Development · Valley-wide
New 'Vegas Effect' campaign courts meeting planners as Las Vegas convention attendance runs ahead of 2025
A new business-focused campaign called 'The Vegas Effect' launched Oct. 12 alongside IMEX America, as Las Vegas logged 4.5 million conventioneers through August, up 10.5 percent from 2025.
What happened
A new brand platform and integrated campaign called "The Vegas Effect" launched Oct. 12, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. It is business-focused and was timed to the start of IMEX America, a major business travel conference that wrapped up its 15th annual meeting in Las Vegas at the end of last week.
The campaign arrives as convention attendance in Las Vegas is running ahead of last year. The Review-Journal reported that the city has drawn 4.5 million conventioneers through August, a 10.5 percent increase over 2025.
What the campaign looks like
According to the Review-Journal, the campaign's videos offer quick, fast-moving looks at the city's most popular attractions. The message is directed at prospective meetings planners.
The taglines
The videos pair those images with short lines pitched to planners. The Review-Journal listed them as follows.
- "In Vegas, ideas come to life"
- "Conversations create connections"
- "Keynotes are high notes"
- "Collaboration accelerates results"
- "Leave energized" and "Return home with results"
- "That's the Vegas Effect"
Why IMEX America matters
IMEX America ran for three days and brought 17,800 people to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the Review-Journal reported. It is described as North America's biggest trade show for event planners, convention bureaus and travel buyers.
How it compares with Frankfurt
The Las Vegas show follows a format similar to IMEX Frankfurt, which takes place in May. According to the Review-Journal, the Frankfurt event generally draws around 13,500 people, with nearly 5,000 buyers and 2,900 exhibitors.
The convention numbers behind the push
Meetings and conventions are a vital part of the city's overall visitation profile, the Review-Journal reported. Trade Show Executive, a Chicago-based publication that tracks the trade show industry, has praised Las Vegas as the nation's best convention city.
Square footage versus attendees
Trade Show Executive measures a show's success by how much square footage it covers. The Review-Journal noted that the local tourism economy also depends on how many attendees come, because those visitors eat at restaurants, visit attractions and attend entertainment and sporting events.
Pace toward the record
The 4.5 million conventioneers counted through August put the city on pace to near its record of 6.6 million, set in 2017, according to the Review-Journal. In 2025, Las Vegas welcomed 6 million convention attendees, and that activity generated $17.1 billion in overall economic output for the region.
Spring and fall have in past years been among the best months on the convention calendar, the Review-Journal reported. In September, the Global Gaming Expo drew more than 25,000 attendees. More coverage of the local economy and growth is collected in our development section.
What to watch next
- The LVCVA is expected to release updated visitation and convention statistics covering the end of the third quarter, according to the Review-Journal.
- Whether full-year convention attendance nears the 2017 record of 6.6 million, which the Review-Journal said the city is on pace to approach.
