The latest ranking adds to a series of accolades for a city Built to Host
large, complex meetings.
NEW ORLEANS – November 7, 2024 – A new “Top 250” study found
that 88 percent of the top 250 conventions in the country will meet in
only 20 cities, and New Orleans tops the list at number three. New
Orleans ranked above top-tier convention destinations such as Chicago,
Las Vegas, Nashville, and Atlanta. Only San Diego and Orlando came in
above New Orleans for the number of meetings hosted.
The study, conducted in 2024 by 2Synergize, LLC, Destinations
International and Simpleview analyzed the largest conventions of 2,700+
or more hotel rooms on peak night. New Orleans’ high ranking
reinforces that customers appreciate New Orleans’ walkability, compact
geographic footprint, world-class venues, unmatched culture, and
hospitality expertise. New Orleans was tied for third place in 2023 with
San Diego.
This honor comes as New Orleans is having a solid fall for conventions,
recently hosting GNP Seguros (GRUPO Nacional Provincial), Water
Environment Federation, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers
(AFPM), American Dental Association, American Council of Engineering
Companies (ACEC), National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA),
National Trust For Historic Preservation, American Nurses Credentialing
Center (ANCC), Vertex, Inc., College Media Association (CMA), Marine
Forces Reserve, Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Aurora
Institute, National Science Teaching Association, International
Trademark Association, Diversified Business Communications, American
Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, ASHP (Pharmacists Advancing
Healthcare), and more.
New Orleans & Company also is driving convention and meetings business
well into the 2030s, and beyond.
Walt Leger, III, President and CEO of New Orleans & Company, the
official destination marketing and sales organization for New Orleans
tourism industry, said, “This honor is a testament to our city’s
Built to Host attributes, but also the tremendous expertise, longevity
and professionalism of the New Orleans & Company Convention Sales and
The services team is led by our SVP, Stephanie Turner. In partnership with the
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, our hotel community, and
all our hospitality partners, we know how to take care of each customer,
adapting to their changing needs and successfully executing complex
meetings and events. The meetings industry is highly competitive, and
this designation speaks to the professionalism and hospitality extended
by our community.”
Other recent meeting-related accolades for New Orleans include:
- Corporate & Incentive Travel Magazine picked New Orleans & Company
for its Award of Excellence. It is given to hotels, resorts, conference
centers and convention and visitors bureaus that have demonstrated an
overall commitment to excellence and effectively hosted meetings and
incentive travel programs based on superior service and support,
comprehensive marketing and promotional assistance, and extensive
assistance with accommodations and site inspections among some of the
award criteria. - Prevue Meetings + Incentives Magazine named New Orleans as one of
the Ten Best Cities for LGBTQ-Friendly Conferences in the United States
[2].
New Orleans & Company is New Orleans’ tourism industry’s official
destination sales and marketing organization. Founded in 1960, our
mission is to inspire, promote, and encourage travel to our city for the
economic, social, and community benefit of New Orleans and its people.
We aim to ensure New Orleans remains the world’s most remarkable, unique,
and welcoming city. For more information, visit us
at neworleans.com or on social media @VisitNewOrleans or
@Neworleansandco.
2Synergize, LLC is a Simpleview consulting agency specializing in the DMO
industry, with a laser focus on helping destinations and partner
organizations gain a competitive edge in the meetings and events market.
Simpleview, now part of Granicus, is a worldwide leading provider of
CRM, CMS, website design, digital marketing services, and data insights
for convention bureaus, venues, tourism boards, destination marketing
organizations (DMOs), and attractions. The company employs staff across
the globe, serving clients of all sizes, including small towns, world
capitals, top meeting destinations, and countries across multiple
continents.
For more information, please visit
https://www.simpleviewinc.com/ [3].
Destinations International is the world’s largest resource for official
destination organizations, convention and visitors Bureaus (CVBs) and
tourism boards. Destinations International is about serving destination
marketing professionals first and foremost. Together with more than
4,700 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in approximately
15 countries, Destinations International, represents a powerful
forward-thinking, collaborative association, exchanging bold ideas,
connecting innovative people and elevating tourism to its highest
potential.
