The gambling capital of the world is filling up again after the collapse of the covid. But the most respectable visitors are missing, as are employees. This makes it impossible for hotels on the famous neon-strewn Strip to cope with the onslaught of visitors.
As the year draws to a close, Las Vegas begins to evaluate this year’s season. The number of tourists in the mecca of gambling and sin is already approaching pre-pandemic levels, but not quite yet. That’s the challenge for next year, according to Las Vegas tourism officials. According to them, and a series of numbers, this year was a success.
But is there really something to celebrate? The coronavirus pandemic has hit hard a city dependent on tourism (abroad). The so-called Strip, the lively part of Las Vegas Boulevard, stretches for nearly seven kilometers and is lined on both sides by hotels with casinos and thousands of rooms. With the advent of the blockade in March 2020, tourism has declined overnight. The hotels had to close. Often also lay off employees. Some of those they have found work in another sector and do not want to return.
Lufthansa (does not) prohibit AirTags in baggage
The German flag carrier Lufthansa itself does not seem to know whether Apple trackers are allowed in baggage or not. In recent days they have contradicted themselves in their communications. That in a German company the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing?
This is still a problem today. Tourists are slowly returning to the city, but the casino city is severely understaffed. Many restaurants, such as the famous Las Vegas buffets, are closed or only open on weekends. When checking in at the hotel, you need to arm yourself with patience. A half-hour wait at the priority desks is not unusual. “There are few of us here, everyone has to wait. Get back in line,” the Aria hotel receptionist retorts to an angry guest at the priority desk. At the same time, that guest spends thousands to tens of thousands of dollars here every year, otherwise he wouldn’t have the gold card that allows him to use priority counters.
Still not enough
Prices have gone up and quality has gone down. Hotels justify the price increase with the need to raise employee salaries. It’s a bit of a vicious circle. So far, it doesn’t appear that the bag has been ripped off for those interested in the job. Hotel guests already pay 300 crowns for an American Budweiser by the pool. This is at least six times the retail price.
It would be okay if this margin was used for a fair salary for the bartender. But that’s probably not the case, because you need to add at least a 20 percent tip to this price. What if you go to the bar yourself for a beer? Well, because the bartender lives on tips. The hotel pays almost nothing.
It’s not just the new buildings that are booming in Hollywood. Americans know how to rebuild well
The United States has a reputation for its fondness for disposable items. This also applies to homes. In the Los Angeles area, most of the show homes are newly built which have replaced previous homes. Some buildings, often from the middle of the last century, will be gently rebuilt instead of being demolished.
Nearly 3.2 million people visited Las Vegas in August, 6% more than the same month last year, but 11% less than in August 2019. The year 2019 is a kind of barometer for the recovery of the tourism sectoras it was the last full year without any coronavirus-related restrictions.
Although Las Vegas welcomed more than 32 million visitors last year, some segments, including international tourists and convention visitors, still lag behind the numbers in 2019, when 42 million tourists visited Las Vegas. The sooner this happens, the better for the city and region, which are heavily dependent on tourism revenues.
Wealthy Asians are missing
“We have recovered too much from covid in terms of home visitors”, be heard Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We still have something to catch up with international tourists, but this is largely due to the slow opening in Asia.”
Hill hints at a reality that can be felt in local tourist resorts. There are more American tourists here than usual. This changes the general atmosphere in hotels. Also, a problem for local business owners is that many home visitors have deep pockets, so they won’t support the economy of Nevada’s largest city much. For many Americans, a weekend trip to Las Vegas is their only vacation of the year.
In 2019, approximately 5.8 million, or 14%, of visitors came to Las Vegas from overseas. Last year, the share of foreign tourists dropped to just three percent.
Come back in 12 years
For the first eight months of this year in Las Vegas reported 25.2 million visitors, so last year’s 32 million is expected to fall smoothly this year. If the number of visitors doesn’t drop below monthly averages, the city could close 2022 with over 37 million visitors. That would be roughly as many as they arrived in 2010.
Local hotels and other tourism entrepreneurs are looking for reliable international clients, if they don’t return in time Las Vegas will find itself on a downward spiral.
Wine production in the EU will increase this year, largely thanks to France
World wine production this year will drop slightly below last year’s level. The International Organization of Grapes and Wine (OIV) estimates that production will be about one percent below last year’s volume of 262 million hectoliters. It will also be below the average of the last 20 years. In the EU, on the other hand, it will increase by two per cent.
Director of Skanska Reality: Wood and “recycled” are the materials of the future, as is sustainable construction
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The success of Czech diplomacy. The United States and the Netherlands will pay for the refurbishment of Czech tanks for Ukraine
The United States and the Netherlands will jointly pay for the refurbishment of 90 Czech T-72B tanks for the Ukrainian army. This was announced by Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh. The Dutch defense ministry said it will spend 45 million euros (around 1.1 billion crowns) on the refurbishment of Czech tanks and will also provide Ukraine with heavy military equipment. The American part of the expenditure falls into the military aid just announced to Ukraine in the amount of 400 million dollars (9.8 billion crowns).
All about inflation
Scarecrow of inflation. What causes it? How to defend yourself from her? How to invest, where to save, where are there decent interest rates, which bonds are worth? How do the state, the government and the NBC fight inflation? Who and why increases the price and by how much? How to deal with price increases? Is it the right time to get a mortgage, will interest rates rise or fall and why? Context, suggestions, suggestions, warnings.
High inflation worries not only Czechia, but also other European countries and the United States. See the overview in the world.
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