A Year of Growth for the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Bureau

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Friday, January 12, 2018) Meet AC, which is Atlantic City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, a department within Meet AC are reporting another record year in booking future meeting and convention business for Atlantic City.

In 2017, Meet AC booked a total of 255 meetings and conventions representing 313,451 future hotel rooms nights for Atlantic City. The Group Tour market was a part of the overall booking number attracting 34,279 hotel room nights. The number of future convention delegates to Atlantic City will reach over 883,993 with a projected economic impact of more than $348 million. Meet AC, whose funding comes from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), had a 2017 operating budget of $7 million. Those funds come from the luxury tax revenue. Meet AC is also pleased to report that for every $1 of luxury tax revenue that Meet AC invests, they are returning $48 to Atlantic City’s economy.

Meet AC continued to place a greater emphasis on driving more business and increased revenues into the Atlantic City Convention Center throughout 2017. Our future bookings now reflect that shift with 65% of our business being driven into the Atlantic City Convention Center, while the other 35% represents single property bookings.  

This month, Meet AC will introduce an innovative marketing initiative, which is a virtual reality (VR) experience created through a partnership with YouVisit. Meeting planners, brands, and prospective visitors can now experience everything Atlantic City's convention scene has to offer from the comfort of their chairs. Additional information will be unveiled Tuesday, January 16.

Meet AC also rolled out its 2018 Sales and Marketing Strategies. They are as follows:

  • Increase Atlantic City Convention Center Sales/Events

  • Increase Atlantic City’s Meeting & Convention Business

  • Execute the 2018 Sales and Marketing Plan

  • Improve Atlantic City’s Image

  • Development of a Five Year Strategic Sales Plan

“Our 2018 sales and marketing strategies are designed to help us continue to book more business into Atlantic City and continue to portray a positive image,” said Jim Wood, president and CEO for Meet AC. “By exceeding our room night goals for the fourth consecutive year, this allows us to continue to grow our meetings footprint and confirm why Atlantic City is heading towards being named a top meeting destination. Meet AC looks forward to the new properties coming online, along with the additional non-gaming amenities that will diverse our economy. We are eager to book more meetings, conventions and sporting events in 2018.”

“While serving as Chairman of Meet AC, I am very pleased with the growth and progress the Meet AC team has attained in four short years. Atlantic City has elevated the meetings and convention business by implementing strong marketing initiatives and goals year after year,” said Jeff Albrecht, Meet AC Board Chairman and general manager, Sheraton, Atlantic City.

To view Meet AC’s 2018 Marketing Plan, please visit: https://meetac.com/assets/marketing_plan/2018/

 

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About Meet AC                                                                                                                                                                     
Meet AC, Inc. was officially formed as a 501(c)(6) organization on June 23, 2014. Prior to its formation, the Meetings and Convention sales and marketing group was operating under the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Meet AC, a tourism economic development agency, will focus on three primary objectives: sales, marketing and services.

For complete Atlantic City tourism and convention information, visit www.meetac.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Atlantic City Sports Commission
The Atlantic City Sports Commission was officially formed on January 13, 2015 as a 501 (c)(3) organization with the support of Meet AC and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to attract sporting events, conventions and competitions to Atlantic City.

For a complete listing of sporting events and news, visit www.atlanticcitysports.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984.  Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority's mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state's key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA's expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center.  In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcrda.
 

For destination photos and videos media may visit www.doatlanticcity.com/mediaonline where dozens of assets are available for download. For complete Atlantic City tourism information, visit www.doatlanticcity.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Jessica Kasunich, Meet AC
609-449-7147
jkasunich@meetac.com