Between May 9 and 16, 2026, a select group of Brazilian travel agents and tour operators spent a week in Las Vegas on a working agenda. The goal was to understand the destination from the inside out, and American Journeys guided every step of the experience.
Las Vegas Immersion 2026, organized by Tourhub and LCB Treinamentos in partnership with American Journeys, brought together key industry professionals for an educational journey focused on a city that almost everyone believes they already knows. What they found was a different Las Vegas: less obvious, more strategic, and far more profitable for those who know how to sell it.
An Operation Designed from Airport Arrival to the Final Dinner
The experience began before the first appointment. The group was welcomed at the airport with private executive transportation. Every transfer, visit, and meal was carefully planned so that the week would function as an operation, not as a sightseeing trip.
That level of curation has a clear source. Adriana Fastow lives in Las Vegas, operates in the city year-round, and maintains a local network built over many years. It is the kind of knowledge that separates those who understand how the city truly works from those who merely visit it. Many people operate informally in the destination without access to the behind-the-scenes connections and technical details that make a sale successful. The immersion was designed precisely to demonstrate the difference.
Caesars Palace: The Kind of Access Only a Local Operator Can Provide
One of the highlights of the week was the reception at Caesars Palace. The group toured the Presidential Suite, guided by Chawki Muhammad Chouchane and his team, and was treated to lunch at chef Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen.
This type of access changes the conversation with the end client. A technical site inspection at a property such as Caesars Palace gives travel advisors insights that no brochure can provide: how the space functions, what type of group it is best suited for, and how experiences can be structured there. It is the difference between listing a hotel and knowing how to sell it to a premium group.
LVCVA: The Technical Side of Selling Las Vegas for Groups
The week also provided a deeper understanding of the destination. Jim McMichael, CMP, National Sales Manager at the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA), met with the group to present, in Portuguese, the potential of Las Vegas for the MICE segment.
For professionals working with corporate travel, incentive programs, and events, this is the side of the destination that often goes unnoticed. Las Vegas welcomed 38.5 million visitors in 2025 and hosts approximately 6 million convention attendees annually, supported by one of the largest event infrastructures in the world, according to the LVCVA.
The opportunity for the Brazilian market lies in expanding its qualified presence in the city, particularly through themed travel, corporate programs, and incentive trips. The LVCVA presentation gave the group both the vocabulary and the data needed to recognize that potential.
Las Vegas Beyond the Obvious: Desert Landscapes, Sports, and Major Events
The immersion explored the destination in all its dimensions. The group experienced a nighttime helicopter flight over Las Vegas, traveled along the longest and best-preserved stretch of Route 66 in Arizona during the highway’s centennial year, and visited one of the world's greatest natural wonders, the Grand Canyon.
The entertainment and major events side of the city was also part of the itinerary, from Cirque du Soleil productions to behind-the-scenes access at the Las Vegas Grand Prix paddock. Every experience was analyzed through a professional lens: who it is best suited for, what time of year it makes sense, and how it fits within a commercial strategy. That is how a destination becomes a product.
What the Group Took Home
The group was intentionally small. It brought together professionals who actively shape the Brazilian travel market, representing regions from São Paulo to Blumenau and from Paraná to São José do Rio Preto, as well as agencies such as CW Tour, OFB Operadora, Travel Compositor, Meri’s Viagens, NM Viagens, Tô Indo, and Orizz Viagens.
Their testimonials reflected the impact of the week. Gelson Walker, from Tô Indo Viagens e Eventos, who has worked with corporate incentive travel for years, summarized his experience simply: “I thought I knew everything about Las Vegas.”
Tadeu, from OFB Operadora, left with practical advice for the industry: “Plan for at least five to seven days if you want to experience everything.”
Alexandre Palmeira, from CW Tour, was direct about the role of the host company: “The presence and participation of American Journeys throughout the week were absolutely essential.”
For Luis Borges, CCO of Tour Hub, the objectives were fully achieved.
“We leave extremely satisfied with everything we saw and experienced here. The group was engaged, attentive, and highly professional. Las Vegas is an extraordinary destination—versatile and full of opportunities for tour operators and travel advisors,” he said.
The City Is a Product. What’s Missing Is Someone Who Can Translate It.
Las Vegas is a complex, diverse, and highly profitable destination when positioned correctly. The 2026 Immersion demonstrated in practice what changes when a travel company works alongside professionals who operate within the city itself: access, context, and the confidence to sell with authority.
That is the work American Journeys does year-round.
For agencies and companies focused on experiential travel and MICE, this is the kind of partnership that transforms Las Vegas into a high-value product. Connect with American Journeys and build that product with people who truly know the destination from the inside.
