A resort marquee takeover to feature the GMID logo and campaign hashtag, #MeetingsMatter
LAS VEGAS —The Las Vegas resort community will unite to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) on April 11, 2024, showcasing the value of in-person meetings and conventions to Southern Nevada with a marquee takeover featuring the campaign hashtag, #MeetingsMatter. Las Vegas resorts will also feature blue exterior lighting to mark the initiative conceived by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), the premier advocacy association for the travel industry.
GMID showcases the impact of the meeting industry to national and local economies. Meetings move industries forward while fostering deeper connections, education, and training opportunities for businesses. According to USTA, in 2023 there was $119 billion in meeting and event-related travel spending in the U.S., which directly supported nearly 600,000 American jobs.
“Meetings provide undeniable value to Southern Nevada as our visitors combine business with the iconic Las Vegas experience,” said Lisa Messina, chief sales officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “GMID is our opportunity to recognize the many organizations that prioritize in-person meetings in our destination. They help move business forward while driving job creation and economic growth in our community.”
The last year has been monumental for Las Vegas’ tourism industry, and business travel continues to benefit. In addition to new investments and offerings throughout the destination, Las Vegas was on the world’s stage with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in late 2023 and Super Bowl LVIII in early 2024, which drove global awareness and record visitation.
In 2023, Las Vegas welcomed nearly 6 million business travelers, many of whom added a leisure trip before or after a meeting or convention. According to data compiled by the LVCVA Research Center, when a tradeshow or event is hosted in Las Vegas, organizers generally receive a nine-percent boost in attendance compared to other destinations.
There is now 15 million square feet of meeting and convention space throughout Southern Nevada - more than any other U.S. destination. Convention business drives Sunday through Thursday visitation to help fill 155,000 hotel rooms in the area. Business travelers also stay longer and spend on average a third more while in the destination. In 2022, convention visitor spending in the destination supported more than 38,000 local jobs and drove $7.5 billion in economic impact.
Las Vegas also continues to enhance the experience for business travelers. A $600 million renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s (LVCC) legacy campus is underway, which will extend the technology customer experience, and contemporary design and architecture of the West Hall. The Venetian Convention and Expo Center and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center are also undergoing renovations. In 2023, the three Las Vegas facilities were among the Wall Street Journal’s list of top convention centers in the U.S., with the LVCC ranking number one.
For more information on meetings and conventions in Las Vegas, visit www.vegasmeansbusiness.com.