San Francisco’s Convention Business to Rebound in 2025 with Group Hotel Room Nights Forecasted to Increase Over 59%
Moscone Center confirmed to host 30 events next year.
Nov. 22, 2024 (San Francisco) – The San Francisco Travel Association reported it has made significant inroads in convention recovery, with 30 events confirmed at Moscone Center in 2025. Hotel room nights associated with the events are forecasted to increase by over 59% to 659,700 compared to 400,000 this year.
San Francisco Travel, the official sales agent for the city’s premier convention and exhibition facility, released its update following today's announcement in Chicago that Microsoft Ignite will be held in San Francisco for the first time in 2025. The high-profile technology conference is forecasted to generate $41.5 million in direct spending and account for 61,510 hotel rooms when it takes place at Moscone Center in November 2025.
“2024 was a tremendous year for growth and AI innovation here at Microsoft,” said Takeshi Numoto, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft. “We are excited to grow Microsoft Ignite in San Francisco in 2025.”
Year-to-date, San Franciso Travel has booked 22 events at Moscone Center. Twenty of the 22 events signed this year will be held through 2029, including five taking place next year. The 22 events are forecasted to generate more than $595 million in direct spending.
“There is positive momentum this year, and we’re seeing event lead volume improve,” said San Francisco Travel President and CEO Anna Marie Presutti. “Group business is essential to our tourism economy and has a ripple effect on the entire community, benefiting our small businesses, restaurants and bars, cultural institutions, hotels, and the City.”
Events booked this year that have been announced include ISA-USA’s CROI 2025, AVEVA World 2025, Figma’s Config 2025, HubSpot’s Inbound 2025, Microsoft Ignite 2025 and the DECA International Career Development Conference, which will be held at Moscone Center in 2029 and 2035. San Francisco Travel also completed contract renegotiations this year for Dreamforce, which is confirmed at Moscone Center in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
San Francisco will also host the 2025 NBA All-Star Game and the 2025 Laver Cup. The Pokémon Company International recently announced that the Pokémon World Championship will be held at Moscone Center in 2026, the same year the San Francisco Bay Area will host Super Bowl LX and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ken Bukowski, Director of Convention Facilities for the City and County of San Francisco, noted that convention organizers have consistently provided positive feedback on the city’s extensive coordinated efforts to help ensure attendees have a clean, safe, and welcoming experience in San Francisco. The enhanced coordination between public and private entities was launched two years ago.
“As I often tell event planners, when you bring your convention to Moscone Center, the city knows you are in town and values that you chose to meet here,” said Bukowski.
San Francisco Travel will release additional updates on Moscone Center events as their organizers announce them.
SAN FRANCISCO TRAVEL
San Francisco Travel is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco. The city is one of the top tourism and meetings destinations in the U.S., attracting over 23 million visitors annually. In 2023, total visitor-related spending contributed $9.3 billion into the San Francisco economy and supported nearly 63,000 jobs.
For information on reservations, activities and more in San Francisco, visit www.sftravel.com.
Follow San Francisco Travel on www.facebook.com/onlyinSF/, www.instagram.com/onlyinsf/, and www.x.com/onlyinsf.
United Airlines is the preferred airline of the San Francisco Travel Association.
# # #
Image Links and Information:
- Press releases and other media resources are available at www.sftravel.com/media
- San Francisco Travel’s Photo Video Library is available at photos.sftravel.com
- To receive news and updates regularly in San Francisco Travel’s e-newsletters, visit www.sftravel.com and scroll down to “Newsletter Sign-up.”