Las Vegas boosted its number of visitors by 4.3% in 2011, making last year's total its second best on record.
The city attracted 38.9 million visitors in 2011, second only to the 39.2 million visitors Las Vegas attracted in 2007, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The LVCVA is projecting a record 40 million visitors this year.
Las Vegas' 150,000-room hotel industry is benefiting from the resurgence. Citywide occupancy was 84% last year, up 3.4 percentage points from 2010, while the average daily room rate rose 11% to $105.11.
Last week, both Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts reported higher fourth-quarter earnings in part because of higher hotel demand.
Revenue from Wynn’s Las Vegas operations rose 7.2% to $348.4 million, while Las Vegas Sands’ revenue per available room for Las Vegas properties was up 13%. There was a 9-point increase in occupancy at the Venetian and the Palazzo.
Both Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International will report fourth-quarter earnings later this month.
For hotel and hospitality news, follow Danny King on Twitter @dktravelweekly.