Sin City is experiencing a summer dip, with Californians—who are the largest group of tourists—playing a part in this downturn.
According to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, visits to Las Vegas fell by 11.3% in June 2025 compared to the previous year.
Traffic on Interstate 15 at the California-Nevada border decreased by 4.3% during the same timeframe, indicating fewer travelers from California heading to Vegas casinos.
Overall air travel to Las Vegas dropped by 6.3% from the previous June. In 2024, Californians constituted over 20% of air travelers to Vegas, with nearly half originating from the Los Angeles area.
A demographic study from the visitors authority indicated that Southern California accounted for 30% of all visitors to Las Vegas in 2024.
When considered together, it’s clear that Californians are likely influencing a substantial part of the decline in tourism to Vegas.
However, domestic tourism is just one aspect, as experts have previously forecasted decreases in international tourism across the nation. The visitors authority estimates that 12% of the city’s patrons are from abroad.
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A report from the World Travel and Tourism Council anticipates that the U.S. will see a $12.5 billion loss in international travel expenditure in 2025.
“While other countries are welcoming tourists, the U.S. government seems to be closing its doors,” Julia Simpson, the council’s president, remarked.
The assessment pointed to air travel booking data from March that indicated a 15% to 20% decline in anticipated arrivals from key tourism sources like the UK, Germany, and Canada.
Visitors from Canada and Mexico constituted more than half of international tourists to Las Vegas in 2024, according to the visitors authority’s data.
However, President Trump’s comments about making Canada the 51st state and his imposition of tariffs have not won him favor with Canadian guests. Meanwhile, international media has been inundated with reports of arbitrary border denials and detentions at U.S. entry points.
Las Vegas isn’t isolated in its travel challenges. In May, Governor Gavin Newsom forecasted a “Trump Slump” in international visitation to California, partly due to the president’s tariff policies.
“Las Vegas relies heavily on tourism,” Rep. Steven Horsford stated last week on X, “but with the Trump slump, the statistics are in decline.” Horsford, a Democrat, represents Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, which includes part of Las Vegas.
By several measures—including visitor counts, convention participation, and occupancy rates—Las Vegas has yet to fully rebound since the pandemic began.
In terms of revenue, however, Sin City continues to prosper despite falling visitor numbers: Clark County reported $1.16 billion in gambling revenue in June 2025, a 3.5% increase from the prior year.
Ultimately, the house tends to come out ahead.
