LAS VEGAS - According to statistics released by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), Las Vegas visitor volume neared 35.1 million in 2002, a 0.2 percent increase over 2001 numbers. Hotel occupancy levels measured 84 percent for the year, approximately 25 percentage points higher than the national average and 22 percentage points higher than other U.S. tourist destinations such as Orlando, Miami, New Orleans and San Francisco.

Convention attendance rose 1.8 percent to a record-breaking 5.1 million delegates. Non-gaming revenues associated with convention visitation topped $5.9 billion, a 1.9 percent increase over 2001 revenue.

"These numbers show Las Vegas holding steady in a challenging marketplace," said Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of marketing, LVCVA. "We're also encouraged by the destination's growth in the increasingly competitive convention sector."

Las Vegas' convention industry continued to show strength into 2003. Four tradeshows held in January (AQUA International, International Consumer Electronics Show, Promotional Products Association International and International Builders Show) posted significantly higher than expected attendance figures. Collectively, these shows brought more than 230,000 convention delegates to the destination and generated $313 million in non-gaming economic revenue.

Average daily automobile traffic on all major highways around Las Vegas increased 7.4 percent in 2002, while total number of enplaned/deplaned airline passengers through McCarran International Airport declined 0.5 percent. Last year, 44 percent of visitors traveled to Las Vegas via air and 56 percent traveled by automobile.

ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With more than 127,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and nearly 9 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com.