Event Planning and COVID: Transforming Events Today for Tomorrow’s Market

by Jennifer Rachel Baumer

Some of the top trade shows and conventions in the country happen in Nevada. With an economy that relies on and excels at hospitality and tourism, it’s a good mix. In 2019 there were an estimated 43 million visitors to southern Nevada, with 6.6 million there to attend a meeting or convention. The economic impact of the industry was $11.4 billion.

“As much as people think of Las Vegas as a leisure destination, meetings and conventions are a pretty significant portion of what we do here,” said Brian Yost, COO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “We have three of the top 10 largest convention centers in the nation when you look at exhibit space here. We rely very heavily on our 14 million-square-feet of meeting and exhibit space and we’re anxious for [conventions] to get back.”

The numbers aren’t all in for 2020, but only during the first three months were meetings and conventions anywhere near normal levels. After that, the pandemic changed all the rules.

Read the entire article in Nevada Business Magazine: https://www.nevadabusiness.com/2021/05/event-planning-and-covid/