Las Vegas has always been about the experience. Bright lights, packed casinos, and VIP treatment once made it a repeat destination for millions (including me). But in recent years, even the biggest players, Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts, have reported pressures: declining visitor volumes, softer hotel occupancy, convention attendance that hasn’t fully recovered, and RevPAR trending lower than pre-pandemic peaks.
Recent numbers tell the story.
- Caesars Entertainment reported a 3.7% year-over-year revenue decline in its Las Vegas segment in Q2 2025, citing softer hospitality demand.
- MGM Resorts also saw drops in room revenue, occupancy, and adjusted EBITDAR for its Las Vegas properties during the same period.
- Citywide, RevPAR and occupancy are sliding. For the week of July 13–19, Las Vegas RevPAR dropped by 17.1% year-over-year, while August occupancy averaged 77.5%, down three full points compared to the prior year.
- Visitor volumes have now fallen for eight consecutive months.
And it’s not just Vegas. From New York to Dubai, from Singapore to Paris, hotels and resorts worldwide are feeling the strain. Loyalty programs that once guaranteed repeat visits are under pressure. Rising costs for food and beverage, diluted loyalty perks, and shifting guest expectations have made travelers more selective. The question every hospitality executive is asking: How do we keep guests coming back?
Loyalty Under Pressure
For decades, loyalty programs were the engines of repeat bookings. Caesars Rewards, MGM Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards. Each promised recognition, perks, and an incentive to book directly. But across the industry, the value proposition is eroding.
- Points fatigue: Guests complain that points are harder to earn and harder to redeem. A “free night” often carries blackout dates or requires enormous balances.
- Inconsistent recognition: A Hilton Diamond member in New York may be greeted with suite upgrades, but in Bali, the same status barely moves the needle.
- Transactional, not personal: Loyalty programs have become databases. They track spend but don’t remember people. Guests feel like numbers, not VIPs.
- Global competition: With Airbnb and boutique operators offering highly personalized stays, large hotel brands risk losing guests to smaller, more agile players.
The result? Loyalty metrics are declining across the board. Even in Vegas, repeat visits are slipping. Globally, Marriott, Hilton, and IHG report similar trends: membership numbers rise, but engagement and redemption lag. Loyalty programs are bigger than ever, but less sticky than ever.
Why Loyalty Is Slipping
We can speculate on why loyalty has become harder to sustain for a place like the Las Vegas Strip:
- Legalized sports betting is now accessible across the U.S., meaning travelers don’t have to fly to Vegas for action.
- Outrageous F&B pricing - $25 cocktails and $40 breakfasts create sticker shock, reducing repeat visits.
- Fewer big-name residencies and conventions reduce the “anchor experiences” that once drove trips.
- Generational shifts mean younger travelers value unique experiences and personalization over status tiers and point accumulation.
These forces aren’t limited to the Strip. Globally, travelers are demanding personalized, immediate, and convenient service and they don’t care whether it comes from a front desk agent or a digital assistant, as long as it feels tailored.
Enter the VIP Voice Concierge
Imagine a past Caesars Diamond Elite guest who hasn’t booked in over a year. The Voice AI concierge knows their history:
- They prefer staying at Caesars Palace.
- They’ve booked spa packages in the past.
- They usually visit in the fall for shows.
- They dined at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen on their last 3 stays.
Instead of waiting for that guest to wander back, the concierge calls them proactively:
“Hi Ana, it’s your Caesars Rewards concierge. We noticed you haven’t visited in a while, and we’d love to welcome you back. This weekend, Diamond members are eligible for a complimentary three-night stay, plus 2x rewards points on dining. Would you like me to reserve your room and secure tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show you enjoyed last year?”
That’s loyalty in action, not a mass email, but a personalized conversation that makes the guest feel remembered and valued.
Now apply the same scenario globally:
- A Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member in London receives an AI concierge call offering a guaranteed suite upgrade and a reminder that their points can cover a weekend stay.
- A Hilton Diamond guest in Bali gets a proactive offer for spa credits, with booking handled instantly over the phone.
- An IHG Ambassador in New York is reminded their free night certificate is expiring soon and is offered curated booking options on the spot.
This is not just a Vegas solution. It’s a loyalty lifeline for every major hotel and resort brand worldwide.
Beyond Loyalty: Reimagining the Guest Journey
Loyalty is the hook, but Voice AI concierge doesn’t stop there. It can transform everyday guest interactions from booking to checkout, across every property type.
Reservations: Instead of waiting on hold, a guest can book a room instantly, modify an existing reservation, or request a rollaway bed, all handled conversationally.
Check-in: Guests can confirm their arrival time via voice and receive a mobile room key, skipping long lobby queues (today this is usually handled easily via the apps, too).
Concierge services: Guests can ask the Voice AI what shows are in town, which restaurants are nearby, or even request same-day tickets.
Loyalty redemption: Voice AI can recommend how to maximize points, whether for free nights, upgrades, or bundled experiences.
Accessibility: For international travelers, multilingual support means a guest from Tokyo checking into Paris can interact seamlessly in Japanese, French, or English.
Together, these touchpoints turn a hotel stay into something frictionless, personal, and memorable.
Operational Value
For hotels and resorts, the benefits are as compelling as the guest experience:
- Reduced call center strain: High-volume requests like reservations and modifications can be automated.
- Upsell opportunities: AI can suggest premium rooms, spa packages, or dining offers in real time.
- Data integration: By connecting with loyalty systems, PMS, and CRM platforms, the AI provides consistent information across every channel.
- Cost savings with scale: A global chain like Marriott or Hilton can deploy across hundreds of properties with a consistent guest experience.
In short, it’s about doing more with less, while making the guest feel like more, not less.
Tomorrow’s Concierge: The Future of Hospitality
The vision isn’t just about answering phones. It’s about building relationships at scale.
- A boutique resort in Bali can give guests the same concierge service as a five-star in Dubai.
- A business traveler in New York can get loyalty perks explained clearly, without waiting on hold.
- A family in Paris can modify their stay, request early check-in, and book Louvre tickets in minutes (assuming they are available).
From luxury resorts in the Maldives to city hotels in Manhattan, Voice AI concierge is the bridge between loyalty promise and loyalty delivery.
The Loyalty Reset
For Caesars and MGM in Las Vegas, loyalty is under pressure. But they’re not alone. Hotels and resorts worldwide are struggling to deliver recognition at scale while keeping costs down.
Voice AI concierge isn’t just about streamlining service, it’s about rebuilding trust, re-igniting loyalty, and creating unforgettable guest moments.
And this is exactly where Deepgram comes in. With industry-leading speech recognition, natural-sounding text-to-speech, and real-time multilingual capabilities, Deepgram provides the foundation hotels need to bring these concierge experiences to life.
Because in hospitality, loyalty isn’t about points. It’s about being remembered and being cared for in the moments that matter most.