| San Francisco - February 2000 - San Francisco,
the Bureau and its members took advantage of an incredible opportunity
in January to showcase the City, its hotels, convention facilities and
other services to a premier audience of executives who schedule and plan
future conventions and meetings around the country.
The 44th annual meeting of the Professional Convention Management Association
(PCMA), Jan. 15 - 18, drew more than 3,100 attendees, a record number which
surpassed by more than 500 last year's record set in Orlando.
The Bureau, the host committee and Bureau members generated tremendous
support for the
event, hosted and organized various components of the program and secured
thousands of dollars in sponsorships and in-kind services as well as assisted
with the promotion of the event.
"We couldn't have done it all without the support of our members," said
Kathryn Horton, the Bureau's director of convention services, who spearheaded
the Bureau's activities and promotion around the convention. "We are tremendously
grateful to all who participated."
Some highlights from the four-day convention:
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The Bureau hosted the opening night reception at City Hall which was attended
by 2,700 people. Called "Celebrate San Francisco" the reception featured
seven of the city's popular neighborhoods recreated in decorations, entertainment,
food and beverages. After the event, all remaining floral arrangements
were donated to Coming Home Hospice, Laguna Honda Hospital, Maitri Hospice,
Menorah Park Housing, On Lok Senior Health Services, San Francisco General
Hospital and Self Help for the Elderly. Remaining food was donated to Dolores
Street Community Center and Glide Memorial Church.
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Mayor Willie Brown and Bureau President John Marks provided the official
welcome to attendees during the opening general session in Moscone Center,
while the musical group "Those Darned Accordions" entertained with the
official musical instrument of San Francisco.
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The Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial Church spoke at the convention's
Monday morning session, and the popular Glide Ensemble sang a few cuts
from its repertoire.
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The Bureau introduced a "virtual tour" of the new Moscone West addition
being built at the corner of Fourth and Howard streets. The virtual tour
program a key component in promoting the future facility -was available
for viewing throughout the convention.
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The closing event on Tuesday evening was a "SoMa Supper Club" hosted by
the San Francisco Marriott. "Beach Blanket Babylon" gave a special performance.
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Convention delegates volunteered their services and donated cash to San
Francisco's Walden House Adolescent Boys Center.
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Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide joined forces with the Bureau
to donate a Drager Incubator to the pediatric intensive care unit of the
California Pacific Medical Center.
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"Return to the 60s" was the theme of "Party With A Purpose" at the Fillmore
which benefited the Glide Foundation, PCMA's Network for the Needy and
the PCMA Education Foundation
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Ten students from Golden Gate University, San Francisco State University,
San Francisco City College and the University of San Francisco received
complimentary registration and assisted with various aspects of the conference.
The students had the opportunity to learn first-hand the level of detail
needed to host a conference of this magnitude, inter-act with potential
employers as well as attend sessions.
San Francisco Draws
Record-Breaking Conventions
| One of the reasons San Francisco is so popular among convention planners
is its reputation for drawing record numbers of attendees to conventions
and trade shows booked here.
Each year, more and more planners report that their San Francisco meetings
broke their previous attendance records.
Many planners anticipate growth in attendance when they book their meetings
in San Francisco, but often the growth actually' surpasses their projections.
The annual convention of the Professional Convention Management Association
(PCMA) which just took place in January, for example, dramatically exceeded
planners' expectations. PCMA planners expected attendance to grow to about
2,800, up from the high of 2,600 the year before when the show was held
in Orlando. 'When the final numbers were tallied the San Francisco convention
actually exceeded 3,100 - a 20 percent increase.
San Francisco meets the needs of a diverse crowd, according to meeting
planners.
"Our attendees include a mix of individuals and San Francisco has something
for everyone" said Debbie Anagnostelis, meeting planner for the Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development, which broke its attendance
record at its meeting here last March. "From won-derful dining and shopping
opportunities, extensive cultural and family attractions, day trips to
the wine country or exploring the various neighborhoods or taking in the
bay breezes. San Francisco is everyone's favorite city!"
A few of the largest groups that broke attendance records in 1999 include:
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American Geophysical Union (8,329)
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American Pediatrics Society/Society for Pediatric Research (5,100)
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American Society' of Human Genetics (7,186)
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American Society of Microbiology (16,482)
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Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (13,072)
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JavaOne Sun's Worldwide Developer Conference (20,000)
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PCBC Western Building Show (17,918)
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Seybold San Francisco (36,000)
Attendance at a convention is one of the measures of its success, according
to convention planners. That's why the Bureau uses the City's record breaking
reputation in is marketing efforts to book future conventions in San Francisco.
Information about the City's record breaking conventions is regularly promoted
to both the consumer and trade press. It is also used in the Bureau's marketing
campaigns targeting convention planners. |
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