The tourist volume in Las Vegas has dramatically declined so far this year, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reports that visitor volume is 7.3% below 2024 levels, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
So far, each of the first six months of the year has failed to surpass the previous year’s total. With this month's visitor figures on the horizon, all indicators suggest that the downward trend will continue in July.
Key Takeaways
- Las Vegas visitor volume is down 7.3% in 2025, with no monthly increases compared to 2024.
- Hotel occupancy, room rates, and airport traffic have all declined, while revenue per available room dropped 7.6%.
- Convention visitation and gaming revenue are the only tourism indicators showing growth so far this year.
Major tourism indicators demonstrate the slowdown. Occupancy of rooms has gone down 2.1 percentage points to 78.9%, and the average daily rate of rooms has dipped 5.5% to $185.24. Traffic at Harry Reid International Airport decreased by 4.1%, continuing a monthly decline that began in January.
Revenue per available room, a profitability measure, is off 7.6%. Specific segments continue to show strength, such as convention visitation, which rose 1.5% to 3.2 million, and Clark County gaming revenue, increasing 0.2%. Even so, overpricing concerns continue to linger.
Industry figures argue that high resort fees and rising prices are deterring visitors, particularly international travelers unfamiliar with such charges.
Lena Napoleone of Gastaldi USA Inc. said rising prices are not aligned with service quality. She complained about fees for things such as local calls, which are not used by international travelers, and complained that hotel cleanliness has hit an all-time low.
Analysts say resorts remain reluctant to cut rates, betting instead on a rebound in 2026. In the meantime, tourism leaders are weighing steps to address these issues and boost visitation.
Poker Palace closure highlights local pressures
Smaller, community-focused casinos are now facing the economic challenges that Las Vegas is experiencing. Poker Palace, a North Las Vegas staple since 1974, will close its doors on Oct. 1. It will pass from family hands, though information concerning its new proprietors is still unknown.
The casino, which grew from a small beginnings startup in the 1970s to a 26,000-square-foot casino with 300 slot machines, poker and blackjack table games, bingo, and a sportsbook, has for many years catered to local patrons who desired inexpensive gaming. Its closure shows how escalating expenses and declining visitation are limiting off-Strip operators.
The shutdown of Poker Palace follows more than ten WARN filings in North Las Vegas since July, collectively affecting over 650 jobs.
Golden Gate ends live table games
The industry shift is also evident downtown, where Golden Gate, Las Vegas's oldest hotel, will eliminate all live table games by the end of this month. The move leaves just 11 downtown casinos offering live tables.
Golden Gate will replace its pits with electronic games, a change that follows the earlier removal of its craps tables. The casino has steadily reduced live games since the pandemic, citing rising labor costs.
Staff displaced by the decision will be reassigned to sister properties Circa and The D, or to other roles within Golden Gate.
In 2019, Las Vegas boasted 81 casinos with live tables. By late September, the number will fall to 67 following the closure of Poker Palace.
