Casino tourism is a relatively new trend in the global tourism industry. Here’s everything you need to know about this relationship.

Casino Tourism & How It’s Impacting The Global Travel Industry

When discussing casino tourism, many countries have built large casinos in different parts of their territory to attract more tourists. A more vital tourism environment is good for the economy because it attracts more tourists, potential investors, and more money.

Some of the most well-known tourist destinations worldwide include visits to gambling establishments. Consequently, this new type of tourism has become popular in most developed regions of the world. We will discuss the effects of casinos on tourism and their contribution to a country’s overall economy below.

Casino Tourism: The Correlation

To explore how casinos help boost tourism, let’s observe some of the largest casino markets worldwide. These include Australia, Macau, and the USA. To give you an example, Las Vegas, Nevada, was able to bring in more than 40 million tourists in 2016. It’s not surprising because Las Vegas is the place to be if you want to have fun and make lots of money.

Macau is the main competitor to Las Vegas. It is located in China and transformed into one of the largest gambling hubs in the world. Macau surpassed Las Vegas in terms of gambling receipts in 2010, and it has continued to be a significant example of casino tourism in the industry.

Macau, just like Vegas, concentrated its efforts on VIP services for high-spending clients. These services included golden member privileges, private gaming rooms, various amenities, etc.

The region was able to attract many wealthy tourists in 2013. That year, 66% of casino profits went to high rollers. This sudden rise was stopped in 2014 by the government’s anti-corruption crackdown. Thanks to the casinos’ strategy, Macau eventually stabilized to broaden its target audience to include the mass market, not just the high rollers.

Although Macau casinos held their ground, many Chinese gamblers weren’t satisfied. They decided to move to Australia. Around 1 million Chinese gamblers moved to Australia because of the continent’s massive casino developments. Gambling venues have become one of Australia’s most popular attractions, surpassing Macau and Vegas with 10 million visitors in the last few years.

Others, such as Singapore and Monaco, have seen substantial revenues from tourists visiting those countries to gamble in their casinos. These countries’ growth in the gambling industry demonstrates how important casinos are for a country’s tourism.

Casino Tourism & Its Effect on Other Industries

This type of tourism can bring in many people from different countries and concentrate them in one place. Other industries can also reap the benefits of casinos’ popularity. For example, gambling tourism is an excellent opportunity for the hospitality industry. There would be hotels, resorts, and restaurants wherever a casino is. Partnerships between restaurants, casinos, hotels, and other businesses are common.

Hotels and restaurants would flourish, including other tourist attractions in the region. The casinos would bring many foreign tourists to local restaurants, allowing them to try regional cuisines. This popularity contributes to the country’s tourism.

Casino tourism encourages diversity in a way. This diversity was particularly evident following Macau’s crackdown on corruption. The Chinese government decided that Macau should be more than a mere big-time gambling destination like other regions worldwide.

Singapore is another example, where Resorts World, one of the largest casinos in Singapore, is located in Sentosa, near other tourist attractions at Sentosa Bay. Therefore, gamblers also frequent the area’s tourist attractions. Due to the concentration of these casinos in one place, the entire region has enjoyed vital tourism.

This causality shows that the location of a country’s casino tourism venture is crucial. Casinos can directly impact tourism and other industries through their strategic locations and extensive marketing.

Workers From Abroad

A more diverse population means that there are more foreign workers. Let’s look at Australian casinos as an example. The demand for Mandarin-speaking dealers grew due to the many Chinese high-rollers who flocked to the country’s gambling venues.

Some casinos employ Mandarin-speaking staff or staff from Mandarin-speaking countries such as Taiwan. This lingual availability makes it easier for Chinese high-rollers to feel at home in the casino and encourages them to bring more Chinese gamblers into the game.

The Global Market

When discussing casino tourism, it is well-known that gambling is illegal in some countries. However, this fact does not stop citizens from gambling. They would travel to the nearest country with legal casinos to transact internationally and gamble. One can open up new markets by providing something that the people of another country do not have.

The Popularity Of Online Gambling Venues Is On The Rise

It is not an option for everyone to visit a luxury casino. Online casinos offer a convenient alternative for those who enjoy playing casino games like Blackjack. This title is one of the most famous and popular casino games. Anyone can access the internet and instantly play this card game at online venues.

Simultaneously, learning what each venue has to offer is that much more practical and convenient because the necessary information is instantly available. One does not need to spend hours traveling and commuting between venues to get a firsthand experience at each one.

Final Thoughts

The previously mentioned shows that casinos can significantly positively affect an economy’s overall tourism situation. However, an economy that relies too heavily on the casino industry to attract tourists is a problem.

Many countries diversify their tourist destinations and place various tourist spots near casino sites. Consequently, foreign gamblers have the opportunity to travel and see the sights. However, if they are already tired of casinos, they will want to return to the country more.

This problem was particularly evident in Macau, as the region had little to boast about other than its casinos. Many of the ex-customers fled to Australia following the crackdown. The Chinese government decided to diversify to attract different markets than the high-rollers. This method is the way that Macau eventually stabilized.

Although casinos are a great way to boost tourism, they shouldn’t be the only reason for growth. A country should also use other attractions besides casino tourism to make tourists come back.