Las Vegas Teams Up with Nashville, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Other US States Shine from Tourism Faceloss with a Surge of Visitor Searches

Las Vegas teams up with Nashville, Philadelphia, New Orleans and other US destinations as tourism shines again, with a surge in visitor searches signalling fresh momentum after a difficult period.

Las Vegas is teaming up with Nashville, Philadelphia, New Orleans and other US destinations as American tourism begins to shine after a challenging period. New visitor searches are creating a fresh signal of demand. Meanwhile, cities across the country are reporting stronger travel activity, higher spending or renewed interest.

Las Vegas has recorded a surge in destination searches, while Nashville has posted visitor growth and Philadelphia and New Orleans are benefiting from major events. As a result, tourism is showing fresh momentum across multiple markets. However, the recovery remains uneven. Therefore, rising searches provide an important early indicator of renewed traveller interest across the United States.

US tourism is entering a more uneven phase of recovery, with several major cities recording stronger visitor numbers, higher spending, improved hotel demand or renewed international interest. Official government data shows that the recovery is no longer following a single pattern, as some destinations are benefiting from domestic travellers while others are gaining momentum through conventions, major events and international markets.

From New York City and San Francisco to Nashville, Seattle and Philadelphia, the latest figures reveal where tourism activity is strengthening and where challenges remain. The following city-by-city analysis focuses on government data and official public-sector information, providing a clearer picture of the US urban tourism landscape in 2026.

Las Vegas Tourism Shows Signs of Recovery as Visitor Searches and July Arrivals Rise

Las Vegas is showing early signs of a tourism recovery after a difficult 2025, with new search data, higher July visitation and improved hotel occupancy suggesting renewed interest in the destination. However, the city continues to face challenges including elevated travel costs, weaker leisure demand and changing visitor demographics.

Why Is Las Vegas Tourism Showing Signs of Recovery?

New travel-search data indicates that interest in Las Vegas is strengthening. Priceline data reported in September 2026 showed Las Vegas recording the largest year-over-year increase in searches among US destinations for September, ahead of Orlando and New York.

The improvement is also visible in visitor numbers. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), Las Vegas welcomed 2.7% more visitors in July 2026 than during the same month in 2025. The increase represents a partial recovery after the city experienced a 12% decline in July 2025.

What Do Hotel Occupancy Numbers Reveal?

Hotel performance has also improved, although the recovery remains uneven. LVCVA figures show Las Vegas hotel occupancy reaching 77.2% in July 2026, an increase of 1.1 percentage points compared with July 2025.

The stronger occupancy indicates that accommodation demand is beginning to stabilise. However, convention attendance declined 5.6% year over year in July, highlighting the different performance patterns across business and leisure travel.

Las Vegas therefore appears to be experiencing a mixed recovery rather than a complete rebound across every tourism segment.

Why Did Las Vegas Struggle in 2025?

The city’s tourism downturn was significant. Las Vegas recorded approximately 38.5 million visitors in 2025, representing a 7.5% decline from 2024, according to the LVCVA.

Visitor spending also declined, falling from approximately $55.1 billion in 2024 to $50.8 billion in 2025, according to a report presented to the LVCVA board.

The destination also remains below its pre-pandemic visitor volume. LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill said annual visitation remains roughly 10% below the 42.5 million visitors recorded in 2019.

Are Rising Prices Affecting Las Vegas Demand?

Affordability has become an important issue for travellers considering Las Vegas. Visitors have increasingly raised concerns about the cost of accommodation, food, entertainment and other expenses associated with a trip to the city.

A widely reported example came in 2025 when a $26 minibar bottle of water at Aria became the subject of social-media criticism. The incident contributed to broader discussions about whether Las Vegas was becoming too expensive for everyday travellers.

Airfare has also added pressure. Reports cited by Fox News indicate that airfares to and from Las Vegas have increased by more than 20% in recent months, potentially making the destination less accessible to price-sensitive travellers.

