TORONTO — Toronto agents got a taste of the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ last night when 25 hotel and attraction partners from Las Vegas arrived as part of a sales mission.

What agents learned when they got there was that Vegas and Toronto are more alike than they previously thought, with hockey being the common denominator. Soon to make their debut at Las Vegas’ T Mobile arena at the start of the 2017-2018 NHL season are the Vegas Golden Knights, which Fernando Hurtado, International Market Manager for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority, said will give Canadians a new reason to come to the destination.

“The most important thing at this moment is that we have our very own hockey team,” he said.

Hurtado is also looking forward to 2020 when Vegas will become the new home of the American football team the Raiders. With that comes a large stadium that also allows for mega events such as concerts, shows and MMA and boxing fights.

When asked about the effect of the loonie and the poor exchange rate, Hurtado admitted it has hurt, but he wanted travellers to remember that Vegas is a leader in average daily room rates, with almost US$100 less per night compared to New York City, San Francisco or Chicago.

As for airlift, it’s never been easier for Canadians to get to Vegas. One of the destination’s biggest partners are WestJet and WestJet Vacations, who are currently running a booking contest with LVCVA at travelweek.ca/contests.

“Many people don’t know that WestJet is the largest International airline by passenger volume arriving in Vegas. We bring 1.5 million passengers into Vegas every year,” said Mike Miguel, Manager Business Development, WestJet.

Miguel suggests upselling the premium economy option that is available on all WestJet’s 737s going into Vegas. He also wanted to let agents know that the airline is always negotiating and looking to bring new product into its portfolio, the most recent addition being W Hotel.

So how else can agents look to make more commission on Vegas bookings? We posed that question to some of the operators in attendance:

Machine Guns Vegas

MGV takes shooting to a whole new level, giving clients options that include indoor shooting ranges and the Zombie Survival package. They will soon offer a helicopter shooting package starting in July. They offer agents 20% commission; any agents looking to make a booking can contact Esther Cases Truzman at esther@mgvvegas.com.

Pole Position Raceway

Clients can ride the fastest go-karts in America just next to the Palms Casino. They book a lot of F.I.T. and can accommodate groups up to 300. They also have a VIP area for group bookings that recently saw the likes of Drake. They offer agents 20% commission. Agents can contact Brad Mark at brad.mark@polepositionraceway.com for bookings.

Las Vegas Monorail

The monorail gives clients a great transport option that beats the heat and is cheaper than taxis. They offer 20% commission. Agents can contact Jennifer Breed at jbreed@lvmonorail.com or look out for their upcoming agent page coming soon.

Sundance Helicopters

Serving four million passengers since 1985, Sundance Helicopters offers premium options for clients such as complimentary limousine transfers and picnic meals. They can do groups from 10 people and recently did an event with 500 people in groups of 75 using their 13 helicopters. They offer 25% commission. Travel agents can contact Al Santos at asantos@sundancehelicopters.com.

BASE Entertainment

This live entertainment group offers four different shows including the new Magic Mike show. They can offer agents between 20-30% net rate and can cater to groups as little as 10 people to full buyouts of the theatre. Go to baseentertainmentsales.com for more.

Destination Las Vegas Group

If you are looking to book clients a unique experience for a wedding, bachelor/bachelorette, or proposals/renewals, Destination Las Vegas Group has some unique options. They offer 20-30% commission through their agent portal; contact Sebastian Salas to get access at sebastian@destinationlv.com.

Grand Cayon Scenic Airlines

Catering to 600,000 passengers a year, they are the only company that does a full span of the canyons. They offer 20-35% net rate and have dynamic pricing so clients can get a lower rate during low seasons. They have a booking portal; to get access email Sherwin Mercado at sherwin.mercado@flygcsa.com.

Gray Line Las Vegas

Gray Line offers tours of the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon by coach. They also recently added a luxury coach for 11 people. They offer commission or net rates. Agents can go their agent portal on their website at graylinelasvegas.com.

The Venetian and The Palazzo

The Venetian completed renovations late last year, while The Palazzo is also getting a revamp. They are currently offering two commissionable promotions: 20% off stays of two or more nights or a US$150 hotel credit. Both promotions run until the end of September.

Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas

Hard Rock recently renovated their rooms and added a new steakhouse, oyster bar and Goose Island Pub. They have also added two new shows and their big hook at the moment is pool season. Agents can get a travel agent rate of 20% off by booking directly with them and citing their IATA number.

Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil currently has seven shows running in Vegas, with O and Michael Jackson ONE being the most popular. They can offer 10% net rate to agents, excluding group bookings and O bookings. To be eligible, agents need to sell 100 or more tickets a year across the seven shows. Contact Jacinta Jose at jacinta.jose@cirquedusoleil.com.

Le Rêve – The Dream

Voted ‘Best Production Show’ in Las Vegas for seven consecutive years by the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association, Le Rêve – The Dream is a popular choice for clients. They are currently crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s on a new arrangement that will allow agents to get 10% commission.

MGM Resorts International

With the opening of the T-Mobile arena, MGM has been busy with the new hockey team coming soon and residencies from Bruno Mars, Ricky Martin and Cher. Most tickets are sold through Ticketmaster, but agents have the ability to book Cher tickets through Air Canada Vacations.