LAS VEGAS TOURISM NEWS

Vegas Occupancy Continues To Outpace National Average
The average occupancy rate nationwide was 54.6 percent in June -- by far the worst performance since Smith Travel Research began keeping track in 1987. Las Vegas continues to outpace the national average by nearly 30 percentage points, registering a rate of 82.2 percent in June.  Las Vegas occupancy was down 7.2 percentage points compared to June 2008; however, the destination also registered a 3.3 percent increase in room inventory compared to the year prior.
(LVCVA Research, Aug 19, 2009)

Economic Downturn Continues To Weaken Tourism Industry
Key statistics recently released by the Commerce Department for the first quarter of 2009 confirm that the current economic downturn has created the most difficult environment for the U.S. tourism industry since 9/11.  Total tourism-related employment decreased by 149,000 during the first quarter, settling at 8.35 million. This is the second largest quarterly drop on record and the worst since the fourth quarter of 2001.  Total tourism-related spending figures suggest that the U.S. tourism industry shrank by 15.4 percent during the first quarter; by comparison, current-dollar U.S. Gross Domestic Product contracted at the rate of 4.6 percent during the same period.
(U.S. Department of Commerce news release, August 18, 2009)

PKF Hospitality Predicts More Demand, More Discounting In 2010
PKF Hospitality Research announced that, according to an advance release of the September 2009 edition of Hotel Horizons, nine consecutive quarters of declining lodging demand will come to an end in the second quarter of 2010.  "With the budgeting process underway at hotels around the U.S., the recovery of lodging demand is an important milestone that will be reached in the year ahead," said R. Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research. "The catch, however, is that the practice of price discounting has firmly taken hold, and, as a result, room rates are expected to decline once again in 2010."
(TravelPulse.com, August 17, 2009)

Labor Day Air Travel Will Fall According To ATA
U.S. airlines will carry 16 million passengers during the eight-day Labor Day holiday period, as the global recession trims demand, according to the Air Transport Association. About one million fewer passengers will fly than a year earlier as domestic and international air travel fall.  The projected decline consists of a 3.5 percent drop in domestic travel and a 3.0 percent drop in international travel despite system wide year-over-year average fare declines in each of the first six months of this year.
(USA Today, August 18, 2009)

Consumer Prices Flat In July
Consumer prices were flat in July as energy costs retreated following a big surge in June.  Over the past 12 months, prices dropped the most in nearly six decades as the recession and lower energy costs kept a lid on inflation.  The Labor Department reported that consumer prices showed no change in July, in line with analysts' expectations and far below the 0.7 percent jump in June.
(Associated Press, August 14, 2009)


Allegiant Increases Passenger Traffic 24 Percent
Allegiant Air announced its traffic data for May 2009, showing a 26 percent increase in scheduled passengers compared to May 2008 and a load factor of more than 90 percent for May.  The Las Vegas-based airline has also increased its departures by 26.4 percent compared to May 2008.
(Allegiant Air news release, June 3, 2009)

Travel Intentions Increase According To Travelocity
Travelocity's latest poll shows a dramatic increase in travel intentions, indicating traveler confidence is on the rise. Travelocity's first-ever Traveler Confidence Report shows that decreasing airfares and lower hotel rates have positively influenced 96 percent of overall respondents' summer travel plans, inspiring stronger travel intentions for the season ahead.  The Traveler Confidence Report gauges travelers' plans and attitudes now as compared to six months prior. Travelers planning to increase travel in 2009 is up significantly, with 21 percent planning to increase travel when asked in April, compared to only 10 percent planning increased travel when asked in November 2008.
(TravelPulse.com, June 3, 2009)

First-quarter GDP Contraction Is Revised To 5.7 Percent
The U.S. economy shrank at an annual pace of 5.7 percent in the first quarter, a less severe drop than initially reported but still the second-biggest quarterly decline in 27 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).  Last month, the government initially reported that gross domestic product -- the broadest measure of the nation's economic activity -- fell at an annual rate of 6.1 percent.   The revision fell short of economists' expectations of a 5.5 percent drop, according to a consensus estimate from Briefing.com.  In the fourth quarter, real GDP decreased 6.3 percent.   The first quarter of 2009 marked the third quarter in a row that the economy has contracted.
(BEA news release, May 29, 2009)

