Meeting and convention industry leaders in Las Vegas gathered at the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, symbolizing the resort community’s united commitment to moving business forward in honor of Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID). Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) said: “Today we celebrate the many contributions that help Las Vegas maintain its position as the number one Trade Show destination. We have been honored to welcome our trade show organizers, exhibitors and attendees back to Las Vegas for valuable, in-person connections and we are grateful for their business and commitment to our destination.”
Conceived by the U.S. Travel Association, the premiere advocacy association for the travel industry, GMID showcases the impact of the meeting industry to the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, as a result of the pandemic, the U.S. saw a decline of $211 billion in business travel spending, $97 billion of which was due to the decline in meetings, conventions and trade shows. In-person meetings benefit attendees by fostering deeper connections, enhanced education and training opportunities and access to information through informal conversations. An estimated 2.2 million convention attendees were hosted in Las Vegas in 2021. In-person meetings and conventions returned to the destination in June 2021, reigniting the industry and showcasing confidence by tradeshow and meeting organizers that meetings can be held safely and efficiently. Sales teams throughout the destination have also been hard at work securing new deals that will bring new business to the destination over the next decade. Tradeshow organizers say Las Vegas is a is preferred destination due to the ease of conducting business and ample entertainment and hotel options – offerings that are critical to the success of a show. The 2021 SEMA Show, an automotive tradeshow, garnered more than 100,000 attendees for its November show at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). The LVCC is owned and operated by the LVCVA. Las Vegas is home to 14 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space throughout the destination, combining business with more than 150,000 hotel rooms and direct access to world-class sports and entertainment. For 26 consecutive years, Las Vegas has remained the number one trade show destination in North America, according to the Trade Show News Network (TSNN).
With construction on several key developments continuing throughout the pandemic, Las Vegas was poised to welcome business travelers back with exciting new offerings and Only Vegas experiences when business travel resumed. The destination saw the debut of Resorts World, Caesars Forum and the LVCC’s West Hall. MSG Sphere at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, a venue for the next generation of experiences, is scheduled to open the second half of 2023. More than $4.5 billion in investments are projected over the next two years, adding approximately 7,000 more hotel rooms and 791,000 square feet of convention space, in Southern Nevada by the end of 2024.