The NAMM show, hosted by the National Association of Music Merchants, kicked off Anaheim’s year of conventions and events that are projected to bring in $1.5 billion in total economic impact to the city.
The show, which brought members of the music making and music products industry to the Anaheim Convention Center Jan. 25-28, was expected to host between 60,000 to 75,000 attendees.
Last year’s event counted 47,000 in attendance.
The music convention was estimated to generate $120 million in economic impact to Anaheim, which hosts a majority of Orange County’s meetings market, with attendance surpassing the year prior. This includes visitors booking nearly 25,000 room nights along with spending from dining and shopping.
Busy 2024
NAMM marks the first of 50 conventions booked for 2024 by Visit Anaheim, the nonprofit organization responsible for booking events and promoting tourism for the city’s collection of restaurants, hotels and other businesses.
The marketing group has confirmed 148 events total to come through Anaheim this year.
This collection will generate an estimated $15 million in tourism occupancy tax (TOT) revenue for the city.
In 2023, the convention center’s schedule brought 1 million attendees to the city’s meeting hub, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.
The anticipated $1.5 billion impact for 2024 exceeds Visit Anaheim’s expectations for the year.
It’s thanks to “our vibrant and prosperous visitor economy,” Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said at the organization’s end of the year meeting in December.
On the Books
In 2023, Anaheim recorded 25 million visitors in total.
From these travelers, 214,000 room nights were generated with hotels ending the year with 75% occupancy and an average daily rate (ADR) of $237, the latter increased from 2019.
Visit Anaheim has 69 conventions and events booked for the future, with at least 33 occurring in the next three years.
Separately, the Orange County Sports Commission (OCSC) has secured 99 sports events for the city including two NCAA volleyball championship games in 2025 and 2026.
Both Visit Anaheim and OCSC exceeded their booking goals for the year.
“With so many game changing assets and events coming, our market is well poised to experience our best years together,” Visit Anaheim’s SVP Ronnie Collins said at the December event.
Among notable events coming in future years is the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW event coming in 2030. IPW showcases domestic suppliers of travel products and destinations, and is the country’s largest inbound travel trade show.
