Las Vegas experienced a significant downturn in tourism in June 2025, with data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) showing an 11.3% drop in visits compared to the same month last year. A key factor appears to be a decrease in visitors from California, who represent the city’s largest tourist demographic.
This decline was reflected across several key metrics. Traffic on Interstate 15 at the California-Nevada border fell by 4.3%, suggesting fewer road trips from the Golden State. Overall air travel into Las Vegas also decreased by 6.3%. These figures are particularly significant given that Southern California alone accounted for 30% of all visitors to the city in 2024.
The drop in domestic travel coincides with a predicted nationwide slump in international tourism. According to LVCVA estimates, international visitors comprise 12% of the city’s total. A report from the World Travel and Tourism Council projected that the U.S. would lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending in 2025.
“While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” said Julia Simpson, the council’s president. The report cited air-travel booking data from March showing an expected 15% to 20% drop in travel from major markets, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada.
This trend directly impacts Las Vegas, as visitors from Canada and Mexico made up more than half of its international tourists in 2024. Political tensions, including President Trump’s tariff policies and rhetoric concerning Canada, have been cited as contributing to the decline. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Nevada Representative Steven Horsford have both referred to the downturn as a “Trump Slump.”
“Las Vegas thrives on tourism,” Horsford wrote on X, “but under the Trump slump, the numbers are tanking.”
By many measures, including visitor totals, convention attendance, and room occupancy rates, Las Vegas has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. However, despite the drop in foot traffic, the city’s gambling revenues continue to climb. Clark County reported $1.16 billion in gambling revenue for June 2025, a 3.5% increase from the previous year, indicating that fewer tourists may be spending more.
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