Consumer Spending Down, Savings Up
Frugal consumers trimmed spending in April -- although by less than expected -- as rising unemployment kept pocketbooks in check and motivated Americans to save.  With income growth far outpacing spending, Americans' personal savings rate zoomed to 5.7 percent, the highest since February 1995, according to the Commerce Department.  Consumer spending dipped 0.1 percent in April.  That was slightly less than the 0.2 percent reduction economists were expecting.  Americans' incomes jumped by 0.5 percent, following two straight months of declines.
(Associated Press, June 1, 2009)

Pending Home Sales Rise In April
Pending U.S. home sales in April posted the biggest monthly jump in nearly eight years, a sign that home sales are finally coming to life after a long and painful slump.  The National Association of Realtors says its seasonally adjusted index of sales contracts signed in April rose 6.7 percent to 90.3.  Economists expected the survey would edge up to 85 from a reading of 84.6 in March.  It was the biggest monthly jump since Oct. 2001.
(Associated Press, June 2, 2009)

PWC Issues Revised Lodging Forecast
PricewaterhouseCoopers has updated its U.S. lodging forecast to reflect an expected resumption of growth in the U.S. economy in the second half of 2009.  While occupancy levels and average daily rates in the second half of this year are expected to remain below last year's levels, resulting in a 15.7 percent decrease in revenue per available room in 2009, PwC expects RevPAR will post modest growth in 2010.  Lodging demand in the third and fourth quarters of 2009 is forecast to be 6.4 percent and 1.2 percent below last year's levels, respectively, resulting in an annual decrease of 6.2 percent in 2009.
(TravelPulse.com, June 3, 2009)

Economic Data Suggests Recession Is Easing
Fresh signs emerged Monday that the recession was letting up.  Manufacturing's slide is slowing.  Builders are boosting spending on construction projects -- including homes.  And consumers aren't cutting back as much as some had feared.  A trio of reports gave Wall Street a big lift on the same day that industrial icon General Motors Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection.  Economists were especially heartened by a report from the Institute for Supply Management that showed U.S. manufacturing activity shrinking at a slower pace in May.  Also, an index of new orders placed with U.S. factories rose to 51.1 in May, the first time this barometer had grown since November 2007.  Another report, from the Commerce Department, said construction spending rose a surprising 0.8 percent in April after economists had expected a 1.2 percent decline.
(Associated Press, June 2, 2009)


Consumer Confidence Index Increases In April (added April 30th 2009)

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index, which had posted a slight increase in March, improved considerably in April. The Index now stands at 39.2, up from 26.9 in March. According to Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, "Consumer Confidence rose in April to its highest reading in 2009, driven primarily by a significant improvement in the short-term outlook."
(The Conference Board news release, April 28, 2009)

Home Prices Fall In March
Nevada set a record in March with more than 10,000 homeowners defaulting on mortgage payments, and the price of existing homes sold last month in Las Vegas plummeted to its lowest level since 2001, raising the question how much further they can fall. Since June 2006, the median price of existing homes sold has fallen 53 percent from $289,500 to March's $134,900. The price fell $7,600 from February to March, according to research firm SalesTraq.
(InBusiness Las Vegas, April 24, 2009)

Inbound Visits To U.S. From U.K. Up In 2008
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries travel trade barometer program, the United Kingdom bookings to the United States ended 2008 on a positive note, countering the trend of declines registered from other countries in fourth quarter 2008. United Kingdom tour operators reported (as of January/February 2009) that 2008 bookings were up 1 to 3 percent compared to 2007. Actual annual 2008 arrivals from the United Kingdom totaled 4.6 million, an increase of one percent compared to 2007.
(Office of Travel & Tourism Industries news release, April 28, 2009)

Gross Domestic Product Down In First Quarter
Real gross domestic product (GDP) -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- decreased at an annual rate of 6.1 percent in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
(BEA news release, April 29, 2009)

