Atlanta, Philadelphia End 2011 on a High Note, Look Forward to Strong 2012

January 17, 2012

Both Philadelphia and Atlanta wrapped up 2011 on a high note and are looking forward to strong bookings going into 2012 and the future.

Atlanta’s 2011 fourth quarter was marked by eight large shows that accounted for 111,599 additional hotel rooms bookings and brought estimated 54,000 people to the city.

“We finished the year on a high note on the sales side and Atlanta is positioned for another strong year in 2012,” said William Pate, president and CEO of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Atlanta’s calendar also looks bright into the future, with the American Medical Association returning to Atlanta in 2015 and 2020 for their Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology booking its annual meeting in the city in 2017. 

Here are some of the other booking highlights:


- The American Society for Industrial Security International is booked in 2012 and 2022 and expects 20,000 attendees.


- The American Coatings Show is booked in 2014 and is expected to have 12,000 attendees.


- GlassBuild America: The Glass, Window & Door Expo returns to Atlanta in 2015, with 6,000 expected attendees.

“We start off 2012 with a lot of momentum,” Pate said. “Ten of the year’s top 25 shows are in the first quarter. In addition, we anticipate trade show attendance to continue to strengthen as we move forward.”

Philadelphia also has strong bookings going into 2012. According to the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, the newly expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center has booked 225 meetings and conventions for the upcoming year, with 565,866 total hotel room nights, equaling an economic impact of more than $813 million.

“An expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center is helping Philadelphia reach a broader audience nationally and internationally,” said Jack Ferguson, president & CEO of the bureau whose organization has booked $3.8 billion worth of future business into the convention center, of which $2.8 billion is expansion-related.

He added, “Working with our partners at the convention center and throughout the hospitality community, more visitors are expected to fill our hotels, restaurants and attractions in 2012.”  

Just a few of the bookings going into 2012 include the Risk and Insurance Management Society, (April 15-18, 29,575 total room nights); UBM Canon Communications (May 22-24, 8,450 total room nights) and the American Chemical Society, Aug. 17-21, (26,120 total room nights).

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