Las Vegas suffering a reduction in Visitors

Gamblers frequenting Las Vegas Casinos were down in numbers during July. This is the second month the number have decreased in 2012.

Total guest volume for July was down 0.8 % from the same 30 day period last year, according to the Monthly Las Vegas and Visitors Authority . A decline of 0,9% during April 2012 was the first time since 2009 that there had not been a steady month on month increase in numbers of visitors.

A total of 3.44 million visitors came to Las Vegas in July, down from July 2011’s 3.47 million. But in 2012 to date 23.37 million people have frequented the city, up 1.9 % from the same last year.

Scott Russell, senior manager of research for the travel authority says that they are staying positive about the visitor number, it’s up just under 2 %, in 2112 year to date which is good and achieving the goal of 40 million for the 2012 season is still on track. It is speculated by Union Gaming experts said the annual 4th of July holiday, which was mid week this year, probably also had a negative impact.

July’s citywide motel and hotel occupancy combined reduced to 87.2 % from 88.3 % this year, and year-to-date it has decreased a marginal 0.1% to 85.2 % from 2011’s 85.3 %. When looking at hotels only occupancy has increased year-to-date by 0.5 percentage points, while motels suffered a decline in occupancy’s year-to-date 4.6%. That is down to 56.5 % from 2011’s 61.1 %.

Weekend stays in July were up to 93.9 % from 2011’s 92.7 %, and mid week occupancy was down 1 point to 84.9 % from 2011’s 85.9 %. Overall, Las Vegas had 4.06 million hotel-room nights in July which was on a par with July 2011.

Another reason for a slight drop in numbers was that this July only had 4 weekends as opposed to 5 last year which may account for a slight drop in visitor numbers and hotel bed nights.

July’s average room rate dropped 2.2 % to $97.12 from $99.30 in 2011. The Year-to-date figures are more encouraging with an increase of 3.4 % from $104.59 last year to $108.13 this year.

Convention presence in September was down 2.8 % in prior-year evaluations to 255,961 from 263,441 this year, due in part to the American Sport Fishing Association’s spinning out of the location this season. The show brought in 7,200 participants in 2011. Total conferences and events organized were down a huge 10.1 % to 1,316 from 1,464. But, year-to-date, conferences and events organized has increased in attendance to 12,456, up 16.2 % over 2011’s 10,722 figure.

Vehicle arrivals in Las Vegas increased 1.8% in July, 1.8 % from 113,113 a season ago to 115,106 this yeararriving from Southern California on Route 15 were up 6.1 % to 51,170 automobiles from 48,238. Vehicle numbers include guest, citizen and commercial traffic.

In Clark County generally the number of visitors to Laughlin fell 7.8% while thos going to Mequite increased 1.3%.