ARLINGTON, Virginia—Knowland reported the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida, market led in meetings and events growth for the Top 25 markets in February with 20 percent year-over-year growth. Denver and Boston came in second and third, while national associations and technology groups led in four of the five top markets. This data is sourced from Knowland’s sales intelligence platform.
Overall year-over-year event volume growth for the industry was at 5.3 percent. The average space used for meetings in the Top 25 markets was 3,507 square feet, while secondary markets were slightly less at 2,890 square feet. Average attendees were 124 in the Top 25, while secondary markets averaged 118 attendees.
- Top five markets by YOY growth in event volume: Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida, ranked highest in the Top 25 U.S. markets, hosting national associations and Healthcare. Below is additional insight into the top industry drivers for these markets.
- Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida (up 20 percent): National association, healthcare, charity/non-profit/social services, technology, and wedding.
- Denver, Colorado (up 16.7 percent): Technology, national association, education, healthcare, construction.
- Boston, Massachusetts (up 15 percent): Education, healthcare, technology, training/education, travel.
- Nashville, Tennessee (up 14.7 percent): Technology, manufacturing, national association, healthcare, consulting.
- Las Vegas (up 11.5 percent): National association, technology, sports entertainment, charity/non-profit/social services, automotive.
- Top five secondary markets by YOY growth in event volume: Associations and education were the leading industries. The five high-growth secondary markets and top industries were:
- Louisville, Kentucky (up 67.2 percent): National association (15.2 percent) and state association (8.1 percent)
- Colorado Springs, Colorado (up 66.8 percent): Education (9.3 percent)
- Greensboro-Winston Salem, North Carolina (+65.7 percent): Education (23.8 percent)
- Wisconsin South, Wisconsin (up 48.2 percent): State association (18 percent)
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (+33.0 percent): Religious (14 percent)
