Las Vegas continued to prove itself a leading destination for both business and leisure tourism, welcoming a record 6.6 million meeting or convention attendees in 2019 beating the previous record set in 2017 and a 2.3 percent increase over 2018, according to research provided by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
In addition to strong convention attendance, the destination welcomed 42.5 million visitors in 2019, up from the previous year of 42.1 million visitors, as the city continues to draw travelers seeking world-class dining, sports and entertainment experiences that can only be found in Las Vegas. Resort partners benefited from industry-leading occupancy rates of 88.9 percent and a 2.9 percent increase from last year in average daily room rates.
With several new venues, attractions and events planned to debut in 2020, it’s anticipated that Las Vegas will continue to attract strong visitation with highlights that include hosting the NFL Draft in April and the Las Vegas Raiders debuting at the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium for the 2020-2021 NFL season. By year’s end, the city will also boast an additional 2.2 million square feet of new meeting space including the completion of the 1.4 million square foot Las Vegas Convention Center expansion in December.
Tourism generates $58 billion annually in Southern Nevada and the Las Vegas valley. The industry supports nearly 370,000 local jobs, representing about 40 percent of employment within Clark County.
As the official destination marketing organization of Las Vegas, the LVCVA promotes tourism, conventions, meetings and special events—as well as ongoing advocacy to extend the city’s influence as a leader in tourism and hospitality. To drive the tourism engine that powers the Southern Nevada economy, the LVCVA is charged with and committed to building and protecting the Las Vegas brand among its diverse audiences of current and potential visitors. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 11.5 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA’s mission focuses on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more info, visit LVCVA.com.
