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| ConventionSouth | |
|---|---|
| Name | ConventionSouth |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Area served | Southern United States |
| Products | Venue directory, planning resources, awards |
ConventionSouth ConventionSouth is a regional media and marketing platform focused on meeting, event, and hospitality venues across the Southern United States. It provides a searchable directory, editorial coverage, planning resources, and recognition programs aimed at meeting planners, event professionals, tourism bureaus, and hospitality suppliers. The platform intersects regional tourism promotion, trade publishing, and business-to-business services.
ConventionSouth operates as a niche trade resource linking meeting planners with venues such as convention centers, hotels, resorts, arenas, and unique event sites across states including Tennessee, Georgia (U.S. state), Florida, Texas, and North Carolina. The platform produces editorial content, buyer guides, and advertising solutions used by organizations such as CVBs, though not linked here, and municipal convention bureaus like Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Visit Orlando, and Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. ConventionSouth covers venues and services relevant to associations like the American Society of Association Executives, corporate event teams at firms like AT&T, and professional conference organizers akin to SmithBucklin.
Founded in 2000, the organization developed in the context of regional tourism growth exemplified by cities such as Atlanta, New Orleans, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Early activity coincided with expansions at venues like the Orange County Convention Center and the renovation of hotels such as the Peabody Hotel (Memphis). Over time the platform adapted to changes in event technology influenced by companies such as Cvent and Eventbrite (company), and to industry trends following incidents like Hurricane Katrina that reshaped Gulf Coast convention infrastructure. Leadership and editorial contributors have engaged with trade shows including IMEX America and conferences hosted by organizations like the Professional Convention Management Association.
The platform maintains a searchable directory of venues including municipal facilities like the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, resort properties such as those in Orlando, Florida, and historic sites akin to Savannah Historic District locations. Other offerings encompass online editorial features, photo galleries, floor plans, and planner tools similar in function to resources produced by MeetingsNet and Trade Show News Network. Advertising and sponsored content packages mirror solutions used by trade publishers like Northstar Travel Group and Advanstar Communications, while awards programs and buyer guides align with practices from organizations such as ConventionsSouth—note different entities in the meetings sector—and regional tourism awards presented by bodies like Southern Living affiliates.
ConventionSouth produces editorial lists and annual recognitions highlighting venues, planners, and suppliers, comparable in scope to awards issued by MeetingsNet and accolades from USA Today-style travel lists. The platform has featured properties that have hosted events tied to major gatherings such as SXSW, CMA Fest, and Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans. It also profiles venues that served large assemblies like national conferences of the American Medical Association and trade expos similar to NAB Show. Recognition programs engage destination marketing organizations including Visit Philadelphia and Explore Asheville.
Revenue streams include sponsored listings, display advertising, custom content, and event marketing services mirroring models used by industry peers such as Skift and Travel + Leisure Co.. Strategic partnerships and cross-promotions have linked the platform with regional tourism offices like Visit Houston and associations such as the Association of Meeting Professionals. Technology collaborations for lead generation and analytics draw upon providers comparable to Bizzabo and Hopin (company), while sales outreach often targets procurement teams at corporations such as Google and Amazon (company) that run frequent meetings.
Reception among meeting planners and destination marketers has emphasized the utility of a focused Southern venue resource amid competition from national directories like Cvent and editorial outlets such as Meetings & Conventions. The platform’s lists and promotions have influenced site-selection decisions for conferences in markets such as Charleston, South Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Coverage and awards have been cited in marketing materials from convention centers including Henry B. González Convention Center and hotels part of chains like Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide. Critics suggest regional platforms must continuously adapt to digital lead-generation trends driven by firms such as LinkedIn and Google Ads.
Category:Companies based in Nashville, Tennessee