Ahead of Silverstone this weekend, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority headed to London to wave the Las Vegas flag.
Travel Bulletin's Matt Hayhoe caught up with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)'s chief marketing officer, Kate Wik, to hear all things Vegas, what awaits guests visiting ahead of November's F1, and the importance of agents and the UK market to the destination's success.
Las Vegas has recovered 65% of 2019's UK visitor numbers, with expectations to match or exceed that in the year ahead. This impressive recovery has marked a sizeable chunk of the destination's rebound post-Covid, with 482,000 Brits descending on the 'entertainment capital of the world' last year alone.
"We love our Brit visitors, and they love Las Vegas!" Kate explained.
"It's on the bucket list for so many British tourists – it's one of those places you have to visit at least once."
It's not just a bucket-list, one-and-done destination for Brits, though, with Kate continuing: "They often come back for repeat visits; our return visitation is really high in Vegas. Typically, visitors have a preconceived notion of Las Vegas as the gambling capital. That's just the beginning of the offerings.
"First-time visits often cement our status as the entertainment capital of the world. Guests realise we're the wedding capital of the world, the sports capital of the world, and so much more than what they expect."
On that note, this November's Formula 1 Las Vegas comprises just some of the sport offerings Brits are heading to the neon city to experience.
"F1 is in the middle of November, the 16th through the 18th, and that will literally take over the entire destination. We're shutting down Las Vegas Boulevard and the cars will race down it with the iconic buildings as the backdrop at 220 miles per hour.
"It will be one of the fastest, if not the fastest, because of that long, straight course. We're super excited for it!"
The typical clientele for sports holidays has shifted with F1 over the last few years, largely in part to Formula 1: Drive to Survive's success on Netflix.
"The Netflix documentary casted such a wide net in terms of driving exposure and viewership for the F1 brand. It's the perfect time for Las Vegas to get involved."
Ahead of F1, the LVCVA headed to London to activate the brand at this weekend's Silverstone Grand Prix.
"We've got a whole load of surprise integrations with some of Las Vegas' iconic entertainers, from showgirls to pop-up celebrities. We've taken over some high profile signage around the course... we're really excited to be partnering with the Silverstone team to bring a slice of Vegas to that audience."
With all eyes on Vegas this weekend, agents can expect a rise in demand and enquiries for Vegas trips. Kate iterated the LVCVA's support for their trade partners: "We are constantly brainstorming new ways to introduce Vegas to all our trade partners. I don't want to spoil the upcoming ideas... but the story is always changing, there's always something new, and we love to showcase those."
Ending on a personal note, Kate shared her favourite Vegas trend that's a must-do suggestion for clients seeking the full-on Vegas experience.
"Anywhere you find yourself in Vegas you'll have an amazing night. One of the newer trends that I love is the supper club experience. Delilah at Wynn, Mayfair at the Bellagio, or the Social Club at Caesar's offer spectacular evenings that take dining to a whole new level. There is a level of entertainment integrated with the meal that makes it spectacular and a Vegas-only experience."
Find out more about the LVCVA here and explore the official portal for agent resources at www.visitlasvegas.com/travel-professionals.
