There is no doubt that several economies around the world rely heavily on tourism to keep their trade balance active. This is significant both in terms of money entering the country and the number of companies and their dependents. For example, in Spain almost 3 million people (6% of the total population) gravitate to the tourism business. The sector is worth 64 billion euros a year for the Spanish economy. In Italy the numbers are not so different from the Spanish ones.
On a smaller scale, there are also many leisure-related activities that rely on tourism to be profitable. Of course, hotels and bars are obvious, but there is another area that is almost as dependent: casinos. Just look at places like Las Vegas to see how important the tourism industry is to the gambling industry. That’s why we work so hard to attract visitors year after year. Las Vegas, until shortly before the pandemic, attracted more than 40 million tourists each year. A number of arrivals higher than that reached by entire nations such as Thailand, a well-known world tourist destination.
The advancement of online gaming
However, the work to remain a leading destination for game lovers is ongoing and cannot stop. Macao, in the Far East, has been trying to steal the record in Las Vegas for years. The success of these destinations certainly has to do with the opulent charm of the gaming world. However, there are many who prefer to play on the web, perhaps choosing from non-AAMS online casinos able to offer rewarding games and experiences. In fact, although the number of visitors to Las Vegas has increased every year, casino revenue has not followed the same trend.
Of course, for some casinos, their fame and history are enough to get players to come. Instead, others need to work a little harder and use a variety of techniques to keep slot machines and tables busy.
The perfect holiday attraction
Of course, it is easy for casinos to attract tourists compared to other activities. This is for the simple reason that, for many, the game is the perfect addition to holiday fun. For starters, there is always a lot of luxury and exoticism in a casino. This is the kind of environment that many people are not used to and want to try it at least on vacation.
In addition, people often look for a very different kind of experience from everyday life. When you are on vacation and the casino is the perfect place to have fun. The casino is also a social area where groups of friends can meet and share mutual winnings and losses. This makes casinos perfect for group vacations.
Another aspect in the hands of casinos is that vacationers tend to be a little more extravagant than when they are at home. So they are probably more willing to spend money while they are away, although there is a good chance that they will end up losing at least some of it.
These are some of the main reasons why casinos are naturally attractive to tourists. However, the use of some proven and reliable techniques is important to attract an even greater number.
Money as a gift
The first, and most common of these, is to offer special bonuses to first-time casino players. These bonuses are especially effective because they are often really free money to start playing. This is to test the intoxication of the game and continue to do so once the free money is exhausted.
These bonuses are vital when it comes to beating the competition. Both traditional and online casinos are in constant competition with each other. The best way to move forward is to make your customers feel valued. It is an advanced technique throughout the industry, many of the best online sites offer free spins on their most popular slots.
Another area where traditional casinos are heavily involved is the provision of loyalty points to players. It works like a points collection of a supermarket, where the more you spend and the more rewards you can get.
In today’s casinos it is quite easy to administer as most players are given a card when they register at the casino. Each time they play slot machines or a board game, this records the time they played and the amount they spent.
The more you spend, the bigger the gifts and benefits can be. These range from free meals and drinks to free rooms at the hotel. Sometimes a limousine service with a driver to and from the airport is even offered. The person who runs the game room often also has the discretion to distribute these rewards to all players he deems worthy.
Put on a show
There is also one last fundamental way in which many of the world’s largest casinos attract players. This is due to the union of gambling with shows set up in hotel and casino complexes. In fact, Las Vegas has become almost as famous for its shows with different stars such as Elton John and Britney Spears, Celine Dion and many others. The tradition began in the 1960s with Frank Sinatra. This system attracts millions of people who do not usually go to a casino, but could do so to see their favorite stars.
Gambling tourism marketing
So, as you can well understand, there are several ways in which casinos try to make themselves more attractive to tourists. Many of these ways have proven successful in the past. However, the competition is fierce and even online gaming continues to gain ground. This poses an increasingly uphill challenge in the future. To know how well traditional casinos will deal with the problem, we just have to wait and see.
