What cities in the world are the best for business meetings? American Express Global Business Travel’s Meetings & Events division answers that question in our newly released 2020 Global Meetings and Events Forecast report.
Today, though, we’re going a bit deeper — not only looking at it from the perspective of “where” but also the “how” and “why.” So in addition to listing the top 10 meetings destinations in the different regions of the world, we’re also exploring why the featured locations below were ranked number one.
More specifically, what is it about these metropolises that make them such a magnet for corporate travelers? How do their airports ease travel frustrations? What do business travelers with sophisticated tastes love about the local cuisine?
After all, business may be what gets your travelers out there in the first place, but as we’ve come to discover, it’s not always why they’re heading back.
UNITED STATES
The top 10 destinations are:
- Orlando, Florida
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Chicago, Illinois
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Dallas, Texas
- Nashville, Tennessee
- San Diego, California
- New York, New York
- Miami, Florida
- Washington, DC
(Source: Cvent, July 2019)
About Orlando
It’s no surprise the Floridian city earned North America’s top spot on this year’s list (again). The land of Mickey Mouse seems to attract just as many convention-goers as it does families.
So what makes it such a great venue for conferences? For starters, it has more than 450 hotel and resort options and boasts the second largest concentration of hotel rooms of any U.S. city — not to mention it is home to the Orange County Convention Center, one of the largest convention centers in the country.
Of course, there are the restaurants by the celebrity chefs — the Masaharu Morimotos, Art Smiths and Wolfgang Pucks — who draw gastronomes to Universal Studios and Walt Disney World. Outside the theme parks, you’ll also find among Orlando’s 5,000 restaurants food that is equally outstanding.
Add to that the 170 golf courses, more than a dozen theme parks and an easy commute to an international airport, and it seems like sunny Orlando is an ideal place for a business trip — and one that can easily segue into a family vacation.
CANADA
The top 10 destinations are:
- Toronto, Ontario
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Montreal, Quebec
- Calgary, Alberta
- Mississauga, Ontario
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Quebec City, Quebec
- Banff, Alberta
- Whistler, British Columbia
(Source: Cvent, July 2019)
About Toronto
The fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is centrally located between New York City, Chicago and Montreal, making it easily accessible to Canadians as well as its neighbors in the United States. In fact, 50 percent of the U.S. population lives within a 90-minute flight to Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The financial heart of Canada, Toronto serves as the regional headquarters for the country’s five big banks. It also boasts the region’s largest conference space, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and has about 36,000 hotel rooms where business travelers can lay their heads.
But what may be most impressive about “Canada’s New York” is its diversity. With 50 percent of its population born outside of the country and some 130 languages and dialects spoken there, it is one of the most multicultural cities in the world.
And do you know what that means? Not only does it have a robust arts scene (with 125 museums to explore) but it’s also a mecca for foodies with global tastes. Within one block, you can literally eat your way around the world, dining at its dizzying array of restaurants, sampling cuisines from Cuba, Korea, Brazil, India, Jamaica, Tibet and many more. Translation: Come with a huge appetite!
ASIA
The top 10 destinations are:
- Singapore
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Hong Kong
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Shanghai, China
- Tokyo, Japan
- Seoul, South Korea
- Beijing, China
- Bali, Indonesia
- Mumbai, India
(Source: Cvent, July 2019)
About Singapore
As one of the largest financial centers in the world and a hub of global commerce, transport and shipping, this island city-state at the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsula is an economic powerhouse, attracting business travelers from every corner of the world.
One thing that makes business travel in Singapore so appealing? Interestingly enough, its airport — which is an attraction all unto itself. Ranked by Skytrax as the number 1 airport in the world for the seventh consecutive year, Singapore’s Changi Airport boasts two 24-hour movie theaters screening the latest blockbusters for free, a rooftop swimming pool, a garden with over 1,000 live butterflies and an excellent reputation for efficiency.