US Cities Showing Signs of Tourism Recovery

New York City: Visitor Numbers and Hotel Demand Strengthen

New York City remains one of the largest tourism markets in the United States, and official data indicates that visitor activity has continued to recover. The New York State Comptroller reported that the city welcomed approximately 65 million visitors in 2025, including 52.4 million domestic and 12.5 million international travellers. Domestic visitation was close to its pre-pandemic level, while international arrivals recovered to 92.6% of the 2019 figure. Hotel occupancy reached 84.1% in 2025, demonstrating sustained demand for accommodation across the city.

The momentum continued into 2026. Data from the New York City Comptroller showed hotel occupancy exceeding 90% during the second half of July 2026, while hotel revenue per available room increased sharply compared with the previous year. Broadway also recorded stronger attendance than in 2025. The figures suggest that New York’s recovery is being supported by a combination of domestic travel, international visitors, accommodation demand and entertainment, although the international market has not yet completely returned to its pre-pandemic level.

San Francisco: Visitor Spending Moves Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

San Francisco is producing one of the clearest spending-related recovery signals among major US tourism destinations. California government data reported that the city generated approximately $14.2 billion in visitor spending during 2025, exceeding its previous pre-pandemic record. The broader California tourism economy also reached a record level of visitor spending, reinforcing the importance of San Francisco within the state’s travel sector.

The outlook remains positive for 2026. San Francisco’s official tourism forecast projects approximately 24.2 million visitors and $9.9 billion in visitor spending during the year. The projected spending figure would exceed the city’s 2019 visitor-spending level. The recovery is significant because tourism contributes to accommodation, restaurants, retail, attractions, transport and employment throughout the city. While international travel remains an important variable, the available government-backed figures indicate that visitor spending has become a particularly strong component of San Francisco’s tourism recovery.

Washington, DC: Record Visitor Spending Supports Tourism Economy

Washington, DC is seeing continued tourism activity, particularly through higher visitor expenditure. Official tourism research for the District shows that the capital welcomed approximately 27.2 million visitors in 2025, broadly stable compared with the previous year. More importantly, visitor spending reached a record $11.9 billion, representing a 4% increase. Tourism-supported employment also increased by 2.3% to approximately 114,013 jobs.

Domestic travellers played an important role in this performance. Domestic visitation increased by around 0.4%, while international visitation declined by 4%. This distinction is important when assessing the city’s recovery because the headline tourism figures do not mean every visitor segment is growing simultaneously. Washington’s museums, monuments, cultural attractions, government-related travel, conventions, sporting events and hospitality businesses continue to generate substantial demand. The city’s latest data therefore points towards a tourism market supported by resilient domestic travel and increasing visitor spending.

Nashville: Visitor Growth Continues Despite International Weakness

Nashville recorded measurable tourism growth in 2025, according to information presented by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. The city welcomed an estimated 17.39 million visitors, representing an increase of approximately 2.7% from 2024. Visitor spending also increased, reaching roughly $11.64 billion, up about 3.7% year over year.

The figures also reveal an important shift in the market. International visitation declined significantly, with Canadian arrivals particularly affected, but overall visitor numbers continued to rise. Nashville’s music, entertainment, nightlife, food and cultural attractions remain important drivers of domestic tourism. The city’s performance demonstrates how a destination can continue expanding even when particular international markets are under pressure. For Nashville, the combination of higher total visitation and increased spending provides evidence of continued tourism demand, although the recovery remains dependent on the strength of the domestic US travel market.

Miami: Overnight Tourism Edges Higher

Miami-Dade County’s official data shows that the Miami tourism market continued to expand in 2025, although the pace was relatively modest. The county recorded approximately 20.2 million overnight visitors during fiscal 2025, representing an increase of 0.7%. At the same time, Florida as a whole reached approximately 143.1 million overnight visitors, demonstrating the continued importance of the state as a major US tourism destination.

