No Las Vegas convention comeback could be complete without the largest technology gathering in the world. But as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) this week for the first time since January 2020, concerns about COVID’s rapidly spreading omicron variant has the world wondering once again what conventions here might look like going forward.

During the past few weeks, more than 40 CES exhibitors, including leading brands like Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Intel have canceled their in-person plans. And even before that happened, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) officials projected CES attendance would be roughly half what it was in pre-pandemic 2020, when it drew a crowd of about 170,000.

At press time, the trade show still expected more than 2,200 companies to appear on its exhibitor floor. Many of the giants that opted out will participate virtually, and for the second straight year, CES will offer an all-digital option for attendees.

But the in-person experience is ultimately irreplaceable, says Lori Nelson-Kraft, senior vice president of communications for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

“Virtual meetings were a great interim solution, but from what we hear from our convention customers, nothing replaces in-person convening for networking and getting deals done,” Nelson-Kraft tells the Weekly.

Brian Gordon, principal at Applied Analysis, a Vegas-based research and consulting firm, shares that sentiment. “That’s what created the convention industry as we know it today, people’s ability to meet face-to-face,” he says. “And I would expect that businesses would seek those opportunities out in the future.”

As CES moves forward, the convention plans to take precautions to mitigate the virus’ spread. Participants must wear masks at all times, show proof of full vaccination and are requested to get a COVID test at least 24 hours before entering CES’ venues. Attendees will receive a complimentary rapid test when they pick up their badges, and free tests will also be available for international travelers before they head home.

In each of the past 26 years, Las Vegas has been named the world’s No. 1 trade show destination by the Trade Show News Network.

“The convention sector is extremely important to the overall tourism industry in Las Vegas,” Gordon says. “Convention-related travel supports midweek hotel demand throughout the Las Vegas area, and that provides a stabilizing force throughout the week and throughout the year.”

During an average year, conventions and meetings make an economic impact of $11.4 billion on the Las Vegas Valley, according to the LVCVA. And in 2019, such events drew 6.6 million visitors to town and, Gordon says, resulted in $6.5 billion in local spending. An economic impact report from LVCVA shows convention visitor spending also supported more than 43,000 jobs and $2 billion in wages in 2019.

In 2020, convention attendance understandably plummeted to 1.7 million. But after months of lockdown, cancellations and uncertainty, June 2021 marked a return for Las Vegas conventions, beginning with World of Concrete, which drew some 650 exhibitors and an undisclosed number of attendees to the LVCC. That space has hosted 43 conventions since, according to Nelson-Kraft—not that far off from the 54 conventions that took place in pre-pandemic 2019.

“We’re still in unprecedented times,” Nelson-Kraft says. “What’s been terrific to see is how enthusiastic businesses have been to get back to getting deals done in person. With time, convention attendance numbers will continue to improve.”

At press time, the LVCC had 45 conventions on the books for 2022, but, Nelson-Kraft reminds, that calendar remains “fluid.” The LVCC’s $1 billion West Hall expansion, which added 1.4 million square feet to the existing space, should bolster business by enabling the complex to host additional shows.

Las Vegas’ convention economy extends well beyond the LVCC itself. The LVCVA’s convention calendar shows more than 100 meetings and conventions slated to take place in Southern Nevada in 2022 at various spaces around town, including the new Expo at World Market Center, which opened in April 2021.

Big-name annual conventions such as World of Concrete, Bar & Restaurant Expo, Global Gaming Expo and fashion trade show MAGIC are all set to return to town this year.

“We are thrilled [to be coming back],” says Kelly Helfman, president of the company that produces MAGIC, Informa Markets Fashion. “We have had to pivot and adapt to promote the safest environments possible, but it is worthwhile to ensure our industry is able to reconnect in person. The fashion industry is a very tactile one—people want to see and feel fabrics, and physical platforms are vital to that.”

Some of those adaptations, Helfman says, include enforcing mask wearing and widening exhibit floor aisles for social distancing.

Gordon suggests we’ll see an uptick in convention visitors once businesses grow more comfortable hosting events again. “But,” he says, “like we’ve seen over the last 22 months, things can ebb and flow based on any number of factors, including the COVID-19 health issue that we continue to face.”

Adapting quickly remains key, and Gordon commends resort operators for doing so. “[They] have become very creative and thoughtful about how they go about their day-to-day business,” he says. “They all have implemented health and safety measures with the objective of protecting not only their guests, but their employees.

“I think we’ll continue to see their creativity and ability to navigate the new market realities. And ultimately, we would expect to see convention related travel come back to its pre-COVID levels.”

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