I go to Las Vegas 20 times a year when the economy is normal. It’s been 10 times a year over the past two years.

Times are not normal.

But I’m here this week delivering four seminars in three days.

Las Vegas is the seminar capital of the United States – by far. It’s also the hotel capital, the gambling capital, the entertainment capital, the shopping capital and the eating capital.

Some people will argue with me about one thing or another I just mentioned, but that’s just because they don’t come here 10 times a year and witness the magnitude of choices on any given night.

Last night we went to see Joan Rivers: 77-year-old, funny-as-hell Joan Rivers. About 750 people were attracted to the show – at $89-$199 per ticket. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Happy to pay the money. And when we left the performance, there were thousands of other people in the casinos also enjoying themselves.

That’s another huge attraction of Las Vegas. People are there to celebrate something and have a good time. And everyone (well, almost everyone) is having a great time 24/7. How good of a time are you having?

At any given moment, upwards of 250,000 people are attracted to Las Vegas to celebrate something. Holidays like Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve attract even more people. Halloween, Mardi Gras or the Super Bowl – forget about it.

The airport is full of people with positive anticipation, ready to partake in the festivity known as Vegas, Baby! Vegas has its own nicknames and expressions. The region began as “Sin City” and after 50 years blossomed into the slogan “What happens here, stays here.”

People come to Las Vegas for conventions, business meetings, sales rallies and other forms of annual meetings – to learn, to interact, to network, to sell and to return home three or four days later with great memories and stories. (NOTE: It doesn’t all stay in Vegas anymore. Some of it gets posted on Facebook.) At the end of the day, there are winners and non-winners, but everyone is happy that they came and can’t wait to come back.

The past two years have not been kind to Las Vegas. The city has suffered harder than any other city in the country. The reason is twofold: People have less disposable income, and high-up government officials have discouraged corporations from coming to Vegas for celebration.

One of the best parts about American business is the free enterprise of it. Oh sure, there are going to be abuses. Oh sure, there is going to be greed. But we have a decent checks-and-balances system, decent people live here, and a decent legal system keeps most people on the straight and narrow.

As the economy tries to rebound from its recession, depression and debacle, I’m hoping that more people will choose to celebrate their recovery in places like Las Vegas, in order that they might reset the hope that we’re on a better path, and make plans to ensure that hope becomes reality.

Have you made celebration plans?

Have you put your annual meetings back on track?

I already have about a half-dozen Las Vegas seminars booked for 2011. It’s an indicator that we, as an economy, are trying our best to reset and restart the success process. It’s important now that all salespeople redouble their efforts and redouble their commitment to make enough sales and to make enough profit so that celebration ensues.

As this year draws to a close, please do not wait until the end to count your money or your profits. Dive in now. Work hard now. Make sales now. And I’ll see you in Vegas next year.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2010 Jeffrey H. Gitomer