Miami’s performance is particularly relevant because the city competes in several travel segments, including leisure, cruise tourism, international travel, business events and luxury hospitality. The relatively small increase in overnight visitation suggests a market moving towards stabilisation rather than experiencing the rapid rebound seen immediately after the pandemic. Nevertheless, continued growth indicates that demand remains substantial. Miami’s international connectivity, beaches, cruise infrastructure, events, restaurants and hospitality sector continue to provide multiple channels for visitor demand.

Seattle: International Tourism Expected to Rebound

Seattle’s tourism outlook is increasingly linked to the recovery of international travel. The City of Seattle’s Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts reported that international overnight visitation fell sharply in 2025 but is forecast to increase by 15% in 2026. International visitor spending is also projected to rise by approximately 14.2%, while domestic visitor spending is forecast to increase by 18.2%.

The city’s transport infrastructure is also recording stronger activity. Washington State Ferries reported more than 9.4 million riders through 28 June 2026, approximately 425,000 more than during the comparable period in 2025. Major events, including the FIFA World Cup, are expected to provide an additional tourism boost. Seattle’s recovery therefore combines international demand, domestic spending and event-related travel. The city’s performance will remain closely connected to air connectivity and international market conditions, but current government forecasts point towards improving tourism activity during 2026.

San Diego: Conventions Deliver Strong Economic Impact

San Diego is benefiting from a strong meetings and conventions market. The City of San Diego reported that the San Diego Convention Center hosted 92 meetings and conventions during fiscal 2025, generating a record estimated $1.57 billion in regional economic impact.

The convention sector is particularly important because business events generate demand across hotels, restaurants, transport, entertainment and local attractions. City data has also pointed towards continued growth in group travel, with a forecast of approximately 3.9% growth in group demand during 2026. The anticipated increase is especially relevant for the second half of the year. San Diego’s tourism recovery therefore extends beyond traditional leisure travel. Major conventions, meetings and events are helping maintain visitor activity and generating substantial economic value across the wider metropolitan tourism ecosystem.

New Orleans: Events and Air Connectivity Support Recovery

New Orleans continues to use major events and improved connectivity to support its tourism economy. The City of New Orleans reported that Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport handled nearly 12.5 million passengers, providing an important foundation for visitor growth and future tourism expansion.

Major events are another significant component of the city’s recovery. Official city research highlighted substantial visitor activity associated with events including Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl. The city recorded more than 100,000 tourists associated with the Super Bowl alone. New Orleans’ tourism economy remains closely connected to festivals, music, food, conventions and sporting events. Stronger airport activity provides additional capacity for these visitor flows. The city’s recovery is therefore being supported by both transportation infrastructure and event-led tourism, although visitor performance can vary considerably depending on the annual event calendar.

Philadelphia: Major 2026 Events Create New Tourism Momentum

Philadelphia is entering an unusually important tourism period in 2026 because of a concentration of major international and national events. The City of Philadelphia has highlighted the FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th anniversary celebrations and other cultural and sporting programmes as major opportunities to attract visitors.

Pennsylvania’s government estimated that Philadelphia’s FIFA World Cup activity could attract approximately 500,000 visitors and generate more than $700 million in economic impact for the Commonwealth. These events are creating additional demand for hotels, restaurants, attractions, transport and retail businesses. The city’s 2026 tourism performance will therefore be influenced heavily by event-related travel. Philadelphia’s historical attractions, museums and cultural institutions provide an established tourism base, while the major-event calendar creates additional international exposure and visitor demand.

Hawaii and Honolulu: Visitor Spending Shows Improvement

Hawaii’s government data provides another indication of improving tourism activity, particularly in visitor spending. In July 2026, total visitor expenditure reached approximately $1.99 billion, an increase of 1.7% compared with July 2025. Spending by visitors from the US West increased by 6%, while overall US visitor spending rose by 4.1%.

The recovery is not uniform across every measurement. Total visitor days were lower than the previous year, demonstrating that increased spending does not necessarily mean more visitors or longer stays. Nevertheless, stronger expenditure from important US markets is supporting the state’s tourism economy. Honolulu, as Hawaii’s principal international gateway and major urban tourism centre, remains central to these visitor flows. The latest figures indicate that higher-value travel demand is helping offset some weakness in overall visitor volume.

