Spokane is a good option to escape the hustle of a big-city environment. Courtesy Photo

New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando — they’re all stellar meeting destinations with an abundance of attributes that give them Tier-1 status. But that doesn’t make them right for every meeting.

Often, the best city for a particular group or meeting is a second-tier city. These cities are typically more affordable and ideally located for a regional drive market while also offering a good airport with nonstop flights to a variety of domestic and sometimes even international destinations.

Elizabeth Dackson, director of events with The Modern Quilt Guild, says her organization never meets in Tier 1 cities. “Between the cost of those cities and the lack of lead time we’re able to work with given that we’re more of a middle-sized piece of business to a first-tier city, it’s not a good fit for our business model. We typically go with second-tier cities that are not giant metropolises; drivability is a major factor in addition to overall population density.”

One of the best things about second-tier cities, she says, is the sense that the destination makes her groups feel like the coolest thing in town. “That’s a feeling my attendees greatly appreciate. They enjoy seeing signs at local restaurants welcoming them, seeing their group sign at the hotel and not four others.”

She also believes that staff at CVBs, hotels and convention centers in Tier 2 cities change less frequently. “That allows me to build stronger relationships,” she says. “Additionally, it’s always great to be the only client in the building at a convention center, to feel like the entire staff is dedicated to the success of your event and not trying to please multiple clients with likely different clientele. Finally, I appreciate the ability to fully ‘know’ a city as a planner. It helps me best utilize the city for my attendees. In first-tier cities, which tend to be larger and more sprawling, it’s difficult to feel like I fully know them.”

Raleigh, NC

Raleigh is an ideal city for Dackson’s group. QuiltCon 2024 met there in February with over 25,000 attendees. Marriott City Center was the primary hotel. “Raleigh a perfect fit for us,” says Dackson. “Not only does it have an airport with loads of routes serviced, but the downtown area is so walkable and accessible with places to eat and things to do. The convention center is well managed and was the perfect size for us, and an expansion is in the works to help support our growing event. The cost of lodging and food is reasonable, and the city is easily accessible to a dense population — advantageous to our event.”

The CVB was also a good partner. She says, “Loretta with Visit Raleigh was fantastic with her expertise on the city and its restaurants, assisting with communication to local restaurants about our attendees and their schedules so they could anticipate guests. The CVB also helped with city-wide signage to welcome our event to the city and provided media contacts.”

All functions were at the convention center. “The space is efficiently planned, with no one space terribly far from another,” Dackson notes. “The security team was fantastic and felt like an extension of my own team, warmly welcoming my attendees and proactively discussing potential challenges with me throughout our time onsite. Center management was also an effective, valuable partner. They got to know our event in the planning process and offered great ideas to help us use the space the best way possible.”

As for the hotel, Dackson says it offered not only a brand and the right number of rooms but also convenient adjacency to the convention center. “Our CSM, Zach, was fantastic,” she says, “as was Shelly, the security manager we worked with.”

The group has already booked Raleigh for 2026. “Prices are reasonable, the city is very pretty and the restaurants are fantastic. Raleigh is a welcoming destination; the city and convention center have great teams that will work with you to create a successful event,” Dackson says.

Milwaukee, WI

Casi Maynard, CMP, CASE and co-founder of Mindful Meeting Pros, worked with the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association for its 2027 and 2028 national conferences in Milwaukee, which will draw approximately 1,600 attendees.  Hilton Milwaukee Downtown will be the base hotel while Hyatt, Doubletree and Springhill Suites will provide overflow accommodations.

Milwaukee is a great fit for the group for multiple reasons. Maynard says rate and overall budget is a huge factor in terms of motivating this group’s attendees to commit to the conference. “The hotel rates we contracted in Milwaukee for 2027 are actually lower than what they’ll be paying in 2025 and 2026 in different cities,” she notes. “The hotels were all able to offer an even better deal when it became a two-year agreement. Another benefit for this group is the ease of access from the airport. The proximity of downtown Milwaukee to the airport makes a huge difference from a cost standpoint for attendees paying for transportation when it’s only a 15 minute/$20 transfer versus 30-45 minutes and a much higher cost in larger cities where you potentially have to deal with surge pricing for ride shares.”

