That’s how the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) explained in part an overall decline in tourism numbers across southern Nevada for February when it highlighted the “absence of the leap day” this year compared to 2016.

Visitor volumes in Mesquite fell -6.5 percent in February, to 103,365 when compared to last year’s 110,561. That continues the year-to-year decline that began with January’s -6.2 fall in visitor numbers.

With the dip in visitors, it stands to reason most of the other categories would also drop. And they did.

Total occupancy fell -5.4 percent to 75.7 percent from last year’s 81.1 percent. The average daily room rate declined a miniscule -0.9 percent from $61.60 to $61.05. However, the revenue per available room (RevPAR) dropped even more, falling 7.5 percent to $46.21. February 2015 saw a RevPAR of $49.96.

Total room nights occupied increased slightly to 40,378 representing a 0.3 percent gain from last year’s number of 40,265.

Gross gaming revenues in Mesquite dropped -1.7 percent to $10.727 million. That’s $182,000 less than last year’s gaming take and follows the rest of Clark County.

Gaming revenues across the county declined -4.3 percent overall in February with the Las Vegas Strip down -5.0 percent, the Boulder Strip down -9.1 percent, and Laughlin down -0.6 percent. Only downtown Las Vegas had an increase in gaming revenues in a yearly comparison, rising 2.2 percent.

Average daily auto traffic on I-15 at the Nevada Arizona border increased 4.4 percent in February with 23,738 vehicles a day passing through Mesquite. The daily auto counts on I-15 at the Nevada California border declined -2.7 percent but gained 1.2 percent on Highway 163 from Arizona into Laughlin. Overall, daily auto traffic on all major highways into Las Vegas increased 1.9 percent according to the LVCVA report.

In Laughlin, visitor volumes declined -3.4 percent from last year with 152,004 people visiting the river town.

Total occupancy increased 1.1 percent to 66.5 percent, average daily room rate was up 1.6 percent to $45.02 and RevPAR also rose 3.3 percent to $29.94. Total room nights occupied declined -2.8 percent to 184,710. Gross gaming revenues for Laughlin came in at $43.127 million.

Airplane passengers in Laughlin increased 5.7 percent to 21,682.

Visitor volumes for Las Vegas declined -5.5 percent from February 2015 accounting for 3.145 million people. In addition to the absence of Leap Day, the LVCVA cited the Chinese New Year falling in January this year as part of the overall decline in numbers.