San Francisco’s convention schedule kicked off in January with two events held at Moscone Center, the city’s premier meetings and exhibition facility.
The San Francisco Travel Association (SF Travel) announced over 30 meetings are confirmed for Moscone Center in 2022.
The first conference of the year was the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (GI). The hybrid conference, which took place in Moscone West from Jan. 20 to 22, drew 1,400 attendees with an additional 2,200 joining virtually.
This annual medical conference returned to an in-person format for the first time since it held its last meeting at Moscone Center in early 2020. Next month ASCO returns to Moscone West to hold the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium from Feb. 17 to 19.
SPIE’s Photonics West, the world’s premier lasers, biomedical optics, and optoelectronics event, is taking place in Moscone West from Jan. 22 to Jan. 27, with over 11,000 people in attendance.
“We are thrilled and looking forward to being back at the Moscone Center in San Francisco for SPIE Photonics West,” said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford.
“While photonics is a major enabler of virtual connections, it is clear to us and our international community that nothing compares to getting together in person for the networking and serendipitous interactions that help move science and innovation forward. We’re taking all required precautions, including proof-of-vaccination and masks for our 11,000-plus attendees, and appreciate all the assistance from Moscone Center staff to help us host a safe meeting.”
Meetings are a major component of San Francisco’s $10.3 billion tourism industry. In 2019, Moscone Center hosted 49 conventions and spending by the convention and meetings industry accounted for $1.9 billion, more than 18% of the total tourism spending in the city. Following the reopening of Moscone Center in September 2021, it hosted five conventions. This year there are 35 booked.
“We are excited to welcome back ASCO and SPIE and their attendees to Moscone Center. It’s another step forward for the city’s economic recovery and speaks to San Francisco being one of the safest places to meet due to the City’s exemplary response to the pandemic,” said Joe D’Alessandro, SF Travel’s President and CEO.
“While the two most recent Covid-19 variants may have slowed down recovery everywhere, we are seeing increased interest and demand returning and are looking forward to seeing more business confirmed.”
Moscone Center
San Francisco’s premier meetings and exhibition facility completed a $551 million expansion program in January 2019. The program added 157,000 sq. ft. of space to create 502,440 sq. ft. of contiguous space, including a new 49,776 sq. ft. column-free ballroom. In addition, there are more than 25,000 sq. ft. of secure outdoor terraces with spectacular views of Yerba Buena Gardens and the South of Market neighborhood.
Moscone Center is accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s 20 GBAC STAR program, and has implemented protocols from ASM Global’s VenueShield to continue offering the highest levels of safety, security, and consumer confidence.
In addition to the Moscone Center, San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area offer more than 360 special event facilities and venues. For more information, download San Francisco Travel’s new 2022 Official Meeting Planner’s Guide available at sftravel.com.
