Stop the Presses! Las Vegas Visitation Was Up in February

^{High above the Las Vegas Strip at night. (Photo: Maverick Helicopters / X)} 

Las Vegas welcomed 3.03 million visitors in February, an increase of 2.1% from the previous month, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. This marks the first year-over-year increase since December 2024.

Despite more visitors, the number of passengers deplaning at Harry Reid International Airport fell 3.3%, dragged down primarily by a 10.9% drop in international travelers.

More visitors usually mean higher hotel occupancy and higher room rates, which was indeed was the case this month.

Gaming revenue in Las Vegas showed mixed results, with the Strip up 0.86% and downtown down 4.18%, according to the Nevada Gaming Commission. An increase in baccarat revenue helped the Strip, while downtown saw losses across most table games and slot machines.

This isn’t an absolute turnaround in visitation, but it does slow the bleeding for a month, if nothing else.

Leisure Travelers Boost Visitation In February

The rise in visitation was fueled mainly by stronger leisure demand. While business travelers and convention-goers fill rooms during the week, vacation visitors typically come on weekends.

Overall hotel occupancy rose 1.2% to 81.7%, driven by weekends when nearly 90% of rooms were occupied. Visitors driving in from California increased 3.6%. Although people visiting by car do not offset declines in airline travel, they do indicate more regional weekend trips.

High occupancy also pushed up room rates. The average room rate rose 3.8% to $193.23, with rates on the Strip climbing 4.3% to $207.28. Downtown rates were relatively flat, up 0.4% to $96.72. With no major conventions in February, overall visitation remained largely flat.

February doesn't bring many conventions to town. Visitation remained essentially unchanged, boosted by the surge in leisure travelers.

International Traveler Woes Continue

Harry Reid International Airport saw more than 3.8 million total passengers in February, but international traffic declined faster than domestic travel. International travel fell 10.9% for the month and is down 15.4% for the year. Domestic passengers declined 2.8% for the month and 4.9% for the year.

A somewhat surprising statistic is that Canadian airlines WestJet and Air Canada reported higher traffic in February, though both are down more than 30% for the year.

The largest international declines came from Mexico and long-haul markets in Europe and Asia. The drop in international visitation extends beyond Las Vegas and could affect other North American cities hosting World Cup games later this year.

Mass hotel room cancellations have occurred so far this year, possibly due to smaller countries securing spots in the tournament or geopolitical factors affecting international travel demand.

Las Vegas Gaming Revenue Sees Small Gains

Statewide gaming revenue rose 1.5% to $1.23 billion. Clark County, which encompasses Las Vegas, saw a 0.74% increase to $1.07 billion.

The Strip reported a 0.86% increase to $696 million, driven by a 37% jump in baccarat revenue to $119 million. Overall table games revenue rose 1.63%, while slot revenue was essentially flat.

On the other hand, downtown saw a 4.18% decline in gaming revenue to just under $70 million. Table game revenue fell nearly 7%, with craps the only table game showing a gain, up 11.34%. Slot revenue declined 2.84%.

Golden Gate might be the culprit for the lower numbers, since the casino removed its table games in September 2025. The year-over-year decline looks steeper than it might otherwise, since totals are being compared with a period when that inventory still existed. 

Downtown casinos are still dealing with the pressure to keep up with their Strip counterparts. Circa Hospitality Group spoke at a Downtown Vegas Alliance forum with other casino executives to discuss progress on their properties in the area. 

“We have three different properties at three different price points with three different customer types, said Vice President Jeff Victor. "Circa has done quite well. Those customers aren’t feeling it like some folks. The D has definitely felt it, and the Golden Gate has it quite a bit.”

Elsewhere, the Boulder Strip, including Henderson, saw a 3.54% increase. Ongoing upgrades to Green Valley Ranch and Sunset Station may be helping boost revenue in the area.