Tech Companies Fill San Francisco’s Convention Calendar, But Recovery Lags

San Francisco will be in the spotlight next year when the city will host Super Bowl LX and six FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, but the convention calendar currently doesn’t match this year’s bookings. Only 30 events are confirmed next year at the Moscone Center, the city’s main convention venue, generating around 618,000 room nights.

This year Moscone has 34 events confirmed, generating 657,000 hotel room nights. The RSAC Conference alone drew 40,000 cybersecurity professionals to the city. Last year Moscone only held 25 events.

On Wednesday, San Francisco Travel released its updated 2025 and 2026 Visitor and Lodging Forecast. The report highlighted conventions as a contributor to positive hotel performance this year.

“Meetings and events have fueled San Francisco’s tourism industry this year, and that momentum is carrying into 2026,” said Anna Marie Presutti, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel.

Despite positive signs, convention numbers remain below the target of 750,000 room nights shared by Presutti last October. One month into her role, she said, “When we do that, I will feel like we are back.” She admitted the city won’t hit this target until 2028 or 2029.

In 2019, the then newly expanded Moscone hosted 49 events, accounting for 968,000 room nights and nearly $2 billion in tourism revenue. Current numbers align with 2018’s 651,299 room nights, achieved before the expansion.

The city is working to attract more event business, including offering financial incentives to organizers. Last November, it increased the accommodation tax by 1% to generate $14.6 million annually for San Francisco Travel. In July, Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) announced San Francisco as its first destination partner.

Tech Companies Commit Events to the Bay

Among the tech companies committing to hold events in the city is payments giant Visa. This week, the company — headquartered in the city — announced its annual Visa Payments Forum conference at Moscone Center through 2030. The conference has been held several times in the city across its 19 editions, but this year it was held in Dallas, Texas, attracting 2,000 attendees.

“Visa’s commitment to bring their conference to the Moscone Center underscores San Francisco’s status as a world-class destination for business and innovation,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Visa joins Salesforce and Databricks, both headquartered in the city, in committing to hosting flagship events on home turf for multiple years. Microsoft and HubSpot are also holding their largest events in the city this year, while the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference will return for 2026 after a successful 2025 event. HumanX, a new AI-focused conference that secured over $6 million for its launch in Vegas, is heading to Moscone for its second edition in 2026.