Earlier this month, The Professional Convention Management Association hosted their 2017 Convening Leaders Conference in Austin, Jan. 9–11.
“We are thrilled to host convening leaders for the first time in Austin,” says Tom Noonan, president and CEO , Austin CVB. “Austin has become a premier destination for meeting, conventions and leisure business and we are confident that we will see return business from the PCMA attendees.”
The conference attracted about 4,500 attendees and is estimated to bring in around $11 million in economic return.
“We are excited to be in Austin for Convening Leaders 2017,” says Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO. “Austin is a high-energy destination and the Austin Convention Center is located in the heart of a vibrant downtown scene, supported by an expansion of new hotel offerings. Our PCMA Convening Leaders attendees will experience this unique city and convention center that nurtured SXSW from its early beginnings to the blockbuster event it is today – we can’t wait.”
Numbers included: Forty local musicians, two local nonprofits supported through PCMA fundraising, 241 local volunteers, 42 local venues booked for 63 events, 53 local sponsors and 300 meeting planners.
“I am extremely pleased that PCMA’s Convening Leaders Annual Meeting is in Austin,” says Mark Tester, director, Austin Convention Center. “As PCMA is known throughout the meetings industry as a leader in innovation, we are excited to showcase the Austin Convention Center as a hallmark of innovation while showing the world that Austin is a top-tier meetings destination.”
