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Las Vegas is projected to see fewer Fourth of July tourists and slightly lighter hotel occupancy rates for the upcoming three-day holiday weekend, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

A downturn in tourism is taking its toll on Las Vegas businesses, with Naked City Pizza experiencing a significant drop in orders earlier this week. Owner Christopher Palmeri said, "It is just a lot less tourists in town and a lot less business." On a particularly slow Monday, Palmeri reported making only seven orders, compared to the usual 60 to 80 pizzas.

Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is one of the biggest holidays of the year in the U.S., celebrating the birth of our nation. Americans go all out for the occasion, from elaborate parades to cookouts with extended family and friends. The National Retail Federation projects that this year American households will spend a collective $8.9 billion just on food for Fourth of July celebrations.

Las Vegas visitors are getting something this summer that they have not seen in quite some time: a break. Free parking on the Strip, lower hotel room rates, waived resort fees for locals, stay-and-play packages, enhanced loyalty perks, discounted attractions and massive slot tournaments are among the offers Las Vegas casinos have rolled out recently.

According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the 2025 event strengthened April’s visitation numbers amid an overall tourism slump. Officials projected that around 180,000 visitors brought $215 million in revenue to the Valley.

Reports of layoffs at various Las Vegas casinos have been popping up for several months now, raising questions about whether the gaming industry is nearing an end to the post-COVID economic boom.

In the decade-and-a-half following the 2008 economic collapse, the north end of the Strip — loosely defined as the 1.3-mile section between Encore and The Strat — has benefited from billions of dollars of capital investment, giving casino operators and other stakeholders a renewed sense of purpose. But the corridor remains a work in progress, and the question once again being asked is: Can the North Strip finally deliver on its unrealized potential?

To learn more about the business of Easter and how to celebrate without spending too much, we posed questions to a panel of experts.