Las Vegas tourism dips slightly in first half of 2013

Through June, Las Vegas visitation is down 0.3 percent year-over-year to 19.86 million people, from 19.93 million in 2012. June visitation also was down, 0.9 percent, to 3.36 million visitors, compared to 3.39 million in June 2012, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported Friday.

Scott Russell, senior manager of research for the travel board, has said the authority expects modest visitation growth this year, but still will attract 40.1 million visitors by the end of 2013. The travel board cited one less weekend day this June and a slightly lower room inventory with the decrease in visitation.

As for hotel stays, year-over-year citywide occupancy also is almost flat, only ticking up 0.3 points to 85.2 percent from 84.9 percent. Month-over-month, citywide occupancy is down to 87.4 percent from 88 percent.

Hotel occupancy in June was 90.8 percent, down 0.6 percentage points from June 2012’s 91.4 percent. June’s motel occupancy was 57.3 percent this year, compared with last year’s 57.8 percent.

Total weekend occupancy was 93.2 percent compared with June 2012’s 92.1 percent, and weekday stays were down one point month-over-month, to 84.9 percent from last year’s 85.9 percent.

Convention attendance and average daily room rates continue to grow.

June’s average daily room rate was $112.18, up from June 2012’s $109.75. Year-to-date, the average daily room rate is $113.49, up from last year’s $110.04.

June’s convention attendance is up 0.5 percent, to 377,700 people, compared with June 2012’s attendance of 375,920. Year-over-year, convention attendance is up 3.9 percent, to 2.90 million people, from 2.79 million in the prior year.

The number of conventions held in June is up 4.6 percent, to 1,759 events, from 1,682 in June 2012. Year-to-date, the number of conventions and meetings held is up 7.8 percent, to 12,004 from 11,140.

As for vehicle traffic, the average daily number of vehicles coming into Las Vegas was up 0.8 percent in June, from 110,877 a year ago to 109,990 in 2013. The number coming from Southern California on Interstate 15 was down 0.7 percent, to 47,295 vehicles, from 47,650. Vehicle counts include visitor, resident and commercial traffic.

Elsewhere in Clark County, the number of Laughlin visitors was down 0.1 percent in June, while Mesquite visitation was down 7.4 percent in the month-over-month comparisons. Year-to-date, Laughlin’s visitor count was down 1.9 percent, to 1.05 million from 2012’s 1.08 total. Mesquite’s was down 2.5 percent, to 539,198 from 553,187 in 2012.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Follow @lscvegas on Twitter.