Between NCAA Basketball March Madness, car racing, major conventions and trade shows, St. Patrick’s Day, and fantastic spring weather, Las Vegas anticipates a bountiful March full of visitors.
More than 3.6 million people visited Las Vegas last year, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) anticipates even more coming this year.
“March is always a highlight of our calendar year for visitation – there’s really something for everyone in Las Vegas this month,” said LVCVA Senior Vice President Cathy Tull said.
“Whether guests are here for sports, the sun, spring break or celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, Las Vegas provides an energetic atmosphere, filled with memorable one-of-a-kind experiences.”
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the annual Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400 race on March 6, followed by the popular Mint 400 desert race a week later, and the Monster Jam World Finals XVII for monster trucks later in the month.
Major league baseball comes to Cashman Field with a variety of Cactus League spring training games, and the PAC 12, Western Athletic Conference, and West Coast Conference will hold their respective conference tournaments at various sites in Las Vegas.
The LVCVA also anticipates more than 255,000 trade show and convention attendees are coming to Las Vegas in March, and are expected to spend nearly $217 million while in the city.
The NCAA March Madness men’s basketball tournament also will draw many visitors, particularly during its first week, when sports books will take in amounts that rival Super Bowl betting handles.
Some 42.5 million people visited Las Vegas last year, and if March proves as bountiful as the LVCVA anticipates, 2016 could surpass that total, and early indications suggest that will happen.
McCarran International Airport had 3.6 million passengers pass through its gates in January, surpassing 2015’s total by 7.3 percent, according to the Clark County Department of Aviation.
January airport visitation was the third best ever at the airport, and some 3.2 million passengers arrived via domestic carriers, versus 253,141 via international flights in January.
