Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority: March is our busiest month of the year for visitation for a variety of reasons

LAS VEGAS, 2015-3-2 — /Travel PR News/ — Las Vegas is once again THE place to be during the month of March. From fast cars to college hoops, convention business to Major League Baseball, visitors have an unlimited amount reasons to pack a bag and head to Las Vegas – not to mention the great weather.

Last year, more than 3.6 million people visited in March, making it the single most visited month ever. In fact, the three busiest weekends last year were in March.

“March is our busiest month of the year for visitation for a variety of reasons- there really is something for everyone this month,” said Cathy Tull senior vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “Whether you are a sports fan, soaking up the sun on spring break or celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, Las Vegas offers an exciting atmosphere and one-of-a-kind experience for everyone and is the perfect place to be in March.”

The highly anticipated NASCAR weekend starts the month off strong with an expected 150,000 fans gathering at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway March 6-8. NASCAR is the largest sporting event in the state and is expected to generate more than $165 million in non-gaming economic impact. The races include the Xfinity Series Sam’s Town 300 on Saturday and the Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400 on Sunday.

Racing month continues with the iconic Mint 400 March 11-15, a grueling desert race that features some of the best off-road competitors in the world. The Monster Jam World Finals is a family favorite featuring the top monster truck drivers as they jump, roll and trample the competition at Sam Boyd Stadium March 26-28.

Major League Baseball takes over Cashman Field March 13-14 for what has become a springtime tradition for visitors and residents alike. The Chicago Cubs will make their 11th consecutive appearance for Big League Weekend facing the Oakland A’s. More than 19,000 people are expected to attend the games.

Las Vegas is the only destination to host four NCAA basketball conference tournaments including the West Coast Conference (WCC), Western Athletic Conference (WAC), Mountain West Conference (MWC) and Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC 12). The tournaments are expected to draw more than 17,000 out-of-town visitors and generate $17 million dollars in non-gaming economic impact.

Meetings, conventions and trade shows are expected to bring more than 126,000 attendees during the month of March. Las Vegas will host six major shows including ASD Las Vegas, Ace Hardware Corporation and International Pizza Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Wedding & Portrait Photographers Conference Expo at MGM Grand, Globalshop at Mandalay Bay and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons at the Sands Expo. Combined, these six shows will generate more than $166 million in non-gaming economic impact.

And finally, March will end with college basketball fans flocking to Las Vegas to watch the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. The first weekend of the tournament is consistently one of the busiest weekends each year.

Las Vegas welcomed a record 41.1 million visitors in 2014. Special events like these help increase the visitor base and grow the tourism industry. Tourism remains our leading economic driver sustaining nearly half of all jobs in Southern Nevada and generating $45 billion in local economic impact a year.

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