Orlando, Las Vegas Top Spots For Summer Vacations
For the seventh year in a row, Orlando and Las Vegas remain the most popular summer destinations booked by ASTA travel agents, according to the American Society of Travel Agents "2009 Hot Spots for Summer" survey. Orlando came out on top with a 17.2 percent share of responses and Las Vegas maintained the second spot with 16 percent of the votes. Overseas, the top four international destination cities remained the same for the seventh year in a row with top-rated London receiving a 9.9 percent share of the vote followed by Rome (9 percent), Paris (7.5 percent) and Cancun (7 percent). After Orlando and Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Honolulu, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Chicago and New York City round out the top 10 domestic cities.
(TravelAgentCentral, April 24, 2009)

Durable Goods Fall Less Than Expected In March
Demand for big-ticket manufactured goods fell less than expected in March, raising some hopes that the long slide in manufacturing is nearing an end. The Commerce Department said that orders for durable goods dropped 0.8 percent last month, about half the 1.5 percent decline that economists expected.
(Associated Press, April 24, 2009)

U.S. Travel Exports Decline In February
The Department of Commerce reported that international visitors spent $10.1 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the U.S. during the month of February -- a decline of 13 percent from February 2008. It was the largest year-over-year decline in tourism-related exports since 2002. Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the U.S. totaled $7.9 billion for the month, a decrease of more than 13 percent when compared to February 2008.
(Office of Travel & Tourism Industries news release, April 27, 2009


APRIL 2009

Las Vegas Convention Center Celebrates 50^th Anniversary

On April 12, 1959, community leaders realized their vision of Las Vegas becoming a leading convention destination when the Las Vegas Convention Center opened and hosted the World Congress of Flight. Since then, Las Vegas has become the premier convention destination and the convention center has grown to more than 3 million square feet. The Las Vegas Convention Center regularly hosts more than 1.5 million delegates per year resulting in approximately $2.5 billion in non-gaming economic impact. This month, the Convention Center celebrates its 50^th anniversary.  

New York-New York Introduces the Value Passport

New York-New York offers a variety of exhilarating nightlife – all under one roof, for one low price. With the purchase of the new $25 Value Passport, guests can party all night at a variety of venues, without breaking the bank. Deals offered with the Passport include one premium specialty cocktail at Center Bar; a pint of beer at Pour 24; a ride on The Roller Coaster at New York-New York; a pint or cocktail at Nine Fine Irishmen; admission and a brew at The Bar at Times Square; and VIP line pass admission into ROK Vegas. The Value Passport is available at the New York-New York Box Office.  

Imperial Palace Las Vegas Introduces “All In” Vacation Packages

Imperial Palace announces its “All In” travel packages that offer guests the convenience of rooms plus unlimited food and beverage at a variety of locations throughout the property, a concept new to Las Vegas. The Imperial Palace’s “All In” packages start at just $95 per night. The convenient way of travel includes accommodations, unlimited trips to Emperor’s Buffet, meals at Teahouse (café open for breakfast, lunch and dinner), and all-you-can-drink alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at casino and pool bars.  

The Palazzo and The Venetian Restaurants Create “Date Nite”

The Palazzo and The Venetian have created a restaurant stimulus package that will satisfy your appetite without breaking the bank. Now through April 24, “Date Nite” will feature pre-fixe menus at a cost of only $40 per person. At The Palazzo, enjoy Charlie Trotter’s Bar Charlie, Mario Batali’s Carnevino, Dos Caminos, Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro, and SUSHISAMBA. At The Venetian, the selection of restaurants includes Mario Batali’s Enoteca San Marco and Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio. Additionally, Double Helix* Wine Bar at The Shoppes at The Palazzo will be offering a specially priced glass of wine during Date Nite.

Miracle Mile Shops Opens New Stores Including Three Las Vegas Firsts

Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino welcomes Las Vegas’ only Club Tattoo, founded by Linkin Park front man Chester Bennington and long time friend Sean Dowdell. The venue features talented tattoo artists, body piercers and a full line of brand apparel. Rock & Roll Religion is the Los Angeles-based company’s only Las Vegas outpost featuring brands such as English Laundry, Fender: The Clothing Collection; Jimi Hendrix: The Experience, and Da Vinci. DC Shoes, the California-based retailer, features men’s, women’s and children’s footwear inspired by an extreme sports lifestyle. American Apparel showcases a wide range of clothing items for men and women.  

