William Pate, President and CEO of the Atlanta CVB, discussed Atlanta’s tourism landscape, highlighting its strong recovery post-COVID, particularly in the convention sector. Atlanta, known as a business and convention hub, has successfully hosted major events like the College Football Championship and is preparing for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Super Bowl. These events are key to attracting both domestic and international visitors, especially those new to the city.

Pate emphasized the importance of incremental growth in tourism, noting that while success is positive, it creates pressure to continually expand. Atlanta is focusing on drawing new markets and visitors, not just repeat travelers. He acknowledged challenges such as declining business travel, economic concerns affecting leisure travel, and limited convention center capacity. To address this, Atlanta is targeting midsize conventions to fill gaps and maintain growth.

He also discussed the strategic pairing of major events with economic development efforts. For example, during the 2019 Super Bowl, Atlanta used over 100 venues, creating opportunities for local businesses and potential corporate relocations. The city works closely with the Chamber of Commerce to maximize these opportunities.

Atlanta’s tourism appeal includes family-friendly attractions like the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and College Football Hall of Fame. However, a unique challenge is that many visitors stay with friends or family, reducing hotel tax revenue. The city aims to enhance the overall visitor experience to boost economic impact.

Finally, Pate highlighted the advantage of Atlanta being Delta’s hub, facilitating international access. He encouraged smaller cities to leverage major events like the World Cup to attract visitors exploring the region between games, showing how Atlanta’s strategies can scale to smaller destinations.

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