Poll : 17 March - 30 March 2021

It's true there's a lot of pent-up desire to travel to Vegas (or to any vacation place for that matter) due to the past year of restrictions. A lot of the drive-to-Vegas visitors are already returning. But the past year has dampened many people's enthusiasm, it only added to the already negative feeling about the many unfriendly changes in the past several years. So I don't think it will ever be what veterans of Vegas would call "normal", even if visitation gets back to 70% of what it was in 2018 or 2019. For many people the world-class shows and concerts need to return. For others the buffets and low-cost things to do are a big part of the vacation enjoyment. And the multiple hours of airline travel has to be reasonably pleasant and affordable. Otherwise you can go to a nearby gambling resort a lot easier and have a good time. This is one of those time-will-tell things. I wish Nevada limited how many casinos one owner can have, that would improve competition and benefit all of us.

I worked for the event industry here in Vegas, so my definition of "normal" is when events/conventions return to Las Vegas. Although they'll be some shows that start opening soon (i.e., World of Concrete), I think it'll take at least another year before we get back to full-swing mode.

Predictions:

The industry ill be driven by the need to try to make up for lost revenue figuring that there is pent-up demand with people who need their "Vegas Fix".  That said, visitation may it some short term increases but a lot of pelpe have gotten used to not traveling there, instead have gotten used to going to local casinos. 

Hotels, Casinos 
will try to raise resort fees and parking to make up for lost revenue.  Deals to regular players will be lower/less than they were before, for the same reason.  Result, fewer people to Vegas in general, and more visitors going downtown

Gambling:
Odds will get worst where it can, video poker, slots, etc., particularly on the strip and where the large corporate casinos are.

I believe that the downtown area will do MUCH better than the strip because strip cutbacks/greed I believe that even now, downtown is doing much better (relatively) than the strip.

Buffets
A shadow of their former "glory", Victim of corporate accountants  

We will return when car travel is somewhat normal in all the states from IL to CA. (We gotta get back. I've owed my nephew a dinner since the Golden Knights beat the Blackhawks in the playoffs). Even if Vegas won't be the same, it will still be a destination once we can travell again. We hope 4-6 months. 2nd choice would have been 7-12.

Each 'How Long' question had a different time frame for me so I chose the answer for the 'How Long' with the longest time frame.

I'm with Texas Transplant, the coronavirus was just the thing corporate bigwigs can hang their hat on, to implement all the closures (buffets), all the "special fees" ( like a covid fee) they can just change the name from resort fee and keep on charging, they can fabricate higher room charges, etc, it's all greed driven, I just hope downtown and all the locals casinos don't get infected by that greed

Agree with Sandra, different 'how longs' for each category. Voted 13-24 mos, though some are "normal" to me now.
 
- Feel safe?  I do now.  Flights, hotels, casinos. ("Now" not a survey choice.)
 
- Service level return?  Sufficient for my needs now.  
 
- Buffets and shows?  Buffets iffy.  Shows already returning. 7-12 mos.
 
- Conventions? 13-24 months. (Critical to sustained recovery IMHO.)
 
- Deals?  Just got back from 7 free nights, two Strip hotels, more Free Play and food credits than ever before from both.
 
- Gambling? My best results in a long time, slots and VP.  Tables bad, so many not open, sad.  Minimums high, probably will NEVER return to "normal", I fear.  
 
- Dining?  Some favorites still closed.  Frustrating that nobody can (or will) say when (or if) return for those is in the cards.
 
- Covid-19 precautions?  I hope they KEEP forever the "Limit 4 to an elevator" policy.  Mask is OK, but will be very glad when science says "not needed." 13-24 mos.

Candy

For me, I'll be back next month with my son to do my PSL holder scheduled tour of Allegiant stadium.  (so 1-2 months)  And if they let us, we will be back regularly for the games come fall. 
  But to really get to my "normal", we'd like the shows to come back and the buffets in some manner. 

Interestingly enough the leading Covid-19 Doctors have recently agreed with me that it would take 5 to 10 years for things to return to early 2019 standards.  Why? Because you will need another vaccine shot every year for that long until this virus stops mutating which means new outbreaks bring about old methods of combating it like masks, social distancing, shields separating people at tables, oh and death!

Now that doesn't mean Las Vegas won't enjoy a modicum of it's former self and there will always be those who don't mind gambling with their life so some manner of "normalcy" will return. 

"When will this effin' place stop being such an egregious ripoff??"

Answer: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. The reason? The lemmings will continue to visit and blow their money, no matter what.

Vegas is not Vegas without the buffets.