On the surface, I’m not particularly price sensitive, but I definitely care about how much I spend. Deep down, I’m always paying attention and looking to get the best bang for my buck.
I imagine much of the TravelZork community feels the same. That’s why we all try to maximize rewards, points, and miles.
I hadn’t planned on revisiting the Las Vegas Visitor Profile Study after sharing how few people stay in complimentary rooms in Las Vegas. But lately, I’ve been working on several deal-related articles, and spending habits have been top of mind.
The TravelZork podcast recently discussed the Luxor and Excalibur $330 all‑inclusive deal. I did something similar for the Caesars deal at Flamingo, Harrah’s, and The Linq.
I’ve also written about cheap eats and drinks on the Strip and off the Strip. But what really caught my attention was a story about a possible Las Vegas rebound in 2028, which reminded me that return visitors tend to spend less than first-timers. That makes sense since you remember where the deals are after you’ve experienced and enjoyed.
With money on my mind (and my mind on my money), I decided to dig back into the
LVCVA report to see how people are spending in Las Vegas.
Spending Money In Las Vegas
On average, first-time visitors spend more than repeat visitors in every category, and it’s not even close.
That spending gap helps explain why the LVCVA invests so heavily in marketing. This section of the report even mirrors a finding from Formula 1’s research into its newest fans:
“Compared to repeat visitors, first-timers skew more female, white, Gen Z, lower income, and are more likely to be international (27% to 10%).”
Because newer visitors tend to be younger (mainly Gen Z), I was curious how their spending compares to that of their slightly older counterparts, the millennials.
Sorry, Gen X and boomers, we’re no longer being tracked by the LVCVA. But based on older data, the generational split looks similar to what we used to see.
It’s no surprise Gen Z spends more on shows and entertainment. Every younger generation tends to prioritize experiences.
What surprised me is that they spend more on shopping. Maybe that includes a visit to the nearest dispensary.
Another interesting point was influencer impact. Only 12% of visitors said they engaged with influencer content before visiting Las Vegas, but those who did were far more likely to increase their spending.
Popular influencer content covers hotel stays, dining, drinks, shows, paid attractions, and live events. The report shows that those who view influencer content spend more across nearly every category except gaming.
Those who consumed influencer content spend more on each of these categories than those who didn’t. The only category where influencers didn’t show a financial impact was on gambling.
The bottom line with influencer content is that it’s not going anywhere with these kinds of financial results.
This is probably a good time to remind you that influencer advertising in 2026 is advertising. The only difference from TV ads is the medium through which it’s consumed.
I’m a sports fan who often writes for sports fans visiting Las Vegas. There’s only one spending habit that surprises me from sports fans visiting Las Vegas for an event.
Non-sports visitors had a larger gambling budget than those who were in Las Vegas to watch a game. Sports fans are notoriously considered gamblers.
Sports visitors spent $419.73 on sports events during their visit. I’m not sure what to make of that other than tickets, concessions, and merch are expensive.
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Marc grew up on the mean streets of the South Bronx. He's the rare combination of Yankees and Jets fan which explains his often contrarian point of view. He learned about gambling at a young age working down the street from a bookie who took action on anything from the mainstream sports to the last three digits of the purse for certain horse races. Yeah, that's a thing. Today Marc is a freelance writer and social media consultant which allows him to work anywhere there's a wifi signal. This allows him to work from the sportsbook at Red Rock Resort or the food court at The Venetian where you’ll find fast and free wifi. Writing about steak, booze, gambling and Las Vegas is a tough job but somebody has to do it.