Las Vegas extends warm welcome to Canadians

“We love you, we want you, we need you” was the resounding mantra from the Las Vegas contingent during their recent sales mission to Western Canada.

At the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, 12 Las Vegas suppliers provided the 100 travel agents at the sit-down dinner updates and insights into the many new offerings from this entertainment oasis.

Fletch Brunelle, VP-marketing at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), touted Las Vegas as the greatest arena on earth. “It’s the best place to come and see sporting events,” he said.

For the past three years, Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix (F1) has injected US$3.2 billion to the local economy. This event is not just for people with deep pockets, said Brunelle. He revealed that not many people realize that a day ticket can be had for US$81. Non-F1 fans can take in the complimentary Neon City Festival. Running from Nov 20-22, 2026, it features multi-genre music performances across three stages as well as a culinary segment.

Sports fans can also look forward to the new MLB stadium that is currently under construction. Set to be ready for the 2028 season, this US$1.75 billion venue will be able accommodate 33,000 spectators and will feature a fixed climate-controlled roof.

Events rule

Although Canada is the number one market for Las Vegas, Canuck arrivals registered an 18% drop for 2025, year-on-year, totalling 1.18m. That said, the destination seemed to fare better than the rest of the country, which averaged about 22% dip in Canadian numbers.

Steve Hill, LVCVA’s president & CEO, noted that high-end properties seem to be doing well while budget properties are partnering with airlines like WestJet, Air Canada and Porter to offer packages to make it attractive for people to visit.

For MGM Resorts International’s CEO & president Bill Hornbuckle, his organization has shifted its focus to wealthier guests as opposed to budget conscious travellers. He noted, “We are seeing improvement in numbers for the upper-end of the market who are motivated by events, for instance, F1.” Hornbuckle said that about 70% of their guests were there to attend events, including conferences. Contrary to popular belief, less than 10% of visitors to the city were there to gamble.

With the booking window trending towards a shorter timeframe – people are now booking between 10-45 days before travel – some MGM properties are now selling packages to attract folks to Las Vegas. Its Luxor and Excalibur properties are now offering an all-inclusive deal that starts from US$330. This includes accommodations for two, meals and entertainment.

Connections matter

The Vancouver stop was highly valuable for suppliers to reconnect with advisors who sell Las Vegas. Travel Nevada’s trade director for Canada Tracy Zeisberger, reminded agents that Nevada is easy to sell alongside Las Vegas, especially for clients seeking nature and road-trip adventures. Zeisberger highlighted the relatively new road trips guide to Nevada; this is part of a refreshed group of itineraries launched alongside Travel Nevada’s “Get A Little Out There” campaign. These 10 specially selected drives offer a glimpse into Nevada’s diverse landscapes and communities, and can be used as add-ons to a Las Vegas itinerary. Excursions include driving along the Extraterrestrial highway and visiting the 600 ghost towns in the area.

First time supplier, Mynor Guerra, VP of leisure sales for Maverick Aviation Group, joined this sales mission to find out what Canadians want. Guerra took the opportunity to let agents know that they can make real-time helicopter tour bookings directly on Maverick’s rez system.

Another new attendee was Andrew Musgrove, group sales manager for AC Hotels. Musgrove was excited to talk about the unique AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park, which features two different brands within one building. Comprising 441-rooms, this new-build non-gaming downtown property is situated next to the North Premium Outlets, and is divided into the Element and Marriott brands. There are joint amenities and guest privileges are restricted to the specific brand via their keycard.

Prior to the sales mission, the team hosted a few of its top travel partners for an unplugged session at Whistler where they held 1:1 meetings to connect and brainstorm ideas. They even had an opportunity to participate in an ATV ride exploring Whistler’s backcountry.

After Vancouver, the sales mission proceeded onto Calgary and Edmonton to meet with travel agents there.

In other news

• The former Mirage Hotel and Casino will be rebranded as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. While the main tower building will be undergoing major refurbishment, a new building, shaped as a guitar, will feature 675 rooms spread over 42 storeys. This development will offer a total of 3,700 rooms and is scheduled to open in 2027.
• The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is currently undergoing a US$1.5 billon renovation that will be completed by end 2026. Guestrooms have been redesigned and new dining options include COTE Korean BBQ & Steakhouse and Via Via Food Hall.

Story & photos by Beatrice Ang

IN THE PHOTOS 

TOP PHOTO 

Bill Hornbuckle & Steve Hill (in the middle) and the team from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and MGM Resorts.

SECOND

On stag, from l to r, are Sarah Best Chensky, MGM Resorts International; Robin Hudgens, Resorts World Las Vegas; Andrew Musgrove, AC Hotels; Al Santos, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas; Mynor Guerra, Maverick Aviation Group & Tracy Zeisberger, Travel Nevada offer interesting titbits on their products.

THIRD 

Steve Hill, president & CEO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

FOURTH 

Attendees (seen here from l to r) included Vancouver stalwarts Myrna Bubica, Mexi-Can Holidays and Marian Lam, JBC Travel.

FIFTH 

Maverick Aviation Group’s Mynor Guerra (in suit) was surrounded by agents who wanted to learn more about the helicopter tour company.