Las Vegas International Tourism Shows Mixed Recovery as Mexico and India Gain Ground

Las Vegas is showing signs of renewed international tourism activity, but the latest official data suggests the recovery remains uneven. While several markets are expanding, visitor numbers from some of the destination’s traditional overseas markets remain below pre-pandemic levels.

The latest figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Harry Reid International Airport provide a detailed picture of international demand heading into the final months of 2026.

How Many International Tourists Visited Las Vegas?

Las Vegas recorded an estimated 4.73 million international visitors in 2025, according to preliminary LVCVA data. That represented a 4.8% decline from 2024 and left international visitation approximately 16.4% below the 5.66 million visitors recorded in 2019.

The figures show that international tourism has not yet returned fully to its pre-pandemic level. However, the recovery is not uniform, with several markets recording year-on-year increases and some already exceeding their 2019 visitor levels.

Canada Remains the Largest International Market

Canada continued to be Las Vegas’ largest international source market in 2025, contributing an estimated 1.196 million visitors. However, Canadian visitation declined 17.4% from 2024 and remained 19.2% below 2019 levels.

Mexico followed closely with approximately 1.187 million visitors. Unlike Canada, Mexican visitation increased 1% year over year and stood 6% above 2019 levels. This makes Mexico one of the most important markets supporting Las Vegas’ international tourism recovery.

The difference between the two neighbouring markets highlights how international demand is shifting across North American travel corridors.

UK Visitors Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

The United Kingdom remained Las Vegas’ largest overseas European market, producing approximately 521,700 visitors in 2025. However, the number was 1.4% lower than in 2024 and nearly 30% below the 2019 level.

Other European markets are showing a similarly incomplete recovery. Overall, Europe contributed approximately 1.16 million visitors to Las Vegas in 2025, down 3% from 2024 and 22.8% below 2019.

The figures indicate that restoring long-haul European demand remains an important challenge for Las Vegas.

India Emerges as a Strong Recovery Market

India stands out among the markets showing long-term growth. Las Vegas received approximately 67,500 Indian visitors in 2025, representing a 3.2% increase from 2024.

More significantly, Indian visitation was 36.6% above 2019 levels. This makes India one of the clearest examples of a market that has already surpassed its pre-pandemic visitor volume.

Japan and China also recorded annual increases in 2025. Japanese visitors increased 10.5%, while Chinese visitation rose 8.6%, although both markets remained substantially below their 2019 levels.

International Airport Traffic Shows a Mixed 2026 Picture

The latest Harry Reid International Airport traffic data provides an indication of how international travel is developing in 2026.

LAS handled 296,499 international passengers in July 2026, up approximately 6% from July 2025. However, international passenger traffic for the first seven months of 2026 reached approximately 1.91 million, down about 8.5% from the same period in 2025.

This suggests that July’s improvement has not yet translated into a broad year-to-date recovery.

What Does This Mean for Las Vegas Tourism?

The latest government and destination data points to a selective international recovery rather than a full rebound. Mexico and India are providing particularly encouraging signals, while Canada, the UK and several other major markets remain below their pre-pandemic levels.

For Las Vegas, the changing international visitor mix could become increasingly important as the destination continues expanding beyond traditional gaming tourism. Luxury hospitality, entertainment, major sporting events, conventions and new attractions are creating additional reasons for overseas travellers to visit.

The next phase of recovery will depend on whether the recent improvement in international passenger traffic develops into sustained visitor growth across more source markets. For now, Las Vegas has clear pockets of international strength, but the overall overseas tourism market remains below its 2019 benchmark.

International Visitors to Las Vegas by Country

Based on the latest preliminary 2025 LVCVA international visitation estimates, here is a country-wise breakdown:

Why Are Canadian Visitors Important to Las Vegas?

Canada remains an important international source market for Las Vegas, but Canadian visitation has weakened considerably from historical levels.

