Las Vegas attracted a record number of foreign visitors in 2023, with a significant increase of 39%. Canadians led this growth, followed by tourists from the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and Brazil.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported that the city received 4.74 million foreign visitors, representing 11.6% of the total 40.8 million visitors.
Canada regained its position as the top foreign market, followed by Mexico. Brazil, in turn, had a 26.8% increase in visitors, indicating a growing interest among Brazilians in Las Vegas.
Millions of visitors per year to Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has released preliminary tourism estimates in the Gambling Capital of the World.
So, in comparison, the 3.4 million foreign visitors in 2022 represented 8.7% of the 38.8 million international visitors, up from 4% in 2021. The highest figure occurred in 2019, being 13.3% of total.
Overall, in 2023, Harry Reid International Airport served 57.6 million travelers and beat the previous record of 52.6 million set in 2022. This represents an increase of 9.5%.
Therefore, foreign visitation is one of the last areas of the Las Vegas tourist market that has not yet returned to pre-pandemic numbers. This is especially true for travel from outside of North America and its 45.8% year-over-year increase.
Last year’s visitation was 16.3% or 920,000 below pre-pandemic levels from the 5.6 million international arrivals in 2019. The record was recorded in 2014 with 5.98 million foreign visitors.
But in 2023, Canada regained its lead as the number one foreign destination. Las Vegas welcomed 1.41 Canadians in 2023, a 60% increase from 885,610 in 2022 and nearly matching its 2019 total, down 4.1%.
Canada and Mexico lead the list of visitors
Mexico took Canada‘s place in first place from 2020 to 2022; Canada had more travel restrictions during the period. In 2023, 1.08 million visitors arrived from Mexico, an increase of 9.6% compared to 2022 and just 3.1% below the 2019 total.
So overall, the 2.5 million visitors from Canada and Mexico in 2023 accounted for 52.8% of international travelers. They represented 46% of the total in 2019, showing more room for growth in travel abroad.
Outside of North America, the continued recovery in outbound travel has been led by the United Kingdom, historically Las Vegas’ third-largest overseas market. The 551,550 visitors in 2023 were 14.3% higher than the 482,380 in 2022. UK travel is still 25.6% lower than the 741,000 visitors in 2019.
Additionally, Las Vegas continues to be a popular destination for Australians; The 264,900 visitors in 2023 represented a 74.2% increase from 2022’s 152,030. But visitation was down 26% from 2019’s 358,000 Australians.
Germany came in fifth place with 182,450, a 46% increase from 125,040 in 2022. There were 224,000 visitors in 2019, with visitation in 2023 falling 18.5%.
South Korea ranked sixth with 157,760 visitors in 2023, a 58% increase from 99,840 in 2022. Therefore, 2023 visitation is down 21.9% from 202,000 in 2019.
Las Vegas welcomed more Brazilians in 2023
Japan recorded 108,020 visitors in 2023, a 223% increase from 33,400 in 2022. Japan had 243,000 visitors in 2019, 55.5% below pre-pandemic levels.
France brought 80,770 visitors to Las Vegas in 2023, a 46.2% increase from 55,250 in 2022. It was 99,600 in 2019.
China recorded the biggest gain in foreign visitors, with a 573% jump to 71,640, compared to 10,640 in 2022. There were 205,000 in 2019.
Ireland had 52,760 in 2023, up 11.5% from 47,320 in 2022.
India had 50,090 in 2023, a 70% increase from 2022. Thus, India is the only market with an increase from 2019, a 1.4% gain.
While Brazil had 123,370 visitors, an increase of 26.8% compared to 2022. The record was in 2019 with 156 thousand tourists in the city.
- The Netherlands had 48,120 visitors in 2023, an increase of 25.2%.
- Switzerland had 37,560, an increase of 54.6%.
- Spain had 34,710, an increase of 3%.
- Italy had 34,100, an increase of 41.5%.
- The Philippines had 31,770, a 52% increase.
- Taiwan had 26,790, a 122% increase.
- Argentina had 26,520, an increase of 34.6%.
- Sweden had 19,060, an increase of 86.3%.
- Belgium had 18,620, an increase of 32.9%.
- Denmark had 13,900, an increase of 26.5%.
- Israel had 13,460, an increase of 28.7%.
- Austria had 11,130, an increase of 49.4%.
- Singapore had 10,820, an increase of 55.2%.
- Turkey had 10,680, an increase of 93.5%.
- Norway had 8,960, an increase of 75.3%.
