NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans & Company has announced that the city will host the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Convening Leaders conference in 2029, marking the first time the organization’s flagship event has returned to the city since 2009.
The event is scheduled for Jan. 7-10, 2029 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and is expected to bring thousands of meeting planners, hospitality executives and business events professionals to the city, providing New Orleans an opportunity to market itself directly to decision-makers responsible for selecting future convention and tourism destinations.
PCMA Host – A Tourism and Convention Boost
Convening Leaders is the annual conference of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), which describes itself as the world’s largest community for business events strategists and convention industry leaders, with members in 72 countries.
The event serves as one of the meetings industry’s premier networking and education conferences and is viewed as an opportunity for host cities to showcase themselves as destinations for future conventions and meetings.
PCMA describes the event as a “live laboratory” for the meetings industry where organizers and business events professionals test new formats, technologies and engagement strategies that often influence conferences and conventions globally.
New Orleans will become the five-time host city for Convening Leaders, having previously hosted the event in 1968, 1976, 1990 and 2009.
In announcing the selection, PCMA described New Orleans as a “celebrated meetings destination renowned for its culture, cuisine, and welcoming hospitality.”
New Orleans & Company officials said hosting the conference gives the city a rare opportunity to showcase its convention infrastructure, hospitality industry and tourism assets directly to influential meeting planners and event organizers from around the world.
“New Orleans is honored to welcome Convening Leaders in 2029, returning two decades after the event was last held here in 2009 during a pivotal moment in our city’s recovery following Hurricane Katrina,” said Walt J. Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company.
Leger said PCMA and its members played a significant role in helping restore the city’s meetings and conventions industry following the storm.
“Today, New Orleans is not only a story of resilience, but of reinvention — where we continue to invest in world-class infrastructure, elevate the participant experience, and lead with the culture and authenticity that defines us,” said Leger. “As we look ahead to 2029 and beyond, we are proud to showcase a city that is more connected, more dynamic, and more ready than ever — truly Built to Host.”
Jim Cook, president and CEO of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, said hosting Convening Leaders will provide an opportunity to showcase both the convention center and the city’s hospitality industry to top decision-makers in the meetings sector.
“Convening Leaders is one of the most influential gatherings in the global meetings industry, and we look forward to welcoming PCMA and its members back to New Orleans in 2029,” said Cook.
The announcement comes as New Orleans continues investing in tourism and convention infrastructure projects, including ongoing redevelopment surrounding the convention center district and hospitality sector expansion across the region.
Miami will host Convening Leaders in 2027, followed by Las Vegas in 2028 before the conference returns to New Orleans in 2029.
