Tradeshow Week magazine, the preeminent magazine targeting planners in the multi-billion dollar meeting and convention industry, recently announced its findings of the most affordable cities in which to host a tradeshow, with Salt Lake ranking in the top 10.
Tradeshow Week editors made their determination of affordability after examining hotel room rates, drayage costs and restaurant prices in more than 150 mid-size cities across the nation. According to the study, Salt Lake's mid-range hotel rates came in at $79.27 per night, while average meal costs averaged $54, comparable with the other top 10 cities. Like Salt Lake, cities with available non-union labor also scored well.
"We're thrilled, but not surprised, at the results," said Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Our hospitality partners, including Salt Lake's hotels, restaurants and companies servicing our incoming conventions, along with everyone else involved, take great pride in offering exceptional service to our clients at competitive rates."
Salt Lake boasts 16,800 hotel rooms and hundreds of nearby restaurants, bars, shops and galleries, as well as accessibility to the best outdoor recreation available in the U.S., if not the world. From its four world-class ski resorts (Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude) to endless hiking and biking trails, Salt Lake offers outdoor experiences for every season. Salt Lake City International Airport provides non-stop service to 104 destinations from Salt Lake, serving all of Salt Lake's top 50 markets with these non-stop flights, and is the largest airline hub (Delta Air Lines) in the western United States.
The Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as the foremost convention and travel destination, a unique combination of metro and mountain whose Wasatch Mountains offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy of downtown. Having recently undergone a $58 million expansion, the Salt Palace Convention Center now boasts 679,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space, ideal for groups of all sizes and needs. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, visit www.VisitSaltLake.com.