Hill said Canadian visitation was approximately 30% below 2019 levels. The decline matters because international visitors contribute to the city’s broader leisure, hospitality, entertainment and gaming economy.

The LVCVA’s figures therefore suggest that rebuilding international demand will remain an important component of Las Vegas’ longer-term tourism recovery.

How Is Las Vegas Changing Its Tourism Strategy?

Las Vegas has increasingly expanded beyond its traditional dependence on gaming. Luxury accommodation, high-end restaurants, nightlife, retail, entertainment and major events now form a larger part of the visitor proposition.

The city’s changing visitor profile reflects this strategy. In 2025, approximately 75% of visitors earned at least $100,000 annually, while 44% earned $150,000 or more, according to LVCVA data reported by News 3 Las Vegas.

At the same time, visitors aged 21 to 29 declined by more than 10% from 2022 levels, pointing to a changing demographic structure.

Can Entertainment Drive the Next Tourism Recovery?

Entertainment remains one of Las Vegas’ strongest attractions. The Sphere has become a major example of the city’s investment in large-scale experiences.

According to Pollstar data reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Sphere generated $379 million from 1.7 million tickets in 2025, making it the world’s highest-grossing arena that year.

Formula 1, major concerts, sporting events, luxury dining and large conventions are similarly helping Las Vegas diversify its tourism economy.

The latest figures suggest that Las Vegas is moving towards recovery, but the destination still faces a complicated environment. Higher prices, weaker younger-traveller demand and reduced Canadian visitation remain challenges, while search interest, July arrivals, hotel occupancy and premium entertainment provide evidence of renewed demand.

“Las Vegas and fellow destinations such as Nashville, Philadelphia and New Orleans demonstrate the resilience and adaptability of the US tourism industry. Rising visitor searches are an encouraging signal because they often precede actual travel decisions. Each destination is creating its own compelling reasons to visit, from entertainment and music to major sporting events, culture and conventions. This diversification is strengthening the tourism landscape and creating new opportunities for hotels, airlines, restaurants, attractions and local businesses. The renewed interest also highlights the importance of delivering memorable experiences and maintaining strong destination visibility. As international and domestic travellers continue to reassess their travel choices, these destinations have an opportunity to convert growing curiosity into actual visits, longer stays and higher visitor spending. The latest momentum provides a positive foundation for the next chapter of US tourism.”-Anup Kumar Keshan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World

What Does the Latest US Tourism Data Reveal?

The latest government data shows that the US urban tourism recovery is uneven but increasingly measurable. New York City and San Francisco are demonstrating strong visitor or spending performance, while Washington, DC and Nashville are recording higher tourism expenditure and relatively stable visitor numbers.

Other destinations are relying heavily on specific recovery engines. Seattle is benefiting from improving international and domestic spending forecasts, San Diego from conventions, New Orleans from events and air connectivity, and Philadelphia from the exceptional 2026 major-event calendar. Miami is showing more moderate growth, while Hawaii is recording higher visitor spending despite weaker visitor-day figures.

The cause behind the tourism resurgence is a combination of pent-up travel demand, major events, improved connectivity and changing traveller preferences. The answer is visible in stronger searches, visitor spending, hotel demand and event-related travel across cities including Las Vegas, Nashville, Philadelphia and New Orleans. The reason is that travellers are increasingly seeking entertainment, culture, sporting events, conventions and distinctive urban experiences. Consequently, destinations are benefiting from several tourism channels rather than relying on one visitor segment. Las Vegas remains a major entertainment hub, while Nashville draws music travellers, Philadelphia gains from major international events and New Orleans continues to attract visitors through festivals, culture and events.

The wider pattern is clear: US tourism recovery is no longer simply about returning to pre-pandemic visitor volumes. Visitor spending, hotel occupancy, international market recovery, conventions, major sporting events and domestic travel are increasingly determining how individual cities perform. As 2026 progresses, these indicators will provide a more detailed picture of whether the current improvement develops into a broader and sustained recovery across America’s major tourism markets.