The popularity of casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, was so great last year that more tourists visited the city than ever before, new figures reveal.

In total 38.9 million people visited Las Vegas, an increase of just under one per cent. But the figure is all the more significant given the fact that the number of rooms available in the region fell for the first time in 14 years – by almost 600 rooms.

Occupancy rates continued to rise despite such restraints, with officials praising the business spirit of the city.

“That really paints the picture of why Las Vegas has been successful,” said director of internet marketing and research at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Kevin Bagger.

However, the customer was often the one to suffer from such success, with higher occupancy rates allowing hotels to increase their prices by an average of $17.

In light of such increases many potential visitors may consider online venues to be a more attractive proposition in financial terms.

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