Vegas is Back Strong!

A Resurgence in America’s Hospitality Capital Signals a Comeback for the Hospitality Industry as a Whole

As visitors fill Las Vegas’ resorts again, the city is returning to a sense of normalcy. All across Las Vegas, the resurgencency is strong. Occupancy rates across the city have shot up, and hotel rooms at all resorts are near full occupancy. Conventions and trade shows, major drivers of tourism for Southern Nevada, are showing a strong return as well, and calendars are being booked for as soon as this June, and all the way out to 2023. A return to normalcy in Las Vegas, the country’s hospitality capital, signals more than just a resurgence of their local economy, it signals a comeback of the hospitality industry as a whole. If you are interested in a career in hospitality, right now is a great time to join this vibrant industry. The hospitality industry is coming back strong, and Las Vegas is home to the country’s premier hospitality training institute: TISOH, the International School of Hospitality. Read on to learn more about TISOH, and how you can be a part of the hospitality industry’s comeback!

Across Las Vegas, there are signs that life is returning to normal, and America’s hospitality capital is on it’s way back to its pre-COVID glory. Hotel rooms are filling up again, bookings for shows and conventions are returning, and it feels as if a corner has been turned. “We’ve been wandering in the abyss for almost a year now … and you can clearly see the light shining through at this point in Las Vegas,” Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg said during a February call with investors. “We feel very good that we’ve seen the bottom in Vegas and in the business, and that we’re only going to keep getting better,” Reeg continued. Debi Nutton, a gaming consultant and former Wynn Resorts Ltd. executive, expressed a similar sentiment, saying “Everything is going in a better direction, and there’s a lot of pent-up demand.”

“I think the COVID-related news has been positive of late and people are starting to travel again,” said Nehme Abouzeid, founder and president of marketing consultancy LaunchVegas, LLC. Indeed, hotel rooms are being booked at a rate not seen since the early days of the pandemic. Room rates shot up over the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in March, signaling a shift and providing momentum across the city. In the month of March, Nevada casinos took in $1 billion in winnings for the first time since February 2020, and pools and streets were more packed than they had been in months. Since then, the number of visitors has climbed consistently, and according to hotel and flight booking data from Priceline, Las Vegas is one of 2021′s most popular domestic travel destinations. 

In addition to hotel rooms filling up again, there is new development that also signals the strength of Vegas’ resurgence. Resorts World, a $4 billion hotel and casino development, is set to open June 24. Situated on over 88 acres, and visible from nearly all the city, Resorts World is believed to be the first ground-up resort development on the Strip in at least 10 years (Las Vegas Sun). Another exciting addition currently in development is the $1.8 billion, state-of-the-art MSG Sphere venue (www.msgsphere.com), which promises to add a new, revolutionary option for events in the city. Additionally, a major expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) is taking place. The $980 million West Hall expansion added 1.4 million square feet, including 600,000 square feet of new, leasable exhibit space, a 14,000 square foot outdoor terrace with capacity for 2,000 attendees, and a grand atrium (Vegas Means Business). These examples of both public and private investment, into a city that already offers more meeting and convention space than any other city in the world, indicates Las Vegas’ continued status as the hospitality capital of the U.S. 

Executives for nearly every publicly traded Las Vegas-based company that have convention facilities, including MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment Inc., Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corp., remarked during their fourth-quarter earnings calls how strong their convention calendars are looking for late 2021, 2022 and 2023. Fans are back at Golden Knights games again, and nearly 40 shows are performing on the Strip. “My friends in entertainment tell me advance tickets are selling well,” Nehme Abouzeid, founder and president of marketing consultancy LaunchVegas, LLC said. Case in point: the Life is Beautiful music and arts festival scheduled for downtown Las Vegas Sept. 17-19 sold out 50,000 passes in record time, hours after they first went on sale. 

In another major sign of Las Vegas’ resurgence, the Nevada Department of Business and Industry recently gave approval for the annual World of Concrete convention to be held June 8-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This major citywide convention routinely draws 60,000 people to Southern Nevada, and while it may have a more limited attendance than in years past, it will be the first major trade show to take place across the United States. “The entire industry was watching to see if the World of Concrete could happen,” Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill said, “The fact that it (is) has resulted in three shows approved in the last 24 hours following that.” 

Momentum is building in Las Vegas, and pent-up demand is driving the resurgence. As hotels fill up again, events are scheduled, and more entertainment options return, opportunities in the city abound. Companies are hiring again, and need to fill their open positions. Many experienced hospitality workers have either left the city, or left the industry, and this presents a unique opportunity to join the field. At TISOH, the International School of Hospitality, you can learn the skills to become a top-level hospitality professional. TISOH, located in the heart of Las Vegas, offers diploma and professional certificate programs to prepare you for careers across the hospitality industry, including in Hotel Operations, Wedding Coordination and Design, Event Planning and Conference Management. If you want to be a part of the strong resurgence of this vibrant industry, TISOH offers you the accredited curriculum, professional instruction, and industry connections to position you for success.  

The hospitality industry is projected to have a strong recovery, and Las Vegas is already showing clear indications that the rebound is underway. Because many established hospitality workers have transitioned to different careers, the field is wide open to newcomers like you, with your fresh ideas, energy, and eagerness. Hospitality companies, hotels, and resorts, are looking to replenish their ranks by hiring fresh talent - and they want to hire motivated individuals just like you! Come to TISOH for your training, and earn a TISOH credential that demonstrates to employers your level of skill, knowledge, and dedication. With TISOH by your side, you will be poised to make a strong entrance into the resurging hospitality field. Want to be a part of Vegas’ comeback? Call 702-947-7200, or contact us here, to find out how you can get started with TISOH today!