Las Vegas is succeeding in attracting younger and more diverse visitors, which in turn are spending more on their visit to the gambling mecca, according to a report by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
As Las Vegas welcomed nearly 39 million visitors in 2022, the LVCVA has been studying their visitation interests, behaviors and spending trends. Those findings are now part of the Authority’s annual Visitor Profile Study, compiled by its Research Center.
The study shows strong destination pull and high levels of satisfaction. For the first time, and eyeing a broader reach, the study was conducted through online interviews in addition to the traditional in-person surveys.
According to LVCVA, the average age of visitors was 40.7 years, down from 43.2 years in 2021. Some 48% were Millennials, 27% were Gen X, and 12% were Baby Boomers, the latter a number that has been in decline since the Covid-19 pandemic. Even Gen Zers, the youngest group, accounted for a higher share than Baby Boomers at 13%.
The report also shows that higher rates of Asians, Asian Americans and Latinos are visiting the gambling mecca. Most visitors are still white, at 62%, but other ethnicities make up the remaining 38% share: 16% are Hispanic, 12% are black, and 7% Asian. Diversity can be especially seen in the younger generations, as when it comes to the older segments (Baby Boomers) 72% of visitors were white, above the average.
Aerial view of the renowned Vegas Strip
Visitors to Las Vegas in 2022 were also more likely to be single (33%), significantly higher than pre-pandemic. There were more employed visitors, too, partly due to a decrease in retirees and homemakers; and more visitors were under the age of 40 than in previous reports.
The percentage of domestic visitors remained mostly similar to past years. However, international visitors, at 9%, remain below pre-pandemic levels, although their share was up from 3% in 2021.
The study also further proves that Las Vegas’ recovery from the pandemic is in full swing. More than three-quarters (77%) of visitors said they were “very satisfied” with their trip to Las Vegas, up from 70% in 2021. In turn, visitors spent more and were also more likely to visit downtown and paid for more Las Vegas attractions and to attend sporting events.
The gambling mecca met (53%) or exceeded (41%) expectations among the majority of visitors. And what’s more, nearly nine in ten (87%) are “extremely” or “very likely” to return to Las Vegas for vacation or leisure.
As for gambling-specific findings, the report shows 75% of visitors gambled during their stay. However, the average amount of time they spend gambling was 2.6 hours, down from 3 hours in 2021. Visitors went to an average of 4.3 casinos during their stay, down from 5.7 gaming venues in 2021.
A slight decrease could be seen in the average number of days (4.4) and nights (3.4) visitors stayed in Las Vegas. The figures were down from 4.6 and 3.6 in 2021, although they were the same as in pre-pandemic 2018 and 2019.
Casino operators and local businesses will surely welcome that per-trip spending keeps increasing across most categories. Spending on food and drink is up every year since 2018, and has reached a new record high of $527.13 in 2022.
While shopping has decreased from 2021 spending levels, local transportation was higher than pre-pandemic at $138.74, and spending on shows and entertainment hiked from $177.21 in 2021 to $309.76 in 2022. This is no surprise taking into account three in ten visitors attended shows during their visit last year, up from about two in ten in 2021.
What’s significant is that Las Vegas keeps finding new visitors, as one in four (24%) pointed out they were making their first trip to the destination, up from 20% in 2021. Convention is also rebounding, with 9% citing it as their reason for visit, up from 4% in 2021.
The Las Vegas 2022 Visitor Profile Study is reported annually, to provide an ongoing assessment of the Las Vegas visitor, and trends in visitor behavior over time. In total 6,267 interviews were conducted over the course of 2022.
You can read the complete 2022 Visitor Profile Study here.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2023/03/15/66459-las-vegas-attracting-more-diverse-and-younger-visitors-according-to-lvcva-report
