Las Vegas tourism drops sharply as some visitors claim 'casinos are empty' amid rising costs

Tourism in Las Vegas continues to decline as many visitors are calling out the once-packed Sin City for its high prices.

The latest statistics from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) show that only 3.1 million people visited in June, which is down 11.3% compared to last year.

The hotel industry is feeling the burn of fewer visitors, with occupancy dropping 6.5% while average daily room rates have lowered to $163.64 - down 6.6%, according to the LVCVA.

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Even the Harry Reid Airport has shown a decline, dropping 4.1% in year-to-date decline compared to the same time last year, according to the website.

Tom Reeg, Caesars Entertainment CEO, shared that it would be a "soft summer" on a recent earnings call, according to local reports.

A recent X user claimed to have family members living in Las Vegas. The person posted, "They say casinos are empty … People are being laid off … There is no tourism."

Another X user shared a photo of an empty casino, captioning the post, "Las Vegas is dead, bro."

In April, three lawsuits were filed against two resorts on the Las Vegas strip for incidents that occurred in the summer of 2024, Fox News Digital previously reported.

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Attorney Brian Virag, founder and CEO of My Bed Bug Lawyer, is representing the plaintiffs in these cases and commented on the situation.

"We wanted to not only make sure to represent them, but also to bring awareness that bedbugs in Las Vegas hotels are a real problem," Virag told Fox News Digital recently. 

Many Reddit users have drawn attention to tourism issues in Sin City, posting thoughts in the "r/lasvegas" forum. 

"While the economy is going downhill, the strip nickel and diming folks [sic] is gonna result in this, and it's gonna get worse," wrote one user.

Another person said, "Slow season in Vegas, no people, no conferences in summer, and it's hot."

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"I think it's worth noting [that] last June, the NHL awards and NHL draft were both in town," one user pointed out. "I went to both and met a ton of people and none of them were from Vegas, so that would account for a lot of tourism during that time."

Another Redditor declared, "Vegas will never recover."

Mallory Dumond, Travelmation adviser and supervisor, recently told Fox News Digital the cost of visiting Vegas has increased over the past year.

"Despite the high price tags, with proper planning, you can still ensure value, comfort and memorable moments if you're thinking of visiting Vegas," she said. 

Dumond shared a few tips for those seeking to visit the Gambling Capital of the World.

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"Opt for a Sunday through Thursday stay if your schedule will allow. Often, you can find 5-star rooms at half the weekend rate! Same suite, same view, smarter timing."

Dumond said that hitting nice restaurants can be more affordable during the day for lunch as opposed to dinner - and that visitors should take advantage of tasting menus or happy hours.

"For those who don't want to stomach the bloated costs in Las Vegas, I encourage clients to consider Atlantic City, New Jersey, for a more affordable casino-and-beach alternative with major resort brands and entertainment," said Drummond.

"Napa Valley, California, is ideal for a laid-back, elevated vacation experience with delicious wine and Michelin-star dining."

Drummond also suggested, "if your top priority is a high-end luxury resort, check out Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for ocean-front extravagance, spas, yacht charters and 5-star all-inclusives that offer a better value than Vegas."