Milwaukee has other positives, too. “It’s great because mid- to large-size groups that aren’t large enough to be considered a ‘city-wide’ in many metro areas can essentially take over the downtown,” Maynard says. “Downtown Milwaukee is really walkable and thriving with great restaurants, sports and entertainment. Groups won’t feel ‘lost’ within the city as they might in a major metropolitan area.  Having the main hotels directly connected to the convention center is a major plus, too.”

The association typically books Tier 2 cities unless something special comes up. “In most cases, larger metro areas are likely to be more expensive due to room rates, F&B and other ancillary charges,” Maynard says. “Occasionally, an opportunity arises, whether because of dates or the perfect pattern for a particular hotel, that allows the group to take advantage of booking a property or city they wouldn’t normally be able to afford. In recent years, it has typically come down to availability, or lack thereof, as to whether a city ultimately makes the short list.”

Maynard calls Visit Milwaukee an excellent partner, saying, “They offer so many cost-saving benefits for groups it would be a mistake not to include them in your search process. They’re also one CVB you can count on to continue to be a resource for you after the contracts are signed. Their Experiences Team is so thoughtful and helpful and offers so many resources.”

Maynard says that the group was blown away by the convention center on a site visit shortly after the facility had its grand opening in May. She adds, “We’ve contracted the Baird Center space for both 2027 and 2028. It’s state-of-the-art and designed with planners’ needs in mind! They did a fantastic job in that you really don’t see the separation between the older space and the newly built building, so it doesn’t feel like there are two different spaces, or that one is ‘better’ than the other.”

Her best advice to planners is to check availability early. “After successfully hosting the RNC and Connect Marketplace this summer, I anticipate Milwaukee is going to be a pretty popular second-tier destination for meetings over the next couple of years,” she says.

Denver, CO

Stefanie Arnold, CMP, managing director, experience strategy and operations, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), calls Denver a great combination of conference-related assets and everything else the city and state offer as a desired destination. The organization’s ISTELive 2024 took place in June with 16,000 attendees. Hyatt Regency Denver and Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel were HQ hotels for the event.

In terms of Tier 1 vs Tier 2 cities, Arnold says, “We aim for a balance of us being the big fish in the city when we’re there but also having a city that has its own mojo that we can highlight and feed off of. In some larger cities, it’s hard to create a cozy environment where attendees can be offsite and see fellow attendees to build that community. Denver has plenty going on for residents that our attendees can join and benefit from, but it’s not so large that they miss those spontaneous connections outside of the convention center.”

Another positive? Denver’s airport. “There really isn’t another centrally located city in the U.S. with such easy access,” Arnold says. “With many attendees making late decisions on whether to attend or not, the high cost of last-minute flights can be a deterrent. But with so many flights in and out of Denver, it feels like the large price spikes we’ve seen in other locations are not as severe there.”

Overall, price is a critical factor. “Our attendees are primarily educators, so they use their dollars wisely when deciding which conferences to attend. The appeal of location, along with the cost of getting there, factor heavily into their decision. Denver hotel rates are also more reasonable than in some other large cities. When attendees are looking at four or five nights in a hotel, that cost can add up quickly and potentially make the conference too expensive to attend,” says Arnold.

Additionally, she says, Denver and Colorado offer the kind of adventure and exploration her attendees like. “Many will come early or stay after our event with their families to make it more of a summer vacation. Denver lends itself to a ‘choose your own adventure’ type of mentality our attendees love.”

Arnold adds that Denver offers planners many benefits as well, including the availability of public transportation to get from the airport to downtown. “Considering how far DIA is from the city,” she says, “the budget-friendly option of the train is a great alternative to a ride share or taxi.”

She also points to the number of walkable hotels, adding, “With an event like ours where we’re close to 10,000 rooms on peak, having thousands of hotel rooms just blocks from the convention center is amazing. This reduces the cost of our shuttle routes and makes them more sustainable as well. And we appreciate the sustainability that is built-in with any event at the Colorado Convention Center (CCC). Their standard guidelines and general operating procedures allow groups to promote sustainability without having to do the heavy lifting, such as figuring out what local resources exist.”

