Visitor numbers set new records
By IAN MYLCHREEST
BUSINESS PRESS
February 14, 2006
Last year proved to be a record year for Las Vegas tourism. Numbers released by the Las Vegas Convention and Tourist Authority show that nearly 38.6 million people visited the city last year.
That number was 200,000 more than the authority had forecast and a 3.5 percent jump over 2004.
More of the city's visitors came for conventions. Last year over 6 million trade show and convention visitors came on business and they created an even bigger economic impact than that initially suggests. In all, the created $7.6 billion in business for the tourism industry, a jump of almost 11 percent over the previous year.
The numbers represent, said LVCVA Marketing Director Kevin Bagger, a record-breaking year in every category.
Hotels enjoyed the second highest occupancy rate ever recorded, despite operating a record number of rooms. The 133,000 rooms were occupied just under 90 percent of the time. The only year to exceed 2005 on room occupancy was 1996, when the smaller inventory then available managed to stay full 90.4 percent of the time.
The strong demand for rooms also kept rates higher than 2004. This year, they averaged a 14 percent jump over the previous year.
Bagger attributes the record numbers to a series of factors: The strong performance in trade show and meeting business, the convention authority's aggressive marketing campaign and the strength of the U.S. travel economy.
Major openings like the Wynn Las Vegas debut bring in new visitors for that hotel but also focus the national media's attention, which boosts the destination as a whole. Bagger also credits the Las Vegas Centennial with boosting visitor numbers.
And with all those extra visitors, the machines and the tables just kept on giving. The Gaming Control Board has already reported a record year for the gaming take. The Strip enjoyed a 13 percent jump to just over $6 billion.
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