Although Las Vegas is best known for its casinos, the city has gained increasing popularity for shopping, to the point where this is now a major tourist draw in itself. Visitors can look forward to a wide variety of boutique shopping, featuring major European and American designers, as well as inexpensive factory outlet shopping. There is also the stereotypical memorabilia on hand - such as Elvis outfits, lighters and T-shirts.

Shops are located anywhere tourists might happen to pass with money in their pockets - in other words anywhere in Downtown and on the Strip. As with almost everything, the hotel-casinos spare no expense in their efforts to attract customers. The Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes (website: www.venetian.com/gcs.aspx) are situated among cobbled walkways that wind through designer boutiques culminating in a replica of St Mark's Square. The Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino offers the Miracle Mile (website: www.planethollywoodresort.com/shopssub.php), a shopping complex offering over 170 brand name retail shops.

The Bellagio's Via Bellagio offers upmarket European shops including Gucci, Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Prada and Hermés. Paris Las Vegas features quaint cobblestone walkways rimmed with European and North American speciality stores. Caesars Palace Forum (website: www.caesarspalace.com) is a beautiful premier retail destination to shop and eat. Also known as the most successful shopping venue in the country, it has over 160 shops and boutiques ranging from fashion such as Escada, Judith Leiber and Versace, to gourmet restaurants that include Spago and the Palm.

Factory outlet malls are also very popular in Las Vegas, due to the considerable savings they offer on brand-name goods. The Belz Factory Outlet World, 7400 Las Vegas Boulevard South, offers over 140 outlets with brand names such as Danskin, Tommy Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne. There are a number of department store malls in Las Vegas and the Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Boulevard South (tel: (702) 369 0704; website: www.thefashionshow.com), is one of the city's oldest and most prestigious shopping centres. Its upscale tenants include Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's. The mall also features sidewalk cafes, upscale restaurants and a fashion catwalk for daily fashion shows.

A non-refundable state sales tax of 7.25% is charged in Las Vegas (Clark County Nevada). Stores are open seven days a week, normally 1000-2200.