Pasadena Tourism Activity Picks Up, 14 Conventions Already Booked For Coming Year

Fourteen citywide conventions will come to Pasadena in the next year as the city’s hospitality industry begins its rebound.

Groups hosting conventions include the Association of California Water Agencies, the Barbershop Harmony Society, the California Association of Public Procurement Officials, and the American Astronomical Society.

Citywide, the groups contracted over 18,600 room nights in Pasadena.

Additionally, Visit Pasadena continues to book a variety of smaller meetings, consumer shows and tradeshows back into the Pasadena Convention Center.

“We are optimistic about the future. We’ve started to stem the tide of losing business due to the pandemic. Though we’re not out of the woods yet, we’re gaining traction,” said Jeanne Goldschmidt, executive director of Visit Pasadena.

“I’m proud of the work our sales team has done in working closely with our clients during these uncertain months. With the Pasadena Convention Center’s GBAC STAR facility accreditation and the commitment to safety of our hotel partners and the entire destination, we’ve been able to assure our clients that Pasadena is open for business and is a safe destination for meetings and events,” Goldschmidt said.

“Our meeting planners and convention organizers know there is no replacement for the energy and productivity that comes from people coming together,” she said. “We’re pleased to welcome their guests and get back to doing business. Every visitor that comes to Pasadena infuses dollars back into the city from hotel stays, exploring our beautiful destination, and visiting our restaurants and shops.”

For 14 months, business at the Pasadena Convention Center and Pasadena Civic Auditorium was devastated by state restrictions on large gathering restrictions.

The Pasadena Convention Center was able to host certain essential events such as the LA County Vote Center for the 2020 presidential election; city essential interview and testing events; jury empanelment; filming and television productions such as America’s Got Talent, commercials for Buick and evian®, and a TBS show.

The Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nonprofit marketing organization dedicated to promoting Pasadena as a leading meeting, convention and leisure travel destination. For more information, go to www.VisitPasadena.com.