Gen Z Influencers Summoned to Las Vegas for LVCVA Initiative

Five Gen Z digital creators temporarily relocated to Sin City as part of “Summer Intern House,” a new Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) initiative aimed at promoting the town to their peers on social media.

Each creator received $25,000 from the LVCVA, whose budget primarily comes from hotel room tax revenue. Though called “Summer Intern House,” there was no house. The group was merely in town for the same 10 days beginning July 30, staying at different resorts while producing content showcasing the attractions and nightlife of Las Vegas in the worst of its summer heat.

Beginning in May, candidates ages 21 to 29 applied by posting a video to social media explaining why they should be chosen. After reviewing the submissions, the LVCVA opened a public vote on its social channels to determine the finalists.

In a press statement announcing “Summer Intern House,” Michael O’Brien, the LVCVA’s vice president of digital and content marketing, called the program “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the interns to “grow their platforms, build their portfolios, and gain real-world experience creating content in one of the most dynamic destinations in the world.”

Here is the fruit (literally) of one of their collaborations with the LVCVA — a TikTok from influencer Tori Kay promoting the experience of catching a Wizard of Oz apple at the Sphere.

Though posted on July 30, the clip received a scant 218 likes.

Vegas Must Change with the Times

The campaign reflects a broader shift in how Las Vegas courts younger travelers. Gen Z visitors gamble at significantly lower rates than older demographics — 64%, compared with 79% of Millennials, according to LVCVA visitor research — meaning the city’s long‑standing reliance on casino revenue is evolving.

Entertainment, nightlife, dining and immersive attractions now play a larger role in how the Strip markets itself to first‑time and repeat visitors.

Social media is central to that strategy. The Pew Research Center data shows 40%-43% of Gen Z adults rely primarily on TikTok and Instagram for news and information. So, while the Strip’s tourism board still pays the R&R Partners ad agency to create Las Vegas TV and radio commercials, it also paid a whopping $2.2 million to over 240 social media influencers to promote Las Vegas across digital platforms between 2022 and 2024.