Thursday, March 12, 2009



The City of Peoria is a terrific location for smaller national conferences. Many organizations conduct one large national conference in a major city. Organizations could host a second smaller national conference in our city.

Many associations conduct a great annual conference. The size of the major conference requires a major city with expensive hotels and food. Many smaller organziations cannot afford to send their key employees to the National Conference. 

A second smaller annual conference would permit organizations to send junior staff. The program could be reduced from the national program. The conference could be held in summer, allowing young managers and assistants to bring their school age children. 

Peoria is an excellent site for this type of conference. Peoria is centrally located in the US, permitting employees to drive to the conference. Peoria is part of the second largest metro area in Illinois with a population of 360,000. We have a vibrant downtown on a river with a range of hotel accommodations, unique restaurants and a major focus on new urbanism. Peoria is able to offer all of the amenities of a large city without the shock of high prices.

Peoria also has excellent affordable air service. The region includes a wide variety of recreational and educational facilities for children. Hotel rooms and Convention Center costs are much more affordable in our small city. The average room rate is less than ½ of the cost of large city hotels. Within walking distance of the Peoria Civic Center there are over 800 guest rooms with a citywide capability of 1,200 to 2,000, depending on the date. 

Call the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau if you would like to discuss a conference in Peoria.


456 Fulton Street, Suite 300, Peoria, IL 61602

1 (800) 747-0302



Thursday, August 21, 2008