If there was only one takeaway for travel advisors from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) event in Burlington, Ont., this week, it was to recognize the overwhelming variety of the destination – a sentiment stated succinctly by Sarah Chensky of MGM Resorts, who said, “There’s a different Vegas for different people.”
Indeed, the dozen members of the LVCVA Canadian trade mission event (joined by Canadian partners ACV, WestJet, TravelBrands and Porter for dinner and mini trade show, and which continued last night in Toronto before moving on to Montreal and Quebec) were equally adamant in pointing out that Las Vegas is no longer simply a mecca for gambling.
“Las Vegas is now the sport and entertainment capital of the world,” Brea Williams of the Authority declared on point, with colleague Fernando Hurtado telling Travel Industry Today that many visitors to the Nevada city – not least Canadians – come in particular for the sports scene, which now includes resident teams like the hockey Golden Knights and football Raiders (and baseball will arrive in a few years), but also one-off events like the new Formula 1 race, and Copa America soccer matches this summer.
The Sphere, Las Vegas’s unique new attraction, which is the new pinnacle of entertainment offerings in the city, combines both. This year it will host the NHL Draft, though it is better known for its concerts (including a residency by U2 that is set to be replaced by The Eagles), as well as its ongoing “Postcards from Earth” film experience and atrium exhibits focussed on interactive technology, including AI robots.
One by one, Vegas partners highlighted the wide variety of Vegas experiences that don’t fit the traditional perception of the city.
“We are a hotel that happens to have a casino (not the other way around),” Kalena Fernandez noted of the fabulous Fontainebleau, which opened on Dec. 13.
Similarly, Resorts World, which is comprised of three hotels, boasts over 40 food and beverage outlets, as well as its own theatre (Carrie Underwood is currently in residency) and pool complex. “It’s a place you can go and never have to leave,” quipped the resort’s Tina Perna.
But Vegas visitors will leave their hotels and a near requisite activity is an evening at the Circus – more specifically, Cirque du Soleil, which provides fully six different shows at venues along the Strip, including a couple – Mystere and Ka – that are particularly ideal for families, according to the Quebec-based troupe’s Melissa Elliott.
Families/kids in Vegas? Youness Filal said his property, the Holiday Inn Vacation Club is aimed directly at families and is especially popular with multi-gen travellers these days. And despite being located just off the Strip, he says guests won’t find any raucous pool parties there. “It’s a different demographic” he says.
Another side of Vegas can be seen from above, pointed out Irit Langness of Papillon Helicopters, which offers flightseeing excursions over The Strip by day and night, and further afield to the Grand Canyon, where the company is the only one permitted to set down on the canyon floor.
Papillon’s sister company, Grand Canyon Airlines, flies further afield on day trips to various national parks like Bryce and Zion canyons in Utah.
Keeping feet on the ground, the Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon are easy day trips into the desert, just beyond the city limits.
Of course, there are few cities that can offer dining options as plentiful and diverse as Las Vegas.
But, beyond Vegas’s variety, a related takeaway for travel advisors on the night was that adding on experiences to a client’s itinerary is a good way to score some extra commission.
Whether it’s a helicopter ride or VIP package at the Magic Mike show, there are “a lot of tours and attractions that you can add on,” said David Han of Reach Global, which represents Las Vegas in Canada.
A poster child for the new, varied Vegas, Han added, “I don’t smoke or drink or gamble, but I’ve always had a great time in Las Vegas.”