Las Vegas is experiencing an unprecedented tourism downturn that industry insiders are calling the "Trump slump," with visitor numbers dropping for the sixth consecutive month amid immigration crackdowns and trade tensions. The entertainment capital saw nearly 400,000 fewer visitors in June alone, representing an 11.3% decline compared to the same period last year, according to The Guardian.
International visitors dropped 13% in June, with Canadian tourists—traditionally a reliable market—showing particularly steep declines. The three Canadian airlines serving Las Vegas all reported significant year-over-year passenger drops: Air Canada down almost 22%, Flair off 64%, and WestJet down 34.6%, as reported by The Nevada Independent.
Workforce Under Pressure
The decline hits particularly hard in a city where 25% of all Nevada workers were born abroad, compared to 17% nationally. In Las Vegas's hospitality sector, the numbers are even more dramatic, with 74% of hotel housekeepers born overseas and 51% of restaurant line cooks being foreign-born workers.
Ted Pappageorge, secretary treasurer of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, has become the voice of worker anxiety in the city. His union represents 60,000 hospitality workers across Las Vegas and Reno, with 45% of its members being immigrants from 178 different countries who speak 40 different languages. "Our members are telling us that they're quite nervous, and that's why they're calling it a Trump slump," Pappageorge told the Guardian.
Local activists report that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are detaining around 40% more people per day in Southern Nevada than last year, despite 69% having no criminal convictions. This has created a climate of fear that extends beyond the workforce to potential visitors.
Economic Ripple Effects
Immigrants contribute an estimated $20.2 billion to Nevada's economy annually, making their reduced participation a significant concern. Some Las Vegas servers report tips declining by as much as 50% as high prices and reduced tourism impact traveler spending. The total number of tourists in the first half of 2025 reached about 19.5 million, representing a 7.3% decrease from the same period last year.
The meetings and conventions sector, traditionally stable, also took a hit with a 1.6% decline in attendance. June's drop was particularly pronounced, with major events like InfoComm and Cisco Live absent from the city, reducing convention attendance by nearly 50,000 people.
International Markets in Retreat
The decline in Canadian tourism reflects broader policy impacts. Many Canadians have scrapped travel plans in protest of Trump's 35% tariffs on Canadian goods and repeated remarks suggesting Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. Canada, along with some European countries, issued travel advisories for the United States as the new administration cracks down on immigration.
Air Canada reported a 13.2% drop in passengers from May to June this year to Las Vegas, one-third lower compared to last year. This is particularly significant given that 2.6 million people from Canada and Mexico traveled to Las Vegas last year, making up half of international travel.
Industry Response and Projections
According to The Las Vegas Sun, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is feeling the impact financially. The LVCVA is projecting a 5% decline in room tax revenue for its upcoming budget, resulting in an $18 million drop from their $360 million projection.
Despite the challenging numbers, some industry leaders remain cautiously optimistic. "Operators are clear that they are not seeing any fundamental consumer issues," Truist Securities gaming analyst Barry Jonas noted after June meetings with officials from 11 gaming companies.
Some industry watchers believe travelers held off their Las Vegas trips in anticipation of upcoming major events, including concerts by Paul McCartney and the Backstreet Boys, as well as Formula 1 racing and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
