NACS, The Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, recently held its largest-ever show in Atlanta with 396,000 net square feet of space representing a 4 percent increase over 2012. Ranked among the nation’s top 50 tradeshows, the 2013 NACS Show welcomed 22,000 attendees and generated more than $25 million of economic impact for Atlanta.
“Atlanta has been one of NACS Show’s best host cities,” said Bob Hughes, vice president of Supplier Relations & Expositions, NACS. “Great leadership from both the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) and Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) strengthen our event. What’s more, Atlanta continues to evolve, getting better each year.”
The 2013 NACS Show, which took place Oct. 12-15 at the GWCC, marks the third time the group has hosted its expo in Atlanta. Educational sessions alone drew the most attendance ever recorded, with 12,000 attendees averaging more than 200 attendees per session. NACS will return to Atlanta in 2016 and 2019 while cycling through two other host cities – Chicago and Las Vegas.
“The collaborative culture of Atlanta’s hospitality community is nearly unparalleled, and helps to ensure the success of large meetings, like the NACS Show,” said William Pate, president and CEO, ACVB. “Atlanta will welcome more than $2.5 billion in new development throughout the next five years, which will add a continuous stream of new experiences for future NACS show attendees.”
Celebrating 100 years of hospitality, ACVB is a private, nonprofit organization created to favorably impact the Atlanta economy through conventions and tourism.
