LAS VEGAS – Tourism officials say the number of visitors to Las Vegas dropped off in March to 3.62 million people.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released its monthly report Wednesday which included the 1.7 per cent drop in travellers.

Statistics show convention attendance was down 11.7 per cent in March.

The agency says it was tough to beat last year’s March results since that’s when the CONEXPO construction trade show that attracts nearly 130,000 attendees was in town. The show returns in 2017.

Hotel occupancy rate – 88.6 per cent – and room rates are also down compared to March 2014.

The agency says room rates dropped 9.4 per cent on the Strip to $130.35 and fell nearly 25 per cent to $62.20 in downtown’s Fremont Street district.