Guests, tourism officers upbeat about return to ‘Vegas’ vibe

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – We all remember like yesterday what the Strip looked like without visitors.

The visitor numbers in 2019 showed that Las Vegas had 42.5 million visitors. Last year only 19 million visitors.

What will 2021 look like?

Many people are ready for “Vegas” to return to what it used to be – the entertainment capital of the world.

The news of vaccinated people brings an optimistic outlook as to whether people want to return to shows, concerts, nightlife or conventions.

“Things are looking better, so be sure to visit Vegas,” said Maeve Mackin of Las Vegas.

“Going out is getting so much more special,” said Micaela Levit from Las Vegas. “And we’ll all appreciate it a little more.”

There’s a new sign of energy on the strip.

Lori Nelson-Kraft, senior vice president of communications for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said Las Vegas was the world’s leading travel destination, and while it was a difficult year, it was also a year of innovation.

“There’s a real pent-up demand for travel and a pent-up demand for Las Vegas,” she said. “What you are seeing now is the possibility that trips will really reopen and people will really start planning their vacations.”

“While it will take time to recover, you will see more visits every month,” she said.

Joseph St. Germain is visiting from Alaska. He feels comfortable traveling again.

“It was a reward for my work. We did a good job and they sent us to Vegas, ”said St. Germain.

He said people are anxious to “do things” but avoid making predictions.

“I don’t know how normal will look at the end of the year.”

He looks forward to comedy shows and conventions.

Nelson-Kraft has an update on this topic:

“We just got some really exciting news today,” she said. “The World of Concrete shows scheduled for June 8-10 have just received their approval.”

In addition to World of Concrete, 10 more live trading events are planning a return this year.

(Sally Jaramillo / 8NewsNow)

“We just launched a new business campaign for the convention industry called Fast Forward and we’re promoting the entire destination,” said Nelson-Kraft.

Emma Baier from Las Vegas said, “I think we still have to be careful about the pandemic, but it’s good to see things openly.”

A national advertising campaign will be launched next month. Another LVCVA plan is to bring influencers to Las Vegas so they can share their experiences with their followers.