Las Vegas Ends 2025 With Job Losses as Visitor Numbers Drop

Las Vegas wrapped up last year facing another challenge, as new job data revealed the area lost thousands of positions while tourism kept declining. State employment numbers released in early January showed the metro area shed about 4,700 jobs from September to November, highlighting how shaky the city’s tourism-based economy remains.

Tourism Decline Drives Job Cuts Across Key Las Vegas Industries

The job losses hit two main parts of Nevada’s workforce: leisure and hospitality, and construction. Hotels, restaurants, and entertainment places cut staff as fewer visitors came, while building firms slowed down hiring after finishing some big projects, reported The Las Vegas Review-Journal. More jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities helped soften the impact, but could not stop the overall drop in employment.

Experts looking at the job market said it is holding steady overall, but some parts are doing better than others. They pointed out that while things are not falling apart, certain industries are still struggling. The building trade and financial-related jobs are having the toughest time right now. However, here is the weird part – pay is going up in those same industries that are losing ground. The state’s number-crunchers said this makes it tricky to figure out how things stand at the end of the year.

Tourism continues to be the main pressure point. The number of visitors up to November was about 35.5 million, a decrease of over 2.8 million compared to the same period in 2024. The drop in people coming to Las Vegas has affected hotel operations, entertainment staffing, food service, and convention attendance — areas that make up the core of the city’s income. Midweek occupancy has taken a hit as business travel and trade events stay below their usual levels.

Economic Uncertainty Deepens as Las Vegas Leaders Pin Hopes on 2026 Events

The economic slump has had a big impact on how businesses feel. A new poll by UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research shows that local executives are less confident than they have been since the late-2000s recession. With tourists spending less and the economy looking shaky, many companies are thinking twice about hiring more people or growing their operations.

The job numbers show how tough things are. In the fall, the Las Vegas metro area had an unemployment rate over 5.5% making it one of the highest among big city areas in the country. Looking at the whole state, Nevada was also near the top of the list for unemployment nationwide.

Local government officials are banking on upcoming events and efforts to diversify the economy in the long run to help the area bounce back. Big attractions planned for 2026, along with pushes to make Las Vegas attractive for more than just gambling and partying, aim to draw in fresh crowds. It is still up in the air if these plans will be enough to turn things around in the next year, but leaders say getting travel numbers back on track will play a big part in the recovery.