More parents bringing kids to Sin City

It may not be Orlando, but Las Vegas is giving other family-friendly destinations a run for the money. 

“Sin City” once marketed itself to people with naughty inclinations with the slogan “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.” Now what happens in Vegas may include Ferris wheels, sporting events and Instagram-worthy family photos.  

A survey of 4,000 visitors in 2021 by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority showed a dramatic rise in the number of people bringing children with them. In 2021, 21% of tourists had kids tagging along versus 5% in 2019, before the pandemic. 

Overall, Las Vegas had 32 million visitors in 2021, which was down significantly from 42 million in 2019, according to the survey. It also indicates that visitors were younger, more ethnically diverse and more likely to travel from western states within driving distance of Las Vegas.

The authority suspects the rise in family travel to Vegas was a blip, prompted by the pandemic. Families, they say, had limited travel options in 2021, with international travel still problematic and Covid concerns top of mind. Many opted for road trips rather than plane flights. 

This year, with kids on school break, it’s become so common to see parents pushing strollers through a casino, that even a casino executive barely noticed it. The executive, who declined to be named, laughed and shrugged when a CNBC reporter commented on the sight. 

Families from the West Coast weren’t the only ones who traveled to Sin City with their kids in tow.

Mark and Lori Campbell live in North Carolina. They say they’ve vacationed up and down the East Coast, so they wanted to do something different. For spring break this week, they decided to bring their children, 11-year-old Madison and 14-year-old Miles, to Las Vegas.

“I knew the kids would be kind of blown away by the lights in the city and the activity and the people,” Mark Campbell said, while strolling by a Chippendales photo opportunity on Fremont Street.  

The resort city’s entertainment options are more welcoming to younger audiences these days, too.

Maisie Rojas, a 15-year-old from Colorado, only had eyes for superstar boy band BTS. She carried a photo of her favorite member of the group, V. Her parents brought her to Las Vegas to celebrate her birthday with a BTS concert last weekend at Allegiant Stadium.

She’s also a repeat visitor here with her family. “It’s cool. I like it,” she said.  

Her five-year-old sister Giselle was more enthusiastic. “It’s amazing!” she said. The lights are her favorite thing about Vegas, she added.    

New York parents Anto and Mel Ounanian considered doing the traditional Orlando Disney World vacation this Easter break, but instead opted to take their family of four to Las Vegas. It was…