Bare Pool Lounge Opens at The Mirage

Bare pool lounge at The Mirage, The Light Group’s exclusive adult alternative to the typical Las Vegas pool experience, has opened. In its third season, Bare pool lounge has quickly become the summertime sanctuary for Hollywood’s A-list.  Last summer Bare pool hosted celebrity birthday parties and live evening concerts. The ultimate in poolside pampering, Bare is defined by its two saltwater luxury dipping pools, distinctive contemporary ambiance and ultra VIP service for which The Light Group is renowned. The DJ-spun music mix sets the party mood as guests enjoy Euro sun bathing secluded by towering palms. Bare will be open Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Beginning May 1, Bare will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

Dixie’s Dam Bar at Hooters Goes Rock ‘n’ Roll

Hooters Casino Hotel recently opened Dixie’s Dam Bar, a 3,000-square-foot, laid back rock ‘n’ roll bar. Originally called Dixie’s Dam Country Bar, where country music and live bands were the norm in the venue, Hooters recently decided to change the theme of the bar to have an edgier feel. The country look has been changed to rustic decor with a touch of rock ‘n’ roll. All tunes come from a digital jukebox playing all rock hits. Dixie’s Dam Bar is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 p.m. until the party stops.  

Sin City Brewing Co. Now Open Inside Flamingo Las Vegas

Sin City Brewing Co.’s second Las Vegas location is now open daily, 11 a.m. – 2 a.m., inside the Flamingo Las Vegas. The Las Vegas-based microbrewery’s newly opened outpost, located near the hotel’s guest entrance and valet, offers a full-bar experience featuring all four of Sin City’s custom brews on tap. Sin City Amber, Sin City Light, Sin City Stout and Sin City Weisse, are produced in small batches using traditional methods and premium raw materials.  

“Sin City Bad Girls” to Open at Las Vegas Hilton

Platinum Productions will debut its super sexy, rockin’ topless revue, “Sin City Bad Girls,” on Friday, April 24, at 9 p.m. in the Las Vegas Hilton’s 340-seat Shimmer Showroom. “Sin City Bad Girls,” created and produced by entertainment executive Glenn Medas and Emmy Award-winning choreographer and director Michael Chambers, will feature a cast of eight gorgeous dancers, lead by songstress Lorena Peril backed by an electrifying live band.  The only show of its kind with a live band will showcase the sounds of pulsing rock, pop, country and blues. Show time is nightly at 9 p.m., dark Sunday.  

New Owners for The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas

Village Hospitality, L.L.C. has purchased The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, the award-winning 349-room resort and spa located 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.  The transaction closed in late February 2009.  The prior owner of the resort sought reorganization in April 2008, and the acquisition by Village Hospitality concludes a 10-month bankruptcy period.  

Las Vegas to Host 2009 NHL Awards

The National Hockey League (NHL) has announced the 2009 NHL Awards will take place for the first time ever in Las Vegas on June 18, 2009.  The NHL is bringing its annual awards celebration to Las Vegas as part of a three-year agreement with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).  The 2009 NHL Awards celebration will feature the League naming its top players for the regular season in a host of categories including, most valuable player (Hart Trophy), outstanding goaltender (Vezina Trophy), outstanding defenseman (Norris Trophy) and outstanding rookie (Calder Trophy). More details regarding the 2009 NHL Awards festivities including tickets on sale, entertainment, ancillary events, broadcast details and media information will be announced at a later date.  

17^th Annual Las Vegas City of Lights Jazz Festival Returns

Michael Schivo Presents has teamed up with Las Vegas Events (LVE), the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), 105.7 Smooth Jazz, KJLH Radio Free and KTWV radio - The Wave in Los Angeles -- to co-sponsor the 17th Annual Las Vegas City of Lights Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 25, 2009. By popular demand, the festival now has a new location at Government Amphitheater. The festival starts at 1 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. The lineup includes handpicked musicians to entertain throughout the day and night including Boney James, Wayman Tisdale, Incognito lead singer Maysa, Marion Meadows and Jessy J. 

MARCH 19-25, 2009