Singapore, where eating is truly a national pastime, also has some of the tastiest food. From Michelin-rated street eats to world-class fine dining options, you will enjoy diverse flavors that fuse together Chinese, Malay, Indian and English influences. Don’t leave the Lion City without trying bak kut teh — which is a lot tastier than its translation (“meat bone tea”) sounds — as well as chilli crab — which isn’t as spicy as it sounds.
AUSTRALIA and OCEANIA
- Sydney, Australia
- Melbourne, Australia
- Brisbane, Australia
- Gold Coast, Australia
- Perth, Australia
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Adelaide, Australia
- Queenstown, New Zealand
- Cairns, Australia
- Nadi, Fiji
(Source: Cvent, July 2019)
About Sydney
With Kingsford Smith International Airport a mere five miles from Sydney’s dynamic business district, business travelers arriving in the morning can comfortably make their afternoon meetings. Trains, buses and light rails make it convenient to get around, but the best views can be had from the ferry, whether cruising by the Sydney Harbour Bridge and iconic Opera House or heading to the world-famous beaches of Bondi and Manly.
It’s also nice to explore the city’s compact downtown and trendy surrounding neighborhoods by foot, especially since Sydney’s weather is temperate year-round. The historic Rocks area, brand-new Barangaroo suburb and Darling Harbour have plenty of posh hotel and restaurant options for business travelers — as well as sensational waterfront views.
With 45 percent of its population born outside of Australia, Sydney is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, which means it also has an exciting culinary scene that features flavors from every corner of the globe. Adventurous foodies may enjoy sinking their teeth into some of the more exotic delicacies Australia has to offer, such as kangaroo, emu and crocodile.
EUROPE
The top 10 destinations are:
- London, England
- Berlin, Germany
- Barcelona, Spain
- Paris, France
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Madrid, Spain
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Rome, Italy
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Munich, Germany
(Source: Cvent, July 2019)
About London
With six international airports serving the area, London is an easy-to-reach destination no matter where in the world business travelers are coming from. Making it even simpler for passengers, Heathrow Airport recently introduced 3-D scanners that enable travelers to keep laptops and liquids in the bags without having to remove them for checks.
With around 1,500 hotels in the city, business travelers may feel paralyzed by all their accommodations options. Fortunately, it won’t be so overwhelming when it comes to getting to where they need to go. Because it’s fairly compact, the city center is easy to navigate — whether by foot, black cab or the Tube.
And here’s some more good news: Business travelers no longer have to sustain themselves on a diet of fish and chips and Shepherd’s pies when they roll into town. By all accounts, London has become one of the most exciting gourmet destinations in the last two decades, with new restaurants of every variety popping up in all parts.
CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA
The top 10 destinations are:
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Playa del Carmen, Mexico
- Cancún, Mexico
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- San José del Cabo, Mexico
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
(Source: Cvent, July 2019)
About Nassau
Despite Hurricane Dorian causing massive destruction to a few of the 700+ islands and cays that comprise the Bahamas, the government reassures those who are planning to visit soon that Nassau was not in the path of the Category 5 storm and is welcoming visitors again.
Just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, this capital city is one of the easiest foreign destinations to get to from the United States. Making it even easier for Americans, U.S. dollars, on par with Bahamian dollars, are accepted island-wide.
Many of the luxury hotels, from the Atlantis to Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, have conference space and enough rooms to accommodate a couple thousand as well as top-notch amenities to make guests feel like they are on a dream vacation when they’re really traveling for work.
Transforming into the culinary capital of the Caribbean, Nassau features world-class restaurants by celebrity chefs Nobu Matsuhisa and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Yet no visitor should leave this archipelago without sampling authentic Bahamian treats, like johnny cakes or conch salad.
But what makes Nassau such an inviting place for conference-goers? The fact that its powdery white sand, turquoise waters and championship golf courses make mixing business and pleasure such a delightful and organic experience.
Share this story