Anaheim Convention Center Bursting With Interest After CA Reopens

ANAHEIM, CA — With the reopening of California has moved beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, Visit Anaheim—the official destination marketing organization for Anaheim—announced it has 55 events confirmed for the remainder of 2021.

In total, these 55 events represent more than $231 million in local economic impact. They will generate an estimated $2.9 million in tourism occupancy tax (TOT) revenue for the city, positioning the local community and tourism industry for a strong rebound.

During the pandemic, the lack of booked conventions at the Anaheim Convention Center weighed on the local economy and the business owners that rely upon them.

With California’s economy reopened and the resumption of conventions, tradeshows, meetings and events, Visit Anaheim can safely and responsibly welcome 187,000 attendees to the destination and generate more than 95,000 room nights. Impressively, these numbers are only expected to grow as Visit Anaheim continues to solidify additional business for 2021.

Jay Burress, president and CEO of Visit Anaheim, reflected on 15 months of. closure and the reopening that will benefit so many.

“The reopening of California has allowed our industry to take a giant step toward recovery,” Burress said. “After 15 months, events are once again occupying the halls of the Anaheim Convention Center and bringing in much-needed business to our hotels, restaurants and attractions.”

During the pandemic, the Anaheim Convention Center was closed to convention services it served as a super point of distribution for coronavirus vaccinations. From February until June. City spokesperson Mike Lyster compared the decision to keep Anaheim's theme park and convention business to an "earthquake" level disaster.

Working families and small businesses in Anaheim suffered during the pandemic, Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu said about the closures one year ago. As painful as it was to endure the closures, Sidhu predicted that Disney and the city of Anaheim would survive.

"But too many Anaheim hotels, stores, and restaurants will not survive another year of this," Sidhu said at the time. "Many are family businesses. The jobs they provide support other families." While Anaheim Convention Center sat idle, Anaheim Convention Center and Visit Anaheim worked on arranging shows for 2021, city spokesman Mike Lyster tells Patch. It was a difficult position for planners who worked to book events in 2021 without clear direction.

That effort has paid off, according to Visit Anaheim.

In the next six months, there are currently 19 events scheduled for the Anaheim Convention Center, eight of which are considered ‘citywide size,’ which will draw more than 62,000 room nights and 105,000 attendees. Some of the events booked for this year include VidCon, Specialty Advertising Association of California, Medical Design and Manufacturing Event, INFORMS, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, HMP, Evolution of Psychotherapy, and more.

Notably, interest in Anaheim and demand for the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast, remains strong for future years. From January to May 2021, Visit Anaheim has received a 133% increase in leads.

Junior Tauvaa, chief sales officer of Visit Anaheim, discussed the interest in planning conventions at their center.

“Despite the pandemic, our destination has seen tremendous development in the last year, including the opening of three new AAA Four-Diamond hotels, the first outside of Disneyland Resort,” Tauvaa says. “These luxury offerings expand Anaheim’s hotel portfolio and attract a new wave of clientele.”

In the first half of 2021, Visit Anaheim welcomed 33 events to the destination putting the organization on track to host at least 88 events in total this year. Significantly, 18 of these events were successfully rebooked by Visit Anaheim after previous cancellations in 2020 or early 2021. Combined, all 88 events will bring $248 million in economic impact, produce 116,000 room nights and generate an estimated $3.5 million in tourism occupancy tax (TOT) revenue for the city.

To learn more about Visit Anaheim’s efforts to ensure the city recovers quickly and is best positioned to restore hotel stays, meetings, and conventions in Anaheim, go to www.visitanaheim.org.