Canadian Decline Fuelling a “Silent Recession” in Vegas

Canadian travel to Las Vegas continues to suffer and the tourism slump in Sin City has become a major midterm election issue, CBC News reports. While issues involving Canada rarely impact U.S. voters, this time could be different.

Nevada Democrats are trying to capitalize on the decline in Canadian visitation, blaming President Trump’s trade war and threats toward Canada — the state’s largest source of international tourists.

“The Trump Slump is real, and Las Vegas tourism is tanking,” the party said in one of its campaign ads ahead of the November vote in this crucial swing state.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo is in a suddenly close race despite earlier popularity, CBC’s John Paul Tasker reports.

The president of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, which represents about 60,000 casino and hospitality workers in the state, blames President Trump for the situation.

“God knows why he’s doing it, Canadians are our biggest customer,” said Diana Valles. “But, at the end the day, Trump’s not paying any price. It’s the workers and the families that are here,” she said.

Visitor numbers, airport arrivals and hotel occupancy rates all fell again in August, and barely half of all rooms in downtown Las Vegas were occupied that month. 

Canadian visits to Las Vegas dropped by 17.4% last year — one of the sharpest declines on record. In fact, Canadians staying away contributed to the largest drop in visitors outside the COVID-19 pandemic since the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority began keeping records in 1970.

Data from Harry Reid International Airport compiled by CBC News shows Canadian airlines are bringing even fewer passengers to Las Vegas than in 2025, suggesting this year could be even worse.

Here’s another telling example:  Vegas Golden Knights NLH game did not sell out last week, the first time that’s ever happened in the franchise’s nine-year history. The team’s opponent? The Toronto Maple Leafs.

“We are in a silent recession here in Las Vegas, and it is because of Donald Trump’s trade war,” said Spencer Ridenour, a bartender at Chandelier inside the Cosmopolitan casino on the Strip.