2 min read September 2022 — Larry Sieg, president and CEO of Atlantic City’s group sales and marketing organization Meet AC, has had a busy 2022. In an interview with Invest:, Sieg describes the current state of the tourism industry in Atlantic City and what factors have led to a boom in business for his organization.
What have been some of the key highlights for Meet AC over the past year?
This year has been an extremely busy year for us. We are back to holding 100% in-person events at the Atlantic City Convention Center and have been very fortunate to host some of the largest events that we have ever had. We started with The Pool & Spa Show in January, which was one of the biggest shows they have ever done. We also hosted Jimmy Johnson’s Atlantic City “Quest for the Ring” Championship Fishing Week, a sportfishing experience hosted by Jimmy Johnson, the former coach of the Dallas Cowboys. It was a very successful event for the city. In July, we were generously awarded to host the 113th NAACP National Convention, which exceeded all expectations. We were originally expecting between 7,500 and 8,000 people, but the actual figure after registration was over 9,000 people. This event alone generated $10.5 million in economic impact for the destination. We followed that up with the National Sports Collectors Convention, which was their largest convention in three decades. Demand for in-person meetings is back 100%.
What is the biggest challenge facing the tourism industry in Atlantic City?
For the remainder of the year, I think our biggest challenge is going to be space. Our sales team has been doing such a tremendous job of going out and prospecting business that we are now having a hard time finding space within the convention center and hotels. You have to remember, with the entire country being shut down and put on pause for 15 to 18 months during COVID, everything shifted forward. Typically, this would not be a super-busy time for conventions but now there is high demand year-round and finding space can be challenging.
What factors attract tourists and businesses to Atlantic City?
I believe that multiple factors attract tourists and businesses to Atlantic City. First and foremost, it’s our proximity to where people live. We are a drive destination, meaning that you don’t have to hop on an airplane to come to Atlantic City. For a third of the total population of the United States, we are only a few hours away by car. People are more comfortable when they can get in their car and go on a getaway to somewhere relatively close, especially when gas prices are as high as they are in today’s economy.
We are also located on the beach right beside the beautiful Atlantic Ocean and provide casino resorts, which are extremely appealing to people. Our dining and entertainment options have also exploded over the past decade. This summer we held a three-day beach concert put on by the popular band Phish, a three-day country music festival and the iconic Meet AC Atlantic City Airshow. There is so much happening with our entertainment, dining and casino scenes but the ocean and our world-famous Boardwalk are what are drawing people in now.
How has technology affected the way Meet AC operates?
Technology is having an exciting impact on the tourism industry in Atlantic City and South Jersey. Technology allows us to market ourselves and communicate with the younger generations in a way we haven’t done before. We are moving away from the more traditional digital media platforms, such as Facebook, to newer platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which has changed our target audience. We still have a high presence on the older digital media but we are focusing more on creating content for newer platforms, especially since short videos are in high demand with users.
What do the next three to five years look like for Meet AC?
The next few years will continue to stay busy for us. We already have a tremendous number of meetings and conventions on the books. We actually have bookings up until 2032, which is insane. Something we’ve been seeing that I think we will continue to see is the “bleisure” customer. We are seeing more and more people bring their families along with them on business trips for a vacation. They are combining their leisure travel and their business travel, which has created a new market.
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