Local hotel bookings on the Las Vegas Strip show improvement in Q1, bucking local worries about tourism due to coronavirus concerns.
Las Vegas Hotel Bookings Up, Visitor Volume Down: Locals Concerned Over Rising Costs
In a recent development, Las Vegas Strip hotels have seen an increase of up to 29% in room bookings, according to some reports. However, a decrease of 1.1% in visitor volume has been noted. This discrepancy has led to concerns from locals over rising resort, food, and hotel room fees.
Lucas Dunn, a New Jersey-born and raised copywriter, has been providing content related to casinos, software providers, games, news, and blogs. With over six years of professional writing experience, Lucas works globally with clients from various continents. Before venturing into gambling content, he pursued a bachelor's degree in psychology at Rutgers University.
Despite the reported 29% increase in room bookings, current data suggests a 7.8% year-over-year decrease in visitor volume to Las Vegas in March, with citywide hotel occupancy dropping to 82.9% from 85.3% the year prior, and Strip gaming revenue down 4.8% [3]. However, during holiday periods like Memorial Day weekend, Las Vegas remains a popular destination, with high demand leading to increased room rates and record room revenues despite reduced room availability due to hotel closures like the Tropicana [1] [5].
Typically, room rates and revenue have risen due to higher demand during peak times and increased service/labor costs, even as overall visitor volume or occupancy may be down. Strong demand during holidays can lead to higher bookings and rates, even if year-over-year visitor numbers are slightly lower or flat for the period being analyzed. Reduced room inventory can also drive up prices and the perception of increased booking activity [3] [5].
While a 29% increase in bookings alongside a 1.1% drop in visitors is not directly confirmed by recent data, the dynamic of rising room revenues with slightly diminished visitor numbers or occupancy can occur if average spending per guest increases, guests book more rooms per person, or there is a shift in the mix of visitors (such as more high-spending business or luxury guests) [3] [5].
In summary, while Las Vegas Strip hotels have seen record or increased room revenues due to higher rates and strong holiday demand, a 29% increase in bookings alongside a 1.1% drop in visitors may not be accurately reflected in current reports. Any reported "increase in bookings" must be carefully examined for context, such as whether it refers to total bookings, advance reservations, or average daily rate growth, and not confused with overall visitor volume.
- Lucas Dunn's work often involves writing about casino games, casino-and-gambling news, and casino culture, including slot machines and poker, both online and at physical casinos like those in Las Vegas.
- Despite the ongoing concern over rising costs in Las Vegas, the city continues to be a popular destination for casino-games enthusiasts, showing a 29% increase in room bookings, especially during holiday periods.
- As the casino-culture evolves in Las Vegas, there's a possibility that a situation may arise where a notable increase in bookings could occur alongside a slight decrease in visitor volume, due to factors like increased average spending per guest or a shift in the mix of visitors.
