Why Don't Vegas Casinos Cater to Canadians?

With over 750,00 Canadians visiting Las Vegas last year, I have never ever seen any kind of promotion from any casino trying to lure them. Why?! I have visited Las Vegas 14 times, but not the last two years, because it cost about $1,355 Canadian to buy $1,000 US! This cost is stopping many Canadians from returning to Las Vegas without some incentive from casinos. Are the casinos not aware of this situation?

We contacted all the major casinos companies in Las Vegas and none, not one, responded. Apparently, customers from the Great White North aren't important enough for them to address this issue.

That said, according to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Amanda Peters, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Bureau definitely feels the love for our northern neighbors. According to Peters, 1.4 million Canadians visited Las Vegas in 2017 (figures for 2018 weren’t yet available.) That makes Canada the number-one source of international visitors to Las Vegas.

Still, it's only slightly more than 3% of total visitation, so the casinos are obviously more focused on the other 97 out of 100 visitors that show up here.

In days past, Reno was much more responsive to Canadians and their money; Reno draws a large percentage of its visitors from the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. Fifteen years ago, casinos such as the Cal Neva exchanged Canadian dollars at par, though there were some gambling stipulations. These days in Reno, either the exchange rate is bad or casino cages don't take Canadian dollars at all.

And if even Reno casinos aren't catering to Canadians, they're completely off the radar of Las Vegas casinos.

The LVCVA's Amanda Peters wrote us to say, “The LVCVA has various sales, public relations, digital engagement, and advertising initiatives that target the Canadian traveler. We conduct sales missions to educate travel agents on Las Vegas offerings; host broadcast, print and online journalists to produce editorial coverage about Las Vegas; create content and messaging through our social channels; and conduct various advertising campaigns in the market. We work closely with our resort industry partners to develop messaging promoting the destination.”

That's all well and good for Las Vegas' marketing department: A lot of money gets spent on attracting Canadians to come and spend their money here -- though they provide zero incentive, over and above what everyone else gets, to do so.

Why aren't there more promotions for Canadians in Las Vegas?

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Comments

Kevin Lewis Oct-28-2019

Eh?

Back in the day, I traveled to Canada 2-3 times a year, and I always brought back the maximum in Canadian currency--$10,000. I drove straight to Reno, where I could sprinkle the cash around and get at least a 10% premium on the exchange rate. No one ever asked if I was Canadian--I did, however, affect a Canadian accent and told everyone I was on "holiday."

I suspect that because Reno is within easy flying distance of western Canada, and AC is similarly easy to reach from eastern Canada's population centers, that Vegas has never really bothered to try to attract Canadians.

I would expect Vegas to be an attractive destination during the 10-month Canadian winter. 75 degrees and sunny in Vegas, 18 below and 40 kph winds in Edmonton. Easy choice, eh?

O2bnVegas Oct-28-2019

cards?

This seems ridiculously intuitive, but does the OP use casino players cards?

Offers via email and snail mail are what prompt me to schedule a trip.  Those result from my play using players cards, and nothing else.

Maybe I missed something in the answer.

Dave in Seattle. Oct-28-2019

6 %?

Seems like a small amount from International travelers.
  Yes,your players cards use will generate offers,no matter where you are from.
I follow "Say Hi to Matthew" on his Las Vegas You Tube blogs.
  I cannot hear any Canadian accent from him at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GYCpZqhges

jay Oct-28-2019

promotions

I live in Western Canada and am a Caesars reward member. I don't garner many points as I am only a table player. As a result I am at the lowest tier and only have their basic gold card. I get monthly promotions for free room nights in Vegas. The vast majority of them are for midweek nights but occasionally weekend nights during slower periods. I used to take a rental car - I could get a vehicle through price line at $9/day and that was cheaper than taking a shuttle or taxi even if I didn't use it for the 3 or 4 nights while I was in town. Now with the parking fees I am a lyft or uber patron. 

The best offers I get are for $149 - flight and hotel stay to Laughlin for 4 nights. Its a direct charter flight run by Sun County who don't operate in Canada other than for Caesars. When my GF is able to come we usually get this fully comped as our combined play and use of only one room makes its worth their while.

jay Oct-28-2019

Reno

There are no direct flights to Reno out of Calgary or Edmonton. You either stop in Salt Lake or Seattle. With the average total trip being around 8hrs. You can get direct to Vegas in 2.75. Cost to Reno over $700, Vegas just under $500 (C$)

There are lots of Canadians that bought property in Phoenix in 2010 when the Canadian dollar was above par and Phoenix was in recession.  My buddy bill paid USD $160 for his condo in a gated community,  his neighbor bought in 2006 and paid $375 for the same property. Canadian dollar is back to 65c to the USD and housing has risen sharply. Still its an 11hr drive from Phoenix to Reno while only a 4hr drive to Vegas. 

Montanna is the other place we Canadians often buy - Kalespel and Whitefish. Aligiant will fly from Kalespel or GreatFalls to Vegas for $170/pp plus bag and seat selection. Nothing to Reno.

I can't see how Reno attracts.

Ray Oct-28-2019

Special treatment?

As Candy said, Vegas gives offers to people who play. They don't seem to care where you are from as long as you play. All of our offers are because of our play (my wife's more than mine) and they don't care that I'm from Chicago, just that I play. I'd guess they treat Canadians the same way.

Kevin Rough Oct-28-2019

Canadian businesses don't target US visitors

With how expensive things are in Canada and the 13% sales tax in Ontario (compared to only 6% at home), Canada is really expensive for US tourists even with the 31% exchange rate I got in August.  In years past, Canada and Ontario both used to have programs to attract US tourists but no more.

However to the question at hand.  I've seen the Golden Gate and Downtown Grand both offer promos to Canadian tourists at various points in the last five years.  However as most promotions that only target a small percentage, everyone else goes why don't we get a promotion too.

Question of the Day - 28 October 2019

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