Ranked lowest, Nevada resort: pricey, crowded, inconvenient.
Name: Las Vegas.
Age: 119 years old.
Appearance: Awful.
Hold on. We wouldn’t want to receive angry letters from the residents of Las Vegas. No need to worry, though. It’s not like anyone out there will be reading this.
Alright, enough of that. Las Vegas actually has its merits. Oh, really? Name three.
Well, there’s the impressive fountain, the replica Eiffel Tower, and, um… Well, you see, it’s not that easy. Las Vegas has its shortcomings, and it’s widely acknowledged.
Clarify “everyone.” It refers to the 1,800-member panel of global travelers surveyed by Which? to thoroughly assess worldwide holiday destinations, considering factors such as attractions, food, accommodation, and value for money.
Indeed, this approach seems quite comprehensive. Las Vegas, characterized as a bleak, artificial, environmentally unsustainable symbol of capitalism, faces criticism for its escalating homelessness issue juxtaposed with extreme wealth. According to the Which? panel, the city received two stars out of five in various categories and a mere one out of five for cultural sights, crowds, and cost.
It’s not as if other destinations don’t fare better; in fact, 36 out of the 37 cities assessed outshine Las Vegas. While Sydney secured the top spot, other cities like Buenos Aires, Cairo, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, and notably, Chicago, are considered superior (ranking third overall).
Regarding UK cities, the panel exclusively evaluated non-European cities. Even if they had considered European cities, I’m confident London would have performed better. This is because the issues highlighted by the Which? panel about Las Vegas are not present in London.
Are you certain about that? Hush! Let’s just move forward.
But is Las Vegas truly that unpleasant? One way to find out is to input “Las Vegas” into Google News and observe the headlines.
Let’s give it a try. Here’s one from Monday: “Las Vegas police search for suspects in deadly robbery.”
Violent crime is prevalent in many large cities. Here’s another: “16 fatal crashes reported by Las Vegas police in 29 days, 10 involved pedestrians.”
I’m sure these are just isolated incidents. And here’s another: “‘You’re motherfucking right,’ Las Vegas judge facing ethics violations over hot tub photo responds with Cardi B lyrics.”
Alright, you win – Las Vegas is dreadful. Indeed, it’s an unpleasant place to visit and an undesirable location to reside.
People actually live there? Absolutely. Take Adele, for instance. She resides there until June, concluding her Caesars Palace residency.
Where will she relocate afterward? Presumably, somewhere more pleasant. To cite a random example from the Which? list, perhaps a city like Ho Chi Minh City.
Say: “Las Vegas has nothing positive to offer.”
Don’t say: Let’s redirect all the tourists to spoil Sydney instead.