Q&A with Fletch Brunelle of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Association
In conversation with Travel Courier’s Mitchell McClung, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Association’s (LVCVA), VP Marketing, Fletch Brunelle observed that: “We look forward to continuing to work with our travel partners up north to ensure they have what they need to confidently book travel for their clients into the destination and can experience all those ‘Only Vegas’ moments people have come to expect.”
We closed out 2022 by welcoming 38.8 million visitors to the destination, 20.5% ahead of 2021 and just 8.7% shy of 2019 visitation.
Las Vegas hosted nearly five million convention attendees in 2022, which is more than double the number from 2021.
Looking ahead we expect that those numbers will continue to grow as we see additional shows booked and travel continues to pick up overall.
We also expect the future investments and upcoming projects planned for the destination will have a positive impact on visitation.
Currently the destination offers over 14 million square feet of meetings and event space and 150,000 hotel rooms with more offerings and accommodations being added this year including the completion of several exciting projects like the Fontainebleau Las Vegas and MSG Sphere.
Travel trade is incredibly important, and we are dedicated to supporting travel advisors and tour operators every step of the way.
We see our travel partners as a critical component in ensuring Canadians can access the destination and are kept in the know on everything new and exciting happening here.
One resource we offer is our Learn & Earn agent portal which provides agents with the latest Vegas insights through multiple training modules and resources that include digital brochures, guides, maps and insider PRO Tips. Helpful Sales Tools include Group Booking Assistance, Hotel Contact Directory and Commissionable Vegas Listing. You’ll also be registered to receive the latest destination updates and happenings via our Vegas Insider newsletter.
It might surprise visitors just how much growth took place over the last couple of years. In a time where so much of the world slowed down, Vegas was able to complete several large-scale projects.
Three all-new resort properties have opened their doors including Circa Resort & Casino, Virgin Hotel Las Vegas and Resorts World Las Vegas along with Allegiant Stadium, which boasts 65,000 seats and is home to the Las Vegas Raiders.
We have also seen the continued evolution into the Greatest Arena on Earth with a significant increase in the amount of live sports fans can catch while in town.
We are now home to eight professional sporting teams, including the Vegas Golden Knights, who were founded in 2017 as an expansion team for the National Hockey League.
We are also gearing up to host some of the largest events in the world including the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix this November and the Super Bowl in February.
Canada is an incredibly important market.
Year after year it is one of the top sources of international visitation with close to 1.5 million Canadians traveling to Vegas in 2019.
Airline connectivity is also a focus for the destination and the LVCVA.
Currently Canada is close to being fully recovered in terms of service, and we plan to continue to work in conjunction with Harry Reid International Airport to identify and develop new direct routes, allowing more Canadians convenient access to Vegas.
We look forward to continuing to work with our travel partners up north to ensure they have what they need to confidently book travel for their clients into the destination and can experience all those ‘Only Vegas’ moments people have come to expect.
