I was talking to two tourists from Seattle at the opening of “Viva Elvis” at CityCenter.  Their primary reason for coming to Vegas is to see shows. And, I was amazed to discover that they had never bought discounted tickets because they did not know such things existed. This couple had been coming to Vegas for a decade and have paid face value for every ticket to every show they have seen. Are there a lot of tourists out there who still don’t know that when it comes to pricing, Vegas places astronomical numbers on the face of tickets often to immediately offer them at a discount, inducement or part of a package?

That is not true of every show. “Viva Elvis,” for example, is not available with a direct discounted ticket price right now as I type this, today, shortly after opening. And, Garth Brooks at Encore is a show where just getting the ticket is the trick– demand is so strong. But for most shows, even the good and popular ones, on most nights, if you are willing to be slightly flexible, you can get good to great seats for 30-50% off without too much time scouring the net.

One thing that I think is really valuable for tourists are the sites that amalgamate all the deals for tourists to compare prices. There are a variety of these sites, and I am not comfortable endorsing any specific one. But I am comfortable sending you to VegasTripping’s information on discounts. From buffets to hotel rooms, most everything in Vegas is priced less if you take time to search for the best buy.

For production shows in particular there are also businesses up and down the Strip that sell tickets at steep discounts on the day of a show. But that can be a hassle. If you want to plan ahead, there are many equally good discounts to be found on-line without wasting your Vegas vacation time waiting in a line. (photo: Sarah Gerke)