Posted on: June 23, 2026, 06:37h.
Last updated on: June 23, 2026, 06:37h.
- Las Vegas secured the No. 1 spot in U.S. News & World Report‘s inaugural ranking of the nation’s best conference cities
- The data-driven study highlighted the city’s 150,000 hotel rooms, airport accessibility, and the newly renovated 4.6 million-square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center.
- Convention attendance in Las Vegas is surging in 2026, according to the LVCVA, posting a 10.1% year-over-year increase with more than 2.5 million attendees in the first four months
Las Vegas has been named the nation’s top conference city in U.S. News & World Report‘s inaugural “Best Conference Cities” ranking. The data-driven study, published on Tuesday, evaluated 52 major U.S. destinations across key criteria, including meeting and event space, destination appeal, accessibility, affordability, safety, and sustainability.
“Earlier this year, the Las Vegas Convention Center completed a $600 million renovation effort,” the newspaper explained its choice. “Combine this spacious, modernized facility with a convenient airport and the most hotel rooms of any U.S. city, and Las Vegas is tailor-made for hosting events.”
“We’re grateful to U.S. News & World Report for this meaningful recognition,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “This distinction underscores what sets Las Vegas apart — best-in-class meeting and event infrastructure combined with the iconic Las Vegas experience that inspires attendees and elevates events. We appreciate our customers who continue to choose Las Vegas to drive their industries forward.”
U.S. News & World Report ranked the Venetian as Las Vegas’ No. 1 conference hotel.
Thirty U.S. cities earned a place in the final ranking. Rounding out the top three were Chicago at No. 2, due to its “dual airports, a high transit score and exceptional walkability,” the list said, as well as boasting the largest exhibit hall in the U.S. (McCormick Place).
Orlando, “second only to Las Vegas in terms of hotel room inventory,” was ranked third.
Business Happens in Vegas
According to an LVCVA press release announcing the win, Las Vegas offers nearly 15 million square feet of meeting and convention space, including three of the 10 largest convention centers in the U.S.: the Las Vegas Convention Center, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and the Venetian Convention & Expo Center.
Las Vegas’ meetings infrastructure is complemented by more than 150,000 hotel rooms and convenient access through Harry Reid International Airport, which provides nonstop service to more than 150 destinations.
Las Vegas welcomed six million convention attendees in 2025, according to the LVCVA, nearly matching 2024 levels despite broader economic uncertainty and shifting travel policies. That performance has carried into 2026, the LVCVA claims, with more than 2.5 million convention attendees visiting in the first four months of the year, a 10.1 percent year-over-year increase.
U.S. News & World Report developed its ranking in consultation with event industry experts and through a comprehensive analysis of key performance indicators. The methodology balanced practical considerations, such as affordability and infrastructure, with experiential factors, such as destination appeal and sustainability initiatives.
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