LETTER: How Las Vegas needs to reinvent itself
In response to your excellent Sunday article about the declining visitation to Las Vegas:
Las Vegas appears to be subjected to the perfect storm for tourism. Domestic tourists pretty much know the price of things. They fully expect to pay more when they come to Vegas. The big question is how much more. The dialogue has turned from, “I knew I would pay more, but it was worth it,” to, “I knew I would pay more, but not that much more, and it’s not worth it.” A concerted effort to change the growing perception that Vegas is not a bargain is possible. Vegas has reinvented itself so many times. I’m somewhat optimistic.
The other elephant in the room is a more serious problem. Potential foreign visitors are increasingly forming the perception that the United States, in general, does not want them. Added to those perceptions are the disturbing images of National Guard troops patrolling some American cites. A visa to visit the United States is becoming more difficult to acquire. America’s image, rightly or wrongly, has been tarnished. That tarnished reputation will not go away overnight, and the longer it goes on, the harder it will be to turn around.
