Vegas Tourist Study Shows 86% Return, Hit Record $820 Losses in 2024

On Mar. 12, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) published its 2024 Visitor Profile Study, providing key insights into visitor trends, spending habits, and satisfaction levels. Surveys of around 5,500 visitors helped generate the study, which reports that Las Vegas tourism remains strong heading into 2024, with 41.7 million visitors expected.

The report also found that 86% of visitors were returning guests. However, only 14% were first-time visitors. The LVCVA is having a challenge attracting new guests. Overall satisfaction was high; 87% of respondents said they were 'very satisfied' with their visit, and only 2% said they were dissatisfied. "Nearly all visitors were satisfied with their visit, and even more than in past years were likely to say that Las Vegas significantly exceeded their expectations," the LVCVA declared.

Visitors in 2024 stayed longer and spent more on lodging, dining, and shopping. Food and drink spending per visitor was $615 on average, and shopping expenditures were up to $281. However, entertainment spending fell 42% to just $63 per trip. Yet while entertainment losses have plummeted, gambling losses per visit hit an all-time high this year at $820, compared with $591 in 2019, even as the average time spent gambling fell to 2.5 hours per day.

While Nevada gaming revenue reached a record $15.6 billion in 2024, gross gaming revenue on the Las Vegas Strip declined 1% from a year earlier. The average age of visitors also slipped from 44 to 43.6 years, suggesting demographics may have been changing gradually.

This Visitor Profile Study conducted in-venue and monthly via online surveys, offers a snapshot of visitors' dynamic behaviors and choices in 2024. The findings reinforce Las Vegas' success with multitudes of repeat visitors but also show opportunities for winning over first-time visitors and changing the spending habits of some.