The Influence of Convention Center Performance on Hotel Room Nights

Abstract

The economic contribution of convention centers has received a great deal of attention from past research studies. However, arguments still remain about convention centers’ postexpansion impact on hotel room nights. In addition, there is a lack of research regarding the link between demand for hotel room nights and commonly adopted measurements of a convention center’s performance. This study examines the impact of convention center performance on the demand for hotel room nights through an investigation of a convention center located in a metropolitan city in the middle Atlantic region of the United States. Results show that there is a positive relationship between the quantity of function space and demand for hotel room nights in comparison to other factors of the convention center’s performance. The key findings provide practical implications for local convention and visitors bureaus and convention center managers in terms of marketing strategies and revenue management.