Knowland reports the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. market led in meetings and events growth for 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.
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.
Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. 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, Fla. (+20 percent): National association, healthcare, charity/non-profit/social services, technology and wedding.
- Denver (+16.7 percent): Technology, national association, education, healthcare, construction.
- Boston (+15 percent): Education, healthcare, technology, training/education, travel.
- Nashville (+14.7 percent): Technology, manufacturing, national association, healthcare, consulting.
- Las Vegas (+11.5 percent): National association, technology, sports entertainment, charity/non-profit/social services, automotive.
Associations and education were the leading industries. The five high-growth secondary markets and top industries were:
- Louisville, Ky. (+67.2 percent): National association (15.2 percent) and state association (8.1 percent)
- Colorado Springs, Colo. (+66.8 percent): Education (9.3 percent)
- Greensboro-Winston Salem, N.C. (+65.7 percent): Education (23.8 percent)
- Wisconsin South, Wis. (+48.2 percent): State association (18 percent)
- Myrtle Beach, S.C. (+33.0 percent): Religious (14 percent)