Las Vegas Tourism Officials Celebrate Easing of International Travel Entry Rules
Foreign guests haven’t been able to visit the gaming capital since the onset of the pandemic. That will change soon for vaccinated foreigners.
Southern Nevada received great news this week, with President Joe Biden’s administration announcing the easing of entry protocols into the country for foreign travelers. Beginning in November, vaccinated non-citizens will be able to travel to the United States so long as they undergo a COVID-19 test and receive a negative result within three days of departure.
Nearly six billion shots have been administered globally, and dozens of countries have strong vaccination rates. Vaccines continue to show that they’re highly effective, including against the delta variant,” Zients added.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will determine which vaccines qualify for travel to the states.
Vegas Victory
After a year of being forced to stay at home and avoid nonessential travel, millions of Americans, once permitted, opted for Southern Nevada to celebrate some sense of a return to normal. That pent-up demand stateside kept Las Vegas bustling throughout the summer.
As a result, Nevada casinos reported record gross gaming revenue in July. The state’s casinos won $1.36 billion from gamblers that month, the highest monthly mark since the first legal casino bet was wagered in Nevada back in 1931.
Not Only Leisure Travels
Hill’s LVCVA, which is responsible for promoting Southern Nevada and keeping Las Vegas’ more than 145,000 hotel rooms occupied throughout the year, says the international travel news will help return convention business, too.
This milestone is significant and welcome news for many of our major tradeshows and conventions that draw exhibitors and attendees from around the world,” Hill explained.
“In terms of domestic air, we are back to where we were. International travel has been a huge missing component,” Chris Jones, chief marketing officer for McCarran International, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
