A new analysis of major U.S. meetings and convention destinations ranks Houston in the top five.

The 2024 Convention Cities Index published by event production platform Northstar Meetings Group rates convention destinations across multiple criteria, including the size of the convention center, total hotel rooms, safety and air transportation. Houston ranks No. 5 on this year’s list, up from No. 6 in 2023.

Houston’s average daily room rate (22% lower than the national average) and abundance of hotel rooms across the market factored into its ranking, according to the index’s authors. Also, unlike other destinations, Houston has two major convention facilities: Downtown’s George R. Brown Convention Center and NRG Park, home to NRG Center. Finally, the number of monthly flights in and out of Houston’s two airports are up 7% over last year—a major factor in the index.

“Over the past year, major cities around the world have expanded their convention centers, grown their hotel room inventories and welcomed new flights to attract large meetings and events,” the index report stated. “For planners, these feel like boom times again in an industry that not too long ago was paralyzed by the pandemic.”

More than 560 meetings and conventions booked by Houston First were held last year in the city, accounting for approximately 610,000 room nights. That’s up from 414 meetings hosted in 2022 that resulted in 580,000 room nights. Additionally, the Houston First team booked 570 future events during 2023, representing more than 687,800 meeting room nights. Bookings so far this year are ahead of where they were at the same time in 2023.

Houston has been at or near the top five destinations in the Convention Cities Index since it first started being published in 2020.

Download a copy of this year's index. 

Written by A.J. Mistretta