. The average visitor age in 2025 was 42.5, near the lower end of the past decade.
International visitation also remains below pre‑pandemic levels. The share of international travelers fell to 12% in 2025 from 14% in 2019, a decline that amounted to roughly one million fewer overseas visitors. Canada accounted for a notable drop, while Mexico and some regional markets helped offset declines.
Bagger urged industry stakeholders to watch long‑term trends rather than single‑year fluctuations: "Changes are usually gradual and the key is to monitor the trendline over the past decade." He also cautioned against over‑reliance on social chatter: "A few hotel CEOs admitted some prices got a little extreme and out of whack – that narrative was fed by social media and bots. Social media is the loudest voice in the room, but not always the representative voice in the room."
Industry observers say the next 12-24 months will test whether Las Vegas recalibrates pricing and product mix to attract broader income cohorts as macroeconomic pressures – mortgage rates, housing costs and consumer sentiment – continue to influence travel decisions.
Survey Highlights and Data Trends
Key statistics cited by the LVCVA for 2025: visitation down >7%; first‑time visitors at 10%; average room nights 3.2; guests per room 2.2; 80% gambled; average gaming budget $849; international share 12%. The Tourism Research Center noted this report continues an annual series dating back to 1975, offering a decade‑by‑decade lens on how Las Vegas’ audience and economics evolve.
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