Impact of Meetings in the Queen City for Global Meetings Industry Day
Charlotte Regional Leaders Connect to Highlight the Importance of Professional Meetings
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Apr. 12, 2024) – Yesterday was Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) and over 200 local and regional industry professionals gathered at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to partake in educational sessions and illustrate the importance of the meetings industry and relevant trends. GMID spotlights the proven value that business meetings, conferences, conventions, trade shows and exhibitions bring to businesses, workers and the economy. The Meetings Matter theme highlights the economic contributions and significance of face-to-face meetings, emphasizing the many benefits that professional in-person gatherings create.
“Meetings are an integral part of what makes the Charlotte community thrive,” said Steve Bagwell, Chief Executive Officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “Meetings and conventions help spur broader economic activity, support job creation, talent attraction, and overall regional prosperity. We’re energized by what’s on the horizon.”
According to a January 2024 survey from Northstar Meetings Group, 68 percent of meeting planners are actively sourcing future events, up from 34 percent respectively from January 2023. In 2023, there was $199 billion in meeting and event related travel spending in the U.S. – directly supporting nearly 600,000 American jobs.
CRVA-related group business is 119% ahead of booking pace for the next five years. The Charlotte Convention Center will host many large conventions, meetings and events this year, including the Alpha Kappa Alpha Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference going on now, the American Football Coaches Association in 2025 and 2026 as well as the American Society of Association Executives in 2027.
In FY23, the entire region benefited from the impact of group business, with the conventions, meetings and events booked by the CRVA generating $229.4 million in overall economic impact including $195M in direct visitor spending. Specific details include:
- In FY23, meetings and events drew an estimated 350,000 visitors to Charlotte.
- Since the recent expansion of the Charlotte Convention Center, over 20 new citywide conventions have been contracted that could not have previously been hosted, with 117,00 hotel room nights connected to expansion bookings.
- Four of the top 20 total hotel room nights sold in Mecklenburg County history occurred in 2023. Several record-breaking nights took place around large group events such as the Green Compass National Conference, July 14-15 and the Charlotte Auto Show, November 18.
The region’s tourism industry had an impressive year in 2023, with a record 30.6 million visitors traveling to Charlotte and spending an estimated $7.3 billion in the local community. Leisure & Hospitality is the region’s fourth largest industry sector, employing 1 in 9 residents, supporting local businesses and positively impacting quality of life.
About the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) works to deliver experiences that uniquely enrich the lives of our visitors and residents. Through leadership in destination development, marketing and venue management expertise, the CRVA leads efforts to maximize the region’s economic potential through visitor spending, creating jobs and opportunities for the community. Brands supported by the CRVA include the Charlotte Convention Center, Spectrum Center, Bojangles’ Entertainment Complex, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte Regional Film Commission and Visit Charlotte in conjunction with the region’s destination marketing brand. For more information, visit charlottemeetings.com.
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