It’s also a bonus that the entire ISTE event can be housed within CCC, in part thanks to the new ballroom. “In most cities, we have to use one if not two hotels with meeting space in order to accommodate all our sessions. CCC’s new, flexible Bluebird Ballroom is a game-changer.”

Arnold calls her team “a well-oiled machine” when it comes to the event itself, but says they rely heavily on CVB relationships for help with connections, introductions, recommendations and news.  She says, “Visit Denver was always willing to jump on a call to talk through questions or concerns, or just to bounce ideas off of, while also being very proactive in updating us on things happening in the city that could impact our event, such as the 16th Street Mall construction.”

ISTELive 24 was “a whole-building event,” for which Denver’s convention center is ideal, says Arnold. “We put on a lot of content as well as activations in public spaces and CCC has an enormous amount to use and be creative with. The new Bluebird Ballroom was ideal with its super flexible design. We were able to create content rooms along with open space to make it feel very different from a traditional ballroom.”

Arnold believes sustainability will be increasingly important to groups and planners and Denver is ready to meet the need. “Denver allows events to come in and slot right into the good work the city is already doing. But you can also partner with Denver to push the envelope on what’s possible,” she says.

Tucson, AZ

Tucson, AZ, is another meetings-friendly destination. The Society of Lake Management Professionals held its 2024 annual summit at the Westin La Paloma in January with 150 in attendance.

“Tucson is beautifully situated between multiple mountain ranges and has excellent views,” says Maryann Krisovitch, executive director.  “Getting in and out of the Tucson airport is quick and easy; however, for those who prefer nonstop, Phoenix is an easy drive.”

She calls the city’s hotels top notch. “We chose the Westin La Paloma not only for its meeting space and views of the mountains,” says Krisovitch, “but also the fact that many of the staff have been there for years. And for foodies in the group, there’s a wide range of premier dining options that are not the same old chain restaurants.”

This meeting was the group’s first west of the Mississippi Rver, and Krisovitch says there was concern that people wouldn’t want to fly since many of them typically drive to the meeting destination. That turned out not to be true. “We know now that excellent places like Tucson can really bring in the attendance,” she says.

Tucson’s natural assets were one draw. “Our attendees are outdoors-y people.  Hiking in the desert then traveling through several ecosystems as you drive up to the top of Mt. Lemmon was one of the most popular activities,” Krisovitch notes.  “Our group also really enjoyed touring the Pima Air & Space Museum and Tucson Botanical Gardens.  There really is something for everyone in Tucson and everything is so close. We were also fortunate to be there during the famous Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. Many of our attendees look forward to going back and staying longer to explore.”

Krisovitch says groups the size of hers fit perfectly in cities like Tucson. “We would get lost in the crowd in larger cities,” she says. “Costs in larger cities are also often out of our price range, and we get the same or better service for a much more affordable price in second-tier cities.”

Visit Tucson was also a significant help. “My first experience in the city was on a tour with Brooke Sauer from Visit Tucson,” Krisovitch notes. “We spent two-and-a-half days touring the city and various hotels.  When you get to spend time like that with people who really love their destination and what it has to offer, you can’t help but want to be there too. Additionally, Visit Tucson provided us with pre-made ads and brochures to promote our summit and Brooke met with our board during our onsite planning meeting.”

The group required about 100 rooms on peak and meeting space of approximately 14,000 sf, making the Westin La Paloma a great fit, since they have 92,355 sf. “We chose the Westin La Paloma based on room rate, appropriate meeting space and the longevity of many of the staff.  It’s only about 30 minutes from the airport and we used Uber often during the week at minimal expense. Rooms are large and spread out in buildings off either side of the main lobby. The lobby and bar/restaurant have since undergone a renovation, which makes viewing the mountains even better while dining.”

Krisovitch says the group would definitely meet there again. “The views and landscape around the property are gorgeous,” she says. “It’s close to golf, tennis, hiking and good restaurants, and the onsite dinner restaurant, Contigo Latin Kitchen, consistently served excellent food.”

She encourages planners to consider Tucson, calling it “a destination that attendees will enjoy without feeling like they’re a small fish in a big pond.”

That feeling of being the main event in a city with much to offer is just one of many things planners and groups love about Tier 2 cities. | AC&F |