Vegas tourism declines raise questions about the US economy

A drop in Las Vegas visitors is read as a possible indicator of broader consumer confidence and the health of the US economy.

Vegas tourism decline signals the health of the US economy

Las Vegas logged its sixth straight month of year over year declines in visitors. June visits were nearly 400,000 fewer than a year earlier, a drop of 11.3 percent, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Hotel occupancy and convention attendance fell, and airport traffic dropped by about 318,000 passengers. Road traffic on the California Nevada border slipped 4.3 percent. Yet the city still drew about 3.1 million visitors in June, and year to date convention attendance remains higher than the first half of last year. Gambling revenue rose modestly compared with June 2024.

The numbers point to a broader consumer mood shift. Inflation and policy headlines are filtering into everyday decisions, from where people vacation to what they buy. Las Vegas sits at the edge of a wider trend, but one city does not a national pattern make. Economists caution against reading a single month as fate, noting that domestic demand can still power growth if costs stabilize and confidence returns.

Highlights

The health of the travel economy will hinge on affordable costs and stable policy signals.