NEWS

Savannah is welcoming what organizers are calling the largest convention in the city’s history, as the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium brings an estimated 5,500 attendees to the community Sept. 14–17.

The event is being held at the recently expanded Savannah Convention Center and features educational sessions, networking opportunities, and exhibitions for veterinary professionals from across the country and beyond. The symposium is expected to generate approximately 5,475 hotel room nights and an estimated $1.37 million in economic impact, benefiting local hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, retailers, and other businesses.

The Savannah Convention Center’s 2025 expansion increased the facility to 660,000 square feet, giving Savannah the ability to compete for larger conventions, meetings and trade shows that previously could not be accommodated.

“IVECCS represents exactly the kind of convention the expansion was designed to accommodate,” Kelvin D. Moore, senior vice president of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and general manager for the Savannah Convention Center, said in the announcement. “Hosting the largest convention in Savannah’s history is a significant milestone for the Convention Center, but it is also a milestone for our entire community. It demonstrates that Savannah can host major national and international events while creating meaningful economic impact for local businesses.”

The successful acquisition of IVECCS also highlights the work of the Visit Savannah sales team, which has focused on attracting larger meetings and conventions to the destination as Savannah’s convention infrastructure continues to grow.

“Welcoming IVECCS to Savannah is a tremendous milestone for our community and a powerful example of what our expanded convention campus makes possible,” Joseph Marinelli, president and CEO of Visit Savannah, said in the announcement. “This achievement is also a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Visit Savannah sales team, which cultivated this business opportunity, built strong relationships with our customers, and ultimately secured this important convention for our destination.”

Marinelli added that the event demonstrates Savannah’s growing ability to compete for and successfully accommodate larger national and international meetings, positioning the destination for even greater convention business in the years ahead.