Find Out What Makes Las Vegas Such a Popular Destination

Las Vegas, Nevada is nicknamed the "Entertainment Capital of the World." All of it's glitz and glam attracts tourists, and entertainers, alike, from all over the world. It has also become home to many business conventions and trade shows.

Tourism is the major source of economy in Las Vegas. Nevada takes in so much revenue through tourism and gambling that it does not charge it's residents income tax. No state income tax, low property taxes, good job outlook, low unemployment, and great weather almost year-round have attracted many new family and retiree residents.

Las Vegas is the home of major casino and themed resorts and resort hotels, and is practically a 24 hour town. Examples of themed casinos emulate famous cities, such as New York-New York and Paris, which has a miniature Eiffel tower on top and an interior ceiling painted to look like a Parisian sky. There is much attention to detail in all the designs and flashy lights along the Vegas strip for the ultimate fantasy trip. Las Vegas offers the most in recreation and hospitality to its visitors.

There are over 31 casino resorts and hotels along the Vegas strip. There are many package rates to appeal to consumers of various budget levels. Many of the resorts give good deals on the rooms because they recover their money from the profits of guest gambling. They have even been known to offer free nights to those who have been shown to gamble heartily.

Some resorts have their own themed shows or events, with such acts as headlining singers, comedy, magic, and tribute shows. You can also catch a production show, theater, or a Cirque du Soleil show, if you're really lucky. There are shows for the budget-conscious, those with a mid-range budget, as well as very expensive shows for those whose money is no object.

There are many hotel events that you can see for free, some in the day and some at night: a fountain-display every 15 minutes at the Bellagio, a lion habitat at the MGM, The Sirens of TI show at Treasure Island, and a "volcano" eruption in a cool light show at the Mirage almost every hour in the evening. You can relax at the piano bar and lounge at Harrah's or the Paris to listen to "Dueling Pianos" from 9 pm into the wee hours of the morning. You can watch Greek gods in animatronic form in a laser, water and light show at Ceaser's Palace every day starting at 11 am through the night.

Outstanding entertainers who are fortunate enough to work in Las Vegas command impressive crowds every night. There are many long-running entertainment acts performed by headliners and tribute shows by talented entertainers that recognize many stars of the industry.

There are an abundance of places to eat in Las Vegas. The resorts employ highly trained chefs to delight your palate. The average price per entrée starts around $15. Some of the off-strip restaurants offer entire steak dinners for $7.99, so if you're gambling (and losing) heavily, you can still afford to eat well.

Each resort has its own shops which sell designer clothing, shoes, jewelry and perfume. The hotel stores are usually very upscale, but you may luck up on a little something that's within your budget. A few of the malls in the area are Town Square Mall, located at 6605 Las Vegas Blvd South near McCarran Airport, The Boulevard Mall, at 3528 South Maryland Parkway, and a little distance away from the strip is the Las Vegas Premium Outlets mall, located at 875 South Grand Central Parkway.

Las Vegas has become a very popular location to host conventions and trade shows. On average, they claim a 14% increase in attendance when conventions rotate to Las Vegas (lvcva.com/meetings/services-support/ten-reasons.jsp). In addition to the Vegas attractions, they offer the best value in room rates because of the vast number of rooms available. The airport is conveniently located a short distance away and many destinations are within walking distance.

Las Vegas is so beautiful and busy and full of interesting people, that a walk along the Vegas strip at night is an event within itself. There are lots of things to do and see without ever having to drop a quarter in a casino machine.

You can find many Las Vegas hotel and airline deals such as four star hotels for under $100 a night and five star hotels for under $200 a night, including the Trump International Las Vegas.