Meetings are back LIVE!

September 2021

Join The Key Note for a new monthly series, in which we connect with local DMO’s to get a sense of what it’s like to return to live meetings.

Kicking off the series: a conversation with Joe D’Alessandro, President & CEO of SF Travel.

Q: What events and citywides are on the horizon for your area?

A: We are looking forward to welcoming back many of our citywide conventions to The Moscone Center. We will see our first groups since the beginning of the pandemic starting in September with California Dental Association, Dreamforce, and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand’s annual meeting. The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival will also be returning to Golden Gate Park in October.

Q: What challenges do you see, especially with the rise of Delta and other variants?

A: 2020 and 2021 have been extremely challenging years for the hospitality industry worldwide. Around the globe, urban destinations have been among the hardest hit, and San Francisco is no exception to that. While we are encouraged by the first signs of recovery that we are seeing this year, the unknowns related to the delta variant and the persistence of global travel restrictions make reliable projections for the winter and the year ahead very difficult.

Q: What is your outlook on 2022 and beyond? How do you think our business has changed given all we’ve learned over the last year and a half?

A: Our road to recovery in 2022 might remain bumpy, so long as conventions are not returning at full capacity and international tourists are unable to visit San Francisco. Nevertheless, our industry is resilient, and we are stronger together. We will continue collaborating with our partners across San Francisco and the wider Bay Area and working closely with city leaders to build a brighter future.