CWT Meetings & Events Predicts Top 10 North American Meeting Cities for 2019

CWT Meetings & Events, a division of global travel management company Carlson Wagonlit Travel, has unveiled its predictions for the top 10 North American cities.

The biggest change from the 2018 rankings is Las Vegas, which jumped up nine spots from number 10 this year to number one for 2019. This is particularly good news for a destination that saw its visitor numbers plummet in the wake of the Mandalay Bay shooting at the end of 2017.

There is also a great deal of turnover in the 2019 list. The 2019 ranking sees three new entries: Boston (4), San Antonio (5), and Vancouver (10). Canada was last featured in the 2017 North American top 10 cities with Toronto, then in second place. Cities that have dropped out of next year's list include Philadelphia (5th in 2018), Phoenix (6), and Atlanta (7).

The ranking is based on proprietary and industry data in CWT's 2019 Meetings & Events Future Trends report, to be published next week. Here are some key predictions that will be included in the report:

While cost per attendee will remain flat, overall meeting costs will rise due to an increase in the size of meeting groups. According to the report, in the North America marketplace, cost per attendee per day is predicted to rise 1 percent in 2019, to an average of $234. Average 2019 group size is projected to increase to 88, up 14 percent from 2018.

"Clients are mostly looking at upscale and luxury properties for their events mirroring the strength of the U.S. economy," said Tony Wagner, vice president, Americas, CWT Meetings & Events. "If customers can't get availability, they are switching dates, or looking at a different destination to get the right property."

A strong economy will keep the meetings industry in North America on an upward trajectory next year. The CWT Report notes forecasts from the International Monetary Fund putting U.S. growth at 2.7 percent in 2019, a slight dip on 2018's expected increase of 2.9 percent. GDP growth in Canada is expected to come in at 2 percent in 2019.

Lead times will get longer. Events of 100-plus attendees, which require a ballroom and breakout spaces, are now being booked by CWT clients between four to six months in advance, while events for 400-500 delegates are being planned six to nine months ahead. According to the report, booking more than a year in advance is fast becoming the norm for major conferences and conventions.

Room inventory is on the rise. The U.S. pipeline for new hotels is strong, with an estimated 5,300 properties currently planned, adding more than 630,000 rooms across the country, and this upward trend of new openings is expected to continue. The $1.5 billion expansion of the Javits Center in Manhattan alone will add 1.2 million square feet of new exhibition and meeting space from 2021.

Source:  SuccessfulMeetings.com