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According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, healthcare and medical meetings represent approximately 23 percent of all U.S. conventions and a more recent CEIR report indicated that this segment was one of a handful that show an increase in attendance in 2008, a down-year for meeting and convention attendance. The vitality of healthcare and medical conventions and meetings may be news everywhere but Orlando, Florida.

A new study—the 2009 State of the Industry Report conducted by Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association—found that Orlando hosted more medical meetings and conventions in 2008 than any other destination in the U.S. More than 225 medical meetings—representing 173,000 attendees and providing $111 million in attendee spending—were hosted by the destination, which among other features includes the 7 million square-foot Orange County Convention Center.

"We’re thrilled to have earned and maintained the trust and confidence of this important meetings market segment," said Gary C. Sain, President and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau."With our extensive medical infrastructure and support, combined with more than $2.2 billion in new hotels and attractions, the destination will continue to offer domestic and international medical meeting attendees incredible new options along with highly sought-after educational opportunities and memorable experiences.

That medical infrastructure will soon include a 600-acre "medical city" complex that is currently under development. Orlando’s existing medical infrastructure includes the Florida Hospital and Orlando Regional Medical Center and the more than 150 biotechnology and life science companies based in Orlando, including new Global Robotics Institute at Florida Hospital.

In Medical City, facilities will include: the Burnham Institute of Medical Research; the University of Central Florida College of Medicine; a University of Florida research facility; Orlando VA Medical Center; Nemours Children’s Hospital and Research Campus; and the M.D. Anderson Orlando Cancer Research Center.

These new developments are expected to further enhance Orlando’s position as the leading destinations for medical meetings. "Orlando is ushering in a new era for medical meetings, conventions and tradeshows as it morphs into a vibrant world-class medical city that can not only offer a wealth of physicians, specialists and educators as speakers on a variety of medical topics, but also state-of-the-art facility tours," added Sain.