The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors on Tuesday will consider spending up to $6 million over up to five years to market the city in Canada.
Visitation to Las Vegas from Canada has been on shaky ground for months since President Donald Trump began imposing tariffs on foreign nations and once suggested that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state.
Residents of the U.S.’s neighbor to the north responded by curtailing travel here. Las Vegas has always been popular with Canadian “snow birds” who like to retreat from Canada’s cold winters after Thanksgiving through about Easter.
But all of the major airlines with nonstop flights between several Canadian cities and Harry Reid International Airport have seen passenger levels fall by double-digit percentages through 2025.
The LVCVA has had representation in Canada for the past 20 years to encourage travel to Las Vegas. The LVCVA currently is under contract with Toronto-based Reach Global Marketing, and LVCVA staff has recommended continuing with that company.
Under a contract proposal that will be reviewed by the LVCVA board next week, a new one-year contract for $1.12 million for the 2027 fiscal year would start July 1. Over the next two years under the proposed contract, the LVCVA would pay Reach Global Marketing $1.16 million in fiscal 2028 and $1.12 million in fiscal 2029. The next two years would be optional and cost $1.245 million in 2030 and $1.285 million in 2031.
In 2025, an estimated 4.75 million visitors from international markets traveled to Las Vegas. Canada has been one of the top-two countries delivering international visitors to Las Vegas since 2000. In 2025, the destination had nearly 1.2 million visitors from Canada, which accounts for 25 percent of all international visitors to the Las Vegas destination.
The scope of work under the proposed agreement would include support of direct and nonstop air service to Las Vegas; supporting the LVCVA in the areas of leisure sales, trade public relations and consumer PR; familiarization trips to educate professionals on the destination’s services and experiences; and sales and trade missions.
Three downtown Las Vegas resort properties have already seen a rebound in visitation from Canadians, thanks to a promotion established by Derek Stevens, co-owner and CEO of Circa, the D Las Vegas and the Golden Gate. Stevens’ “At Par” promotion, started in late January and recently extended to Aug. 31, enables eligible Canadian guests to receive $1 in U.S. currency for every Canadian dollar spent on qualifying hotel, gaming, beverage and entertainment purchases. As of Thursday, a Canadian dollar was worth 73 cents, meaning a Canadian dollar would be worth $1.37 at those properties.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
