Houston Boasts a Record-Breaking 2017 Convention Year
February 6, 2018
Hurricane Harvey may cause 2017 to go down in history as a tumultuous year for the City of Houston, but that didn’t stop the city from coming back strong while setting another record in convention sales.
For the third straight year, an unprecedented number of room nights tied to future conventions were booked in 2017, according to Visit Houston officials, whose sales team locked down 429 conventions and meetings representing 802,852 room nights, up from 765,401 room nights in 2016.
“Our city is experiencing the return on investments in our convention district,” said Dawn Ullrich, president and CEO of Houston First, which operates in partnership with the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau under the brand name “Visit Houston,” a partnership responsible for bringing conventions and tourism to the city.
She continued, “More conventions and hotel room nights result in more jobs and an overall positive economic impact on Houston. Our sales, events and services teams are to be commended for their tireless work to grow and strengthen Houston’s convention and meeting business.”
Key bookings in 2017 include the American Dental Association in 2022 and National Association of Realtors in 2025. Many of the citywide conventions secured in 2017 are first-time bookings.
The strong uptick in bookings can be attributed to recent improvements the city has made in an effort to showcase Houston as a top convention destination, including the renovation of the George R. Brown Convention Center; new restaurants and hotels, including the 1,000-room Marriott Marquis that complements the 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston, both of which are connected to the GRB, and activation of Avenida Houston, the city’s newest pedestrian-friendly downtown entertainment district.
Having two headquarter hotels, along with the redesigned walkable entertainment district, helps provide the city’s sales team with a more attractive package to better compete with other cities for convention business, according to Visit Houston officials.
“When you consider where we were three years ago, the upward trend in room nights is even more impressive,” said Mike Waterman, president of Visit Houston.
He continued, “Our sales team’s production jumped from 550,000 room nights in 2014 to more than 800,000, a 41 percent increase, surpassing our 2017 goal by more than fifty thousand room nights. Houston has spent the last several years improving our infrastructure to compete on a global scale. We are thrilled that our global profile as a destination is being solidified and we expect this positive momentum to continue to build.”
Looking ahead, Waterman expects 2018 to be another robust year for Houston’s convention business.
“Visit Houston’s group pace for 2018 is up 10 percent over last year with the Super Bowl in 2017 numbers (and) 2018 is shaping up to be one of the strongest group years we have ever had,” Waterman explained.
He added, “Our new convention product, Avenida Houston, with the completion of the George R. Brown Convention Center renovation and the addition of the 1,000-room Marriott Marquis Houston is a compelling solution for meeting planners across the globe.”
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Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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