ARLINGTON, Virginia—Knowland reported that Chicago experienced the highest volume of meetings and events, together with an 8.6 year-over-year percent growth. Washington, D.C., and Phoenix were also top performers, with double-digit growth at 13.5 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively. Overall, the volume of U.S. meetings and events increased by a modest 5.6 percent due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Chicago led conventions and meetings volume during November, sustained by national associations and educational as top industry drivers. The Chicago market’s average attendance was 106, and the average meeting space used was 2,642 square feet.
- Year-over-year comparison: November 2023 event volume showed 5.6 percent growth over November 2022.
- Top five markets by event volume: Chicago ranked highest in the top 25 U.S. markets with national association meetings, followed by education industry events. The following four markets—Washington D.C., Phoenix, Dallas, and Orlando—rounded out the top five volume markets.
- Chicago: National association, education, wedding, healthcare, and technology.
- Washington D.C.: National association, education, charity/non-profit, technology, and travel.
- Phoenix: National association, wedding, technology, charity/non-profit, and financial/banking.
- Dallas: Healthcare, technology, national associations, training/education, and transportation.
- Orlando: National association, technology, insurance, education, and training/education.
- Top markets outside the top 25 by event percentage growth: Colorado Springs, Colorado; Memphis, Tennessee; Lexington, Kentucky; Sacramento, California; and Maui Island, Hawaii were the top overall U.S. markets by year-over-year growth in meetings and events.
