Las Vegas experienced a 7.5% drop in visitors last year, bringing the total to 38.5 million—the city’s weakest performance outside of the pandemic era. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority attributed the decline to economic uncertainty and a reduction in international travelers, particularly from Canada, where tourists have canceled U.S. trips in response to former President Trump’s trade policies.
“The casinos are empty,” said Brian Torres Sauzo, a food runner at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, reflecting widespread anxiety among hospitality workers about job stability. “There’s a lot of fear for people, not just where I work, but friends who work in other casinos — just how little work there’s been and what that means long term for them.”
Although convention bookings remained stable in 2025, the overall drop translates to roughly three million fewer visitors who did not spend money in the city compared to 2024. With casino floors quieter, many employees report reduced hours.
Sharon Beckworth, a housekeeper at Harrah’s hotel-casino, described the emotional and physical toll: “Some days you’re sick, you’re tired, you’re stressed, but you still got to work through that. You got to do what you got to do to keep your job because you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Both Beckworth and Torres Sauzo are members of Culinary Union Local 226, which represents 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada. Union leaders warn that federal immigration enforcement actions could further damage the city’s appeal.
Ted Pappageorge, the union’s secretary treasurer, emphasized the potential economic fallout: “If there were 2,000 federal agents running around breaking down doors, shooting people, I think folks would decide not to come to Las Vegas. It would be crippling for our economy.”
— news from WBUR
— News Original —
With tourism down, Las Vegas casino workers face economic hardship
The neon glow of Las Vegas has lost some of its shine. The number of visitors to the world-famous city fell by 7.5% last year, to 38.5 million. n nThe Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority blames the downturn on travelers’ caution about the economy and a drop in foreign tourists. Canadian travelers, for instance, have retaliated against President Trump’s trade war by cancelling trips to the U.S. n nLast year was “one of the more complex operating environments the destination has navigated outside of the pandemic period,” the authority said. n n“The casinos are empty,” said Brian Torres Sauzo, a food runner at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. “There’s a lot of fear for people, not just where I work, but friends who work in other casinos — just how little work there’s been and what that means long term for them.” n nThe visitor’s authority said convention business was steady in 2025. But overall, the downturn adds up to about three million visitors who didn’t spend money in Las Vegas last year, compared to 2024. Some casinos are looking for ways to entice Canadians to return to the city. n nQuiet casino floors mean some workers report getting scheduled for fewer hours. n n“Some days you’re sick, you’re tired, you’re stressed, but you still got to work through that,” said Sharon Beckworth, who works in the housekeeping department at the hotel-casino Harrah’s. “You got to do what you got to do to keep your job because you don’t know what’s going to happen.” n nBeckworth and Torres Sauzo are members of the Culinary Union Local 226, which represents 60,000 hotel and casino workers in Nevada. n nUnion leaders are concerned the Las Vegas economy could take another hit if the federal government’s aggressive immigration tactics come to Nevada. n n“There’s got to be a course correction here,” said the union’s secretary treasurer, Ted Pappageorge, who has been watching the unrest in Minneapolis. “If there were 2,000 federal agents running around breaking down doors, shooting people, I think folks would decide not to come to Las Vegas. It would be crippling for our economy.”