LAS VEGAS — Tourism officials say more than 21 million people have visited Las Vegas in the first half of 2015, about 1.5 per cent more than a year ago when the destination recorded more than 40 million travellers for the first time.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said 3.5 million people visited in June representing a 2.4 per cent increase compared to a year ago.

The agency says 90.4 per cent of Vegas rooms were rented in the month. The number of hotel rooms has dropped by nearly 200 to 149,071 with the closure of the Riviera casino-hotel and the re-opening of rooms and the renovated Linq hotel-casino.

Rates and revenue earned per room dropped during the month. Convention attendance was down 16.6 per cent in June but up 1.7 per cent since January.