With the announcement that Las Vegas leads the nation in trade show bookings, it's clear that Sin City is back on its feet from a business travel perspective. Leisure travel, however, has faced a more slow crawl back to the heights it had reached in 2006 and 2007. A slew of new attractions are banking on increased leisure visitation numbers to draw customers to Vegas from all around the world.
On the heels of major renovations to the Golden Gate and Fitzgerald's Las Vegas, SBE announced it will transform The Sahara Hotel and Casino to the SLS Las Vegas, a more modern take on the Las Vegas experience. The new property is set to open in 2014, indicative of a trend towards enhancing properties to appeal to leisure travelers at a time when there is increasing demand.
New events are also flocking to Las Vegas in 2012, during periods of especially high demand. The first-ever World Food Championships will hit several Strip properties this fall, following this week's Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit festival at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. And the offerings are getting more and more esoteric; curling events are even set for this fall.
You can check out the latest offerings from Vegas lounges and nightclubs, as well, including 1OAK at The Mirage.