The task of evaluating and selecting a meeting’s host destination is far from simple or straightforward. Needs and priorities can vary greatly among groups — and what worked one year might not work the next.
To aid event planners in finding a destination that fits their unique checklist, Northstar Meetings Group developed the Convention Cities Index.
About the CCi
First launched in 2020, the Convention Cities Index is a site-selection guide packed with key data points that allow event organizers to compare and contrast major meetings markets easily.
The 2026 edition features nearly 70 venues across the United States. It includes a mix of large, mid-size and smaller destinations to help groups of all sizes and budgets with the event planning process.
The data profile for each destination includes:
- Total exhibit space at the convention center;
- Total number of hotel rooms in the city;
- Average hotel cost;
- Travel time from the convention center to the nearest international airport; and
- Number of direct flights per month into the destination.
Key Findings
Economic and geopolitical factors are forcing planners to get more strategic with their site-selection decisions. Insights from the Convention Cities Index can help planners evaluate potential host cities better. Among the findings:
- The average daily hotel rate for all U.S. CCi cities is $221. The most affordable destination is Minneapolis at $154 per night.
- Chicago is the most accessible destination, with 44,000 direct flights per month into the city’s airports.
- Nearly a dozen of the 2026 CCi cities have renovation or expansion projects in the works to improve their convention centers for groups.
Use the form above to download the full results and view site-selection data for major meeting destinations across the U.S.