Case Study: Inside the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia
Date
January 22, 2025
The 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Philadelphia was successful in presenting new research and attracting a large audience. Over 12,000 attendees convened at the largest gathering of dementia researchers from all stages of their careers.
The following case study details the comprehensive planning, support, collaboration, and expertise the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau delivered to provide exceptional service that left a lasting impression.
The collaboration
Each year, the Alzheimer’s Association hosts a global convention that brings together researchers, clinicians, and dementia-care professionals to delve into every aspect of a disease that ravages minds and breaks hearts. The gathering, the world’s largest meeting dedicated to dementia science, attracts attendees from all over the world.
In 2024, they descended on Philadelphia. The 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference – AAIC24 – ran from July 28th to August 1st at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
It was the association’s biggest event yet, with over 14,000 attendees (8,691 on-site, 5,700 virtually) representing 102 countries.
The numbers matter because they allow for a greater number of personal connections between Alzheimer’s scientists, researchers, clinicians, and caregivers from all corners of the world. Opportunities for collaboration then result, which can lead to breakthroughs in the science and treatment of more than 55 million people worldwide who live with dementia.
Says Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer Dr. Maria Carrillo, “There’s just nothing like a face-to-face opportunity where people are presenting work, and then get ideas about how they can work with those presenting around them.”
Fueling a powerful engine
Big, global conferences are as important for the Philadelphia region as they are for the institutions that bring them here.
In 2023 alone, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) hosted 264 events with 550,000 attendees, generating $261 million in spending and filling 563,400 hotel rooms.
This spending supported 80,000 jobs and brought in $18.5 million in local tax revenue and $20 million in state tax revenue. The region’s vibrant tourism industry also spurs investment in transportation, hotels, and entertainment, enhancing the city’s overall infrastructure and economic stability.
On a broader level, Philadelphia’s ability to host an increasing number of large, global gatherings adds to its global reputation as a city of note.
The influx of international visitors has spurred cultural exchanges and a lively evolution of unique art, dining, and entertainment experiences.
“Philadelphia is now seen as a destination in itself – not just a day trip for people visiting New York or Washington D.C., but a place that conference goers would love to explore,” says The Franklin Institute president Larry Dubinski, who sits on the PHLCVB board.
“Business leaders see this when they visit,” he continues. “They look around and think, ‘Hey, maybe we should open a branch of our company here.’”
Excitement builds
Three days before AAIC24 opened, over three dozen people gathered at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to review logistics. Among them were organizers from the PHLCVB and Alzheimer’s Association, and representatives from the center’s food-and-beverage department, housekeeping services, climate control, building operations and utilities, tech experts, security staff, show producers, and event managers.
Darren Mendola, the Alzheimer’s Association’s vice president of global conferences and events, described for everyone what the week would look like for attendees:
Nine plenary sessions, 159 scientific sessions, 149 companies manning 239 booths in the convention’s 180,000 square-foot exhibit hall.
And the fast pace would be balanced by off-site fun: a big welcome reception at The Franklin Institute; a 5K “Rocky Run” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and an after-hours dance party at The Fillmore.
“We’ve packed a lot into the week. I want to thank all of you and your staff for what you’re going to do,” says Mendola earnestly. “When a cure for Alzheimer’s is found, it will be because of an AAIC conference. Please let them know how proud they should be of that.”
The week unfolds
For five days, lively chatter filled the Pennsylvania Convention Center as attendees bustled to and from not just scientific presentations but to the event’s additional, popular gathering hubs, including:
- Attendee and social-media lounges.
- A parents’ room for infant care, and a daycare spot for older kids.
- Areas for first-time attendees to learn and network.
- Drop-in spots for lost-and-found, luggage-checking, and press.
- Charging stations for electronic devices.
- Speaker-ready room to upload and rehearse presentations.
- