Knowland: Some top 25 markets begin to see meetings growth

July U.S. group meetings volume increased 42.1% over the previous month, according to data from Knowland.

The average number of attendees per event continues with growth patterns exceeding the same time frame in 2019. Each month this number has increased as people become more comfortable meeting in larger numbers and relaxed social distancing reduces space requirements.

“July is one of the largest leisure months of the year,” said Kristi White, chief product officer, Knowland. “Because of this, we would have anticipated seeing meetings flatten a bit this month. However, growth in July was stronger than the growth in June, which is a positive sign. Additionally, the growth markets shifted into the top 25 markets; Chicago, Orlando and Washington, DC are three of the largest group markets in the country. Seeing them heat up is a great indicator of the strength of meetings rebounding across the country.”

  • The average number of attendees per event in July 2021 was 64, compared to 57 in July 2019.
  • The average space used in July 2021 was 2,461 sq. ft. while meetings in July 2019 averaged 2,003 sq. ft.
  • The top five growth markets in July were Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Orlando, and Washington, DC.
  • The corporate segment represents 60.8% of meeting and event business, with the technology and healthcare segments taking the lead as the largest industry segments.