| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 29/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 46 |
| Copyright: Other |
agents on the spot: las vegas
United Airlines took nine travel agents to Las Vegas in the spring. The group spent four nights in the luxurious Caesar’s Palace, one of the world’s most ostentatious hotels. The agents checked out innumerable casinos during their stay in the gambling Mecca as well as taking a trip to the Grand Canyon. Here three of the agents give their impressions before and after the trip.
Before AfterLYNN NEWATTMANAGERBAKERS DOLPHintorpointdevonage: 29
STEVEN HARPERmanagerdawson and sandersonredcarclevelandage: 38
romana coplandsenior travel consultantborder traveldumfriesage: 39
Las Vegas is somewhere I’ve always wanted to go. I expected there to be a lot of showmanship in the hotels. I also thought it was a place where people simply go to gamble for a few days and not much else. I expected the food to be very American – all burgers and hot dogs and not much variety. I know a lot of couples go there to get married and I imagined the wedding side to be a bit tacky and unromantic. I usually sell the resort to older clients who have been before. For example, we’ve got a group of pensioners who visit Las Vegas every year for their annual bingo session. Other than that, we usually book a three or four-night stay in Las Vegas as part of a West Coast package.
I think the hotels in Las Vegas are too competitive and they constantly try and outdo each other with their revamps. But the people are genuinely friendly and one of the great things about Vegas is that you can fly from there to the Grand Canyon. However, the highlight of the whole trip was the helicopter flight over Las Vegas at night. It only took 15mins but it stunned the group into silence as it was so spectacular. Caesar’s Palace was very comfortable and we even had a Jacuzzi in our rooms. I would recommend Las Vegas to couples of all ages but it’s not necessarily for families – those under 21 years aren’t allowed in the gambling halls.
People I know who have been to Las Vegas say it is hard to describe and you really have to experience it yourself. I knew it would be unique although I suspected that some of it would be a bit tacky. I pictured it as a grown-up Disneyland and expected the resort to be crammed with casinos and stuck in the middle of the desert. I didn’t imagine it would be a very big place. Usually I’d sell Las Vegas to older clients or those in their 30s as part of a multi-centre deal. I was more than a little pleased to be staying in Caesar’s Palace – if you’re going somewhere, it’s best to do it properly.
Las Vegas was magical. I really enjoyed the helicopter trip at night. The nightlife was also excellent – the casinos have no clocks and no windows, so you loose all concept of time. But you don’t care anyway. Las Vegas wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be and it was interesting watching the constant flow of people walking up and down The Strip. However, it was very cold.When we went to the Grand Canyon it was snowing. I wouldn’t recommend the resort to families as it is more ideal for couples in their 30s and also for lads, by virtue of the nightlife. I came home from Las Vegas absolutely shattered. It’s the kind of place where you don’t get any sleep because you don’t want to miss anything.
I expected Las Vegas to be a bit like Blackpool. Very tacky and a bit cheap with lots of lights. I thought there wouldn’t be much to do there except gamble. However, it has always been a popular destination for our clients and we send a real mix of clients and quite a few repeat visitors. The resort is geared more towards younger couples who are looking for some fun. I do get some older clients as well and Las Vegas is particularly geared up for disabled clients with some excellent facilities. Clients usually come back saying that you’ll never believe what it’s like.
Las Vegas was awesome but you can’t really relax there. There’s so much to do. The highlight was obviously the helicopter ride, which was spectacular. And walking through the forum in the mall in Caesar’s Palace was amazing. It has a ceiling that resembles the sky and you really do think you are outside. The streets are clean and everything was up to standard. We also had a night at the Hard Rock Cafe and 10 of us were escorted in a stretched limousine. Las Vegas is not really family friendly. Iwouldn’t dream of sending a family there – it wouldn’t be fair on youngsters. You do feel obliged to spend a lot of time in the hotels and the under-21 years gambling restrictions mean children will get bored very quickly because there’s not a lot for them to do. But aside from that Las Vegas is a great destination.