Cvent has released its lists of the “Top Meeting Destinations” and “Top Meeting Hotels” for meetings and events worldwide. These lists— which are broken out regionally by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa—were compiled based on sourcing activity through the Cvent Supplier Network. This is the first time Cvent has published the annual lists since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the meetings and events industry in early 2020.
“The critical role the meetings and events industry plays in bolstering local economies worldwide was never more apparent than when that business disappeared overnight during the pandemic,” said Stacey Fontenot, SVP of marketing at Cvent. “Fortunately, destinations and hotels alike have seen a dramatic comeback from pandemic lows as they benefited from the pent-up demand for in-person experiences.
“These Top Lists highlight hotels, venues and destinations that have embraced technology to engage planners, enhance their sales and marketing efforts, and deliver incredible results. After four long years, we’re excited to share these insights once again and provide a resource that is used by event organizers to find great hotels and destinations and by hospitality professionals looking to set themselves apart to increase their group business revenue.”
The Top Meeting Destinations, Hotels in North America
As pandemic restrictions eased and travel returned, convention and visitors bureaus worked to promote their cities and revive the industry as quickly as possible, and those efforts are paying off. While Orlando, FL retained the top spot in North America from 2019, both Nashville, TN (No. 2) and San Diego, CA (No. 3) progressed in the ranking, moving up from (No. 6) and (No. 7) in 2019, respectively. Other destinations include Las Vegas, NV (No. 4) and Chicago, IL (No. 5), Atlanta, GA (No. 6) and Dallas, TX (No. 7). Newcomers to the Top 10 include Austin, TX (No. 8), Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ (No. 9) and Denver, CO (No. 10).
Many hoteliers leveraged the downtime in 2020-21 to invest in upgrades and prepare their properties for the post-pandemic travel boom. Grand Hyatt Nashville (No. 1) opened as a new property in late 2020, while several properties in the top 10—including The Westin Charlotte (No. 4), ARIA Resort & Casino (No. 6), Bellagio Hotel & Casino (No. 7), The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (No. 8) and Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel (No. 10)—unveiled significant renovations in the past two years. Other hotels in the Top 10 include Omni Nashville Hotel (No. 2), Fairmont Austin (No. 3), JW Marriott Austin (No. 5) and Renaissance Nashville Hotel (No. 9).
Source: Cvent.com.
Related Stories
Visit Salt Lake Welcomes Over 1,000 New Hotel Rooms
The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club Opens in Colorado