Las Vegas Bounces Back: 3 in 4 Tourists Now Report Positive Value Perception
Posted on: May 27, 2026, 10:04h.
Last updated on: May 27, 2026, 11:03h.
- Las Vegas visitors say they generally feel the casino town provides value
- That’s a big change from 2025, when visitors expressed frustrations with supposedly greedy casinos
- Las Vegas visitor volume was flat in the first quarter, but hotel rooms nonetheless raised rates
After a wave of consumer blowback over soaring costs, a new Truist Securities survey reveals that public perception of Las Vegas as a value destination is making a surprise comeback.
It’s fair to say that 2025 certainly wasn’t the best year for Las Vegas.
The destination faced a bounty of criticism on claims of price gouging, with greedy casinos continually raising resort fees, food and beverage prices, and tightening odds. Even in-room minibars made headlines when social media reports about $26 bottles of water went viral.
Responding to this groundswell of negativity, gaming executives acknowledged that pricing had gone wrong. MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle conceded that the industry “lost control of the narrative” and that his company would be “more sensitive” to pricing.
The market’s response to the consumer dissatisfaction has apparently resonated, as the public’s perception of Las Vegas has rebounded.
Majority Thinks Vegas Provides Value
Truist Securities ran a survey last week asking nearly 800 Las Vegas visitors about their views of the Strip and surrounding corridors. Truist gaming analyst Barry Jonas said the feedback was more positive than anticipated.
The majority (74%) of survey respondents have positive views of Vegas as a value destination, 88% like the new all-inclusive pricing models, 65% say their perception of the city has improved over the past few years, and most (78%) plan to visit in the next 12 months,” Jonas reported.
Almost four in 10 (38%) said their perceptions regarding Las Vegas value are today “much better.” Another 26% responded that their views on Vegas are “slightly better.” Only 8% felt Las Vegas has gotten worse (7% “slightly worse,” 1% “much worse”).
The changing opinions are leading to sturdier casino hotel bookings, Jonas said.
Our latest Las Vegas Strip survey is showing a positive second quarter despite a soft April, which was more than offset by a very strong May and solid June. Momentum continues into July (first look) with rates up across the board,” Jonas detailed.
Truist is forecasting a strong July for premium rooms and improvement across the medium and lower-end segments.
Casino Room Prices Increase
Las Vegas visitor volume in 2025 was down 7.5%. First-quarter metrics show the bleeding has stopped, but full economic healing has yet to begin.
The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority says approximately 9.74 million people traveled to Las Vegas in the first quarter. That marked a 0.4% gain on the three months in 2025.
While Las Vegas has seemingly changed the narrative on its value perception, the casino industry has managed to increase guestroom rates this year. The average nightly price for a casino hotel room on the Strip is up 7% to $216. Downtown casino rooms are 3% costlier at $104.
Room rates will likely climb higher should Jonas’ room survey for June and July prove accurate.
No comments yet