Bottom row, L-R: Audrey Tanguay Beaudette, Manager, Global Sales & Tourism Partnerships, Air Canada and Kiesha Telesforo, Account Specialist, Reach Global Marketing.
Lights, acrobatics, action! In a mesmerizing event aimed at promoting Canadian tourism to Las Vegas, Reach Global Marketing (the agency that represents the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) in Canada) treated industry partners to a night of thrills, (no) spills, and gravity-defying acrobatics at Cirque du Soleil's Kooza performance at the iconic Big Top on 11JUN.
Open Jaw was there to get a tantalizing preview of the unparalleled experiences awaiting travellers in the Neon City.
"We wanted to bring a little bit of Las Vegas to you here in Toronto and having Cirque du Soleil was the perfect event, especially to end the weekend because in Vegas, the weekend goes beyond Sunday. It was really important for us to kick off the summer with some entertainment," Charmaine Singh, President & CEO, Reach Global Marketing, told Open Jaw.
"Cirque du Soleil is a big partner of Las Vegas and Canadians love Cirque du Soleil. It's something that we will continue to promote along with everything else in Las Vegas on and off the Strip, whether it's a concert, entertainment, attractions, all of the events we have and festivals - the list goes on. It's why Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world."
Las Vegas is a required stop for any clients who are Cirque fans. The Quebec-born circus has had residencies in Las Vegas for over two decades, with its first show, Mystère, debuting at Treasure Island in DEC 1993. Today, there are a number of Cirque shows going on at any given time. The Bellagio, for example, has four shows dazzling audiences right now.
Inching Towards Pre-Pandemic Visitation
Pre-pandemic, the number of Canadians jetting off to Las Vegas for some high-rolling excitement was on an upward trajectory.
In 2019, 951,197 Canadians flew into LAS from Canada, according to the LVCVA. That number dropped significantly due to the pandemic, but is slowly increasing. According to the latest figures from LVCVA, Vegas welcomed approximately 885,610 Canadians in 2022 and the start to 2023 is looking good, says Kiesha Telesforo, Las Vegas Account Specialist at Reach Global Marketing.
"We're starting to get to our pre-pandemic levels. I don't think we're quite at pre-pandemic levels yet, but we are inching very close to them," she says.
Flights or vacation packages to Las Vegas are available from across Canada with WestJet and WestJet Vacations, Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, Lynx Air, and Canada Jetlines (which flew its inaugural flight to LAS in FEB 2023 - and Open Jaw was there to touch down).
The destination is also hoping to land a partnership with Porter Airlines in the near future.
"It's definitely a conversation that we've been having for some time. We're looking forward to expanding into that market and reaching the Toronto city core because it's so much more convenient for some people. But you still have so many options for flights, any time of the week," Telesforo says.
Las Vegas in Flux - Selling Beyond the Strip
Las Vegas is a city that never fails to delight, constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible with new and exciting experiences and attractions. This state of constant change is something travel advisors selling Vegas should remind their clients.
"One trip to Vegas is never the same as the next one. There's always something new happening," Telesforo says. "For people who haven't been since the pandemic ended, it's going to be an entirely new experience. There are so many new properties and renovations, new attractions and experiences."
While the moniker of Sin City - a place of glamour, glitz, and gambling - will always be synonymous with vibrant Vegas, the destination is reinventing itself as a place with diversified activities and off-Strip experiences, catering to families looking for a fun and immersive vacation beyond the traditional allure of the Strip.
"We know that depending on the type of client, they're not always going to want to stay in the hotels or on the Strip. They want to have the variety of experiences that Vegas has to offer that people might not always be aware of," Telesforo says.
This is where travel advisors come in, being able to match the right traveller with Las Vegas when they may not even know Vegas is the destination that best meets their goals. LCVCA officals urge advisors to consider these off-Strip experiences for your family clients and those seeking a different kind of Vegas trip:
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, just a 30-minute drive from the Strip, offers hiking trails, scenic drives, and rock climbing opportunities for families who love the outdoors.
- Several companies offer helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas.
- From guided walking tours through popular neighbourhoods to specialized tours focused on specific themes, foodie experiences in downtown Las Vegas allow participants to explore the vibrant culinary scene of the city and sample a wide range of delectable dishes (read about Open Jaw's Jim Byers' recent trip to Las Vegas and how food was a lip-smacking part of it).
The entertainment space may be Vegas' signature mojo, but the destination is working hard to be known as a premiere sports destination, too:
- Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders football team, opened in 2020 and in FEB 2024, it'll host Super Bowl LVIII.
- Las Vegas Grand Prix will be hosted in NOV this year, when the entire Strip will be closed down for the event. "The city is going to be shown in a very different light," Telesforo says.
- TopGolf fuses golf, entertainment, and technology. Guests can tee off in high-tech style with electronically tracked golf balls while enjoying delicious food, drinks, and stunning views of the Strip.
- Fontainebleau Las Vegas is slated for opening in late 2023 with approximately 3,700 rooms, more than 550,000 square feet of MICE space, and a collection of gaming, dining, retail, and wellness facilities.
- The highly anticipated MSG Sphere, an immersive 4D venue billed as the largest sphere in the world, is set to open in SEP 2023.
And with the official start of summer on the horizon, Singh says Las Vegas is ready to captivate Canadians.
"Summer is a great time to go to Vegas because good weather is guaranteed. In Canada, our weather is not guaranteed in the summer," she says. "You've got cool shopping, events, and not just entertainment, but entertainment all day, all night. You can guarantee a fabulous summer vacation and have a great time."
