Salt Lake City — Visit Salt Lake is pleased to announce 27 meetings, athletic events, and conventions have been booked in the first two months of 2021. These events will collectively attract more than 64,000 attendees who will occupy nearly 103,000 hotel room nights and spend more than $62 million while in our community. The largest of these include:

Society of Toxicology is a Reston, Virginia-based based professional and scholarly organization of scientists from academic institutions, government and industry who strive to create a safer and healthier world by advancing the science and increasing the impact of toxicology. Salt Lake competed against more than a dozen US cities to secure its annual meeting and expo which will attract nearly 6,700 attendees who will spend $6.5 million in Salt Lake. The Society of Toxicology annual meeting is being held at the Salt Palace Convention Center May 2024. Eddie Canaday and Chris Peterson managed this project for Visit Salt Lake.

Future Business Leaders of America selected Salt Lake to host its National Leadership Conference being held in June 2028. The 14,000 attendees will occupy approximately 30,000 hotel room nights and spend nearly $20 million while in our community. FBLA is the largest career student organization in the world whose mission is to bring business and education together in a relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. Eddie Canaday and Elke Opsahl managed this project for Visit Salt Lake.

US Quidditch is the national governing body for the sport of quidditch, a mixed-gender contact sport played by more than 450 teams around the world. US Quidditch considered numerous other major western cities before selecting Salt Lake for its national championship. This event will draw nearly 7,300 competitors, officials, friends and family to Salt Lake in April 2022. The competition is being held at the Regional Athletic Complex and visitors are expected to occupy 6,700 hotel rooms around the Salt Lake valley. Clay Partain managed this project for Sports Salt Lake, a division of Visit Salt Lake.

American Fly Fishing Trades Association is the Bozeman, Montana-based trade organization for the fly fishing industry. Its mission is to promote the sustained growth of the fly fishing industry by growing demand for fly fishing products, promoting better business practices and professional development opportunities for its members. The International Fly Tackle Dealer Show is being held in Salt Lake during October 2021 a B2B tradeshow that will attract 2,250 attendees to the Salt Palace Convention Center. While in town, these visitors will occupy more than 6,100 hotel room nights and spend nearly $2.2 million. Todd Ness managed this project for Visit Salt Lake.

American Association of Bovine Practitioners is an Ashland, Ohio-based international association of veterinarians serving society as leaders in cattle health, welfare and productivity. Salt Lake beat out Austin, Kansas City and Indianapolis to host the organization’s annual meeting in October 2021. 1,900 people are expected to attend this meeting and, while here, will occupy 5,900 hotel room nights and spend more than $1.8 million at Salt Lake hotels, restaurants and attractions. Sally O’Neill and Jeff Gassaway managed this project for Visit Salt Lake.

World Karting Association is holding its US Karting Grand Prix at the Utah Motorsports Campus west of Salt Lake in July 2021. The event will draw nearly 3,000 attendees from across the country who will occupy more than 6,000 hotel room nights. Clay Partain managed this project for Sports Salt Lake, a division of Visit Salt Lake.

In the first week of March, three additional major conventions were booked:

American Clean Power Association is the leading federation of renewable energy companies expediting the advancement of clean energy as the dominant power source in America. Salt Lake competed against Dallas and Anaheim to secure this B2B tradeshow being held in the Salt Palace during December 2021. The event will attract 4,500 attendees who will occupy 13,000 hotel room nights during a traditionally slow time. This project was managed by Eddie Canaday and Chris Peterson.

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces. The organization traces its roots back to 1899, and today its ranks stand at more than 1.5 million VFW and Auxiliary members. Salt Lake edged out Cincinnati, Columbus, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Reno and Orlando to secure VFW’s 2026 National Convention. This event will attract 7,500 attendees who’ll occupy approximately 30,000 hotel room nights. The President of the United States typically attends VFW’s national convention. Jeff Gassaway and Chris Peterson managed this project for Visit Salt Lake.

American College of Sports Medicine is an Indianapolis-based association of physicians, personal trainers, exercise physiologists, scientists, students and fitness professionals dedicated to helping people live longer, healthier lives. After 11 unsuccessful bids during the past 20 years, Salt Lake beat out Chicago, San Francisco, Austin and Seattle to host its annual meeting, which is being held in the Salt Palace during June 2026. The meeting will attract 6,200 attendees who’ll occupy approximately 25,000 hotel room nights and spend $6 million while in town. Sally O’Neill and Jeff Gassaway managed this project.

Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake improves the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors with a strong commitment to sustainability and stewardship of the area’s natural environment. Through its sales and marketing programs, Visit Salt Lake’s impact on Salt Lake’s annual $4.5 billion visitor economy equates to $1,166 in tax relief for each household within Salt Lake County. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, go to www.VisitSaltLake.com<http://www.visitsaltlake.com/visit/>