MEDC desert case study: Tourism in Las Vegas, USA

Background information:
v Originally Las Vegas was small natural oasis situated in the Mojave
Desert, which allowed for the formation of a small indigenous
population.
v However, nowadays Las Vegas is one of the most popular tourist
locations in the USA and in 2011 the city attracted an estimated 38.9
million visitors.
Figure 34: Tourism in Las Vegas is all
about peoples wants rather than
v In 2011, it was estimated that 370,000 jobs in southern Nevada
peoples needs.
were provided by tourism (approximately 46% of total workforce)
v Las Vegas has a population of 1.8 million people.
Opportunities for tourism in Las Vegas:

Indoor recreational activities - indoor activities that attract tourists include gambling, indoor theme
parks e.g. the Adventure Dome and some of the worlds most contemporary shopping centres e.g.
Showcase Mall and a large selection of shows e.g. Cirque du Soleil.
Lax laws - there are a number of laws that make Las Vegas very appealing for tourists. For example,
alcohol can be served all day and also a marriage license may be obtained within minutes. This
consequently means more people travel to Las Vegas in order to get married and have an
unrestricted holiday.
Desert landforms - the Mojave Desert, which surrounds Las Vegas, contains many unique desert
landforms. A major attraction are the Trona Pinnacles. These are more than 500 pinnacles, some as
high as 40m, differing in shape and size.
Outdoor recreational activities - one of Las Vegas most popular outdoor activities is golf! There are
129 golf courses situated in and around the city. Many tourists come here for the pure amazement of
being able to play a round of golf in an area that is considered a dry and barren desert landscape.

Challenges for tourism in Las Vegas:

Climate - Las Vegas has an annual average temperature of 26C and an annual rainfall of 110 mm,
meaning that water is in short supply.
Declining water supply - between 1985 and 2007, the amount of flow water from the Colorado River
3
decreased by 12,000 m due to the over use of water on facilities, such as golf courses.
th
Rising oil and petrol prices - in 2011, oil prices were 5 highest in USA, making it more expensive
to travel to Las Vegas by car and plane.

IB Exam Focus: Opportunities and Challenges for management

Study the adjacent photo, which shows the Upper Atacama Desert.
a.) Outline the process that is likely to be occurring in the photo and
describe its likely impacts on the surrounding landscape. [4 Marks]
b.) Explain the human factors leading to desertification. [6 Marks]
c.) Using a named example, examine the opportunities and challenges of
mineral extraction in periglacial environments. [10 Marks]