Why Global Engagement Matters to Las Vegas Jobs and Growth

A July 21, 2026 guest column in the Las Vegas Sun by WACLV advisory board member Vivian Palmer makes a locally focused case for international engagement: the health of Southern Nevada’s visitor economy is tied to whether people around the world can travel safely, reach the United States easily, and do business across stable international relationships.

The global story behind local jobs

Palmer’s column points to the 2025 decline in Las Vegas visitation and emphasizes the effect on workers, small businesses, conventions, and neighborhood economies. It also notes that Harry Reid International Airport connects Las Vegas nonstop with 177 destinations in 17 countries. Those routes depend not only on airline demand, but also on agreements and working relationships between governments.

The same throughline applies to public health and trade. International disease surveillance can protect traveler confidence before outbreaks become worldwide disruptions, while open markets and predictable cross-border relationships help Nevada companies compete and invest abroad. The argument is practical: what happens overseas can quickly affect paychecks, bookings, and business decisions in Southern Nevada.

Why this belongs in the WACLV conversation

WACLV is a nonpartisan forum for understanding how international affairs connect to life in Las Vegas. Sharing this commentary does not turn one author’s analysis into an institutional position. It gives members and neighbors a concrete starting point for examining the local consequences of diplomacy, global health, aviation, tourism, and trade.

Read the source

Read Vivian Palmer’s full guest column, “When America leads, Las Vegas wins,” in the Las Vegas Sun.

For related statewide global-engagement coverage, visit the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition newsroom.