Lots of potential here for the Asian market.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is stepping up its promotion in Asia. The city's glamour and entertainment, gourmet dining, upmarket shopping, international shows, deluxe theme hotels and neon lights-not to mention gambling-are being pushed to attract more Asian customers.
Las Vegas is looking to Asia to help fill up the more than 20,000 hotel rooms that will be added to its present inventory of 104,000, by the year 2000. Just half a million Asian visitors hit Las Vegas in 1996, according to US government statistics. Las Vegas has a huge domestic market, being the number one city destination in the US.
The Las Vegas Hilton recently opened its theme recreation space 'Star Trek: The Experience' while "NewYork-New York' has opened on the strip to join a melange of mega-resorts which include the pyramid-shaped Luxor and well-known Caesars Palace.
"All Asian visitors to Las Vegas go to see the Grand Canyon (in Nevada)," said Richard Nielson, vice president of air tour operator Eagle Canyon Airlines, which claims a predominantly Asian customer base of 70 per cent.
Eagle Canyon, based at nearby Maclaran International Airport, does tours in Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese. A day's trip to the Grand Canyon including lunch, entrance to the Grand Canyon and bus tour costs US$215 with a fly-around-only trip priced at US$162.
Las Vegas also claims to be the marriage capital of the world, issuing more than 100,000 marriage certificates to couples last year. The quickest route to Las Vegas is via Los Angeles connecting with a 60-minute flight or a car journey of four to five hours.