U.S. Meetings Industry Moves Away from Traditional Convention Cities in 2013

By Samantha Shankman

Major hotel brands are still capturing the majority of the U.S. meeting and convention sector but traditional convention cities are starting to lose ground, reveals data from event management platform Cvent.

The company released a list of the 100 top U.S. meetings hotels in 2013, based on activity on the Cvent Supplier Network.

Large hotel groups account for 54 of the 100 properties listed. Hyatt has 18 properties, including the two busiest properties in the U.S. Marriott has the most properties of any one hotel group, 19, and Hilton has 17 hotels on the list.

Florida has the highest number of properties for the second year in a row, but it lost 4 properties for a total of 15 in 2013. Nevada and Texas, also in the top five most popular states, lost properties over the past year as well.

Bharet Malhotra, senior vice president of sales for the Cvent Supplier Network, says this shows a shift away from traditional markets.

"Interestingly, the list shows less concentration in major convention cities like Orlando and Las Vegas than we have seen in the past," says Malhotra. "While those markets are still well represented, this change speaks to the opportunity hotels have to win business away from those cities."

Below is a list of the top 20 meeting hotels, and the complete list can be found here.

1. Hyatt Regency Chicago – Chicago, IL
2. Hyatt Regency Orlando – Orlando, FL
3. The Venetian and Palazzo Resort, Hotel & Casinos – Las Vegas, NV
4. ARIA Resort & Casino – Las Vegas, NV
5. Hyatt Regency Atlanta – Atlanta, GA
6. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center – Nashville, TN
7. Hilton Anatole – Dallas, TX
8. Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center – Grapevine, TX
9. The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa – Hollywood, FL
10. Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile – Chicago, IL
11. The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa – Scottsdale, AZ
12. Sheraton Dallas – Dallas, TX
13. Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers – Chicago, IL
14. Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel – Denver, CO
15. Swissotel Chicago – Chicago, IL
16. Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego – San Diego, CA
17. Hilton Baltimore – Baltimore, MD
18. Bellagio Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV
19. Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel – Phoenix, AZ
20. Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center – National Harbor, MD

Source: Skift