Rafael Villanueva, Senior Director of International Sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said during a visit on February 16 to New Delhi, India, that Las Vegas is looking to promote the luxury Free Independent Traveler (FIT) travel market from India.
Additionally, the city would like to bring in more people who come to visit friends and relatives from India who have settled in the USA. And another thrust area is the incentive market, as Las Vegas has many venues and facilities available for handling this segment of the travel and tourism market.
Villanueva said that only 12 to 15 percent of the 42.9 million visitors who come to Las Vegas annually, are there to gamble. The rest want to enjoy the entertainment, tours, shopping, and food. Many visitors combine a trip to Las Vegas with side trips, with the Grand Canyon in Arizona state being high on the list, as well as 6 national parks within easy reach. Theatre and daily shows are major attractions in Vegas, and the city offers over 890 itineraries for use by visitors.
The city has 150,000 hotel rooms to choose from, which are almost always at close to 90 percent occupancy. By 2019, there will be even more hotel rooms, with over 5,000 to be added by then, along with a brand-new convention center.
PHOTO: Rafael Villanueva, Senior Director of International Sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
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