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As signs of the recession began affecting many destinations in 2008, a recently released report indicated that Pittsburgh showed not just an increase, but  marked a record-breaking year for that city’s meetings and convention industry. In 2008, the Convention Sales Team at VisitPittsburgh booked 573 meetings and conventions, including 43 conventions, representing 242 usage days at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC)—in 2007, the CVB booked a ‘mere’ 454 meetings and/or conventions, including 197 usage days for the DLCC. All told, 2008 bookings represent an anticipated direct spending totaling $272 million, compared to $254 million in 2007. 

The 2008 “Bring It Home” campaign – which encourages local leaders of national organizations to bring meetings to the Greater Pittsburgh area—also achieved better results than the previous years—161 bookings represented 138,262 room nights booked for future years; up 32 percent in room night bookings for 2007. These 2008 bookings represent $154 million in direct spending, compared to $102 million in 2007 – a 51 percent increase.

In addition to the future meeting bookings, the 2008 occupancy rate—as measured by Smith Travel Research—indicated a 2.5 increase. Pittsburgh now has the second highest hotel occupancy growth of any city in the country and is one of only 11 cities in the black. “These are impressive numbers, especially when considering many cities are seeing double-digit declines in hotel occupancy,” said Joe McGrath, President & CEO of VisitPittsburgh, during the recent Annual Meeting of the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The major conventions and groups booked by VisitPittsburgh last year include: FLW Outdoors/Forrest L. Wood Cup (2009 – 17,491 room nights); Mennonite USA National Convention (2011 – 15,475 room nights); American Institute of Chemical Engineers/ Annual Fall Meeting (2012 & 2017 – 13,800 room nights); East Coast Junior Girls Volleyball Championships (2010 – 11,455 room nights); and AFL/CIO Quadrennial Constitutional Convention (2009 – 9,430 room nights).

This last event—the AFL-CIO Quadrennial Constitutional Convention—along with the American Trucking Association’s 2009 National Truck Driving Championship, scheduled for September and August respectively, indicates that 2009 could make Pittsburgh one of the few upbeat meetings destinations in the industry. Together, these bookings are expected to generate more than $6 million in direct spending in the region.
 
“We are absolutely delighted to bring both of these high-profile events to Pittsburgh,” said Joe McGrath, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh. He noted that both bookings represent short-term pieces of business. “These types of conventions are typically booked two or three years out. These new short-term bookings will help build hotel occupancy significantly during a time that initially appeared to be a slow period,” explained Mr. McGrath.

The 4-day, American Trucking Association’s 2009 National Truck Driving Championship generally attracts 2,100 attendees – is billed as the “Super Bowl of Safety.” Hundreds of professional drivers from all across the United States compete in the annual event where drivers will test their expertise on a competition course set up inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The National Truck Driving Championship is expected to generate $3.23 million in direct spending, including $174,000 in sales tax and $100,000 in hotel taxes.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a national trade union center made up of some 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 10 million workers. The AFL-CIO meets every four years at its Constitutional Convention to elect delegates, who then elect officers and vice presidents, debate and approve policy and set dues. The A4-day, 2009 AFL-CIO Quadrennial Constitutional Convention is expecting to attract 2,000 attendees, generating an estimated $2.88 million in direct spending,  includes $159,000 and about $82,000 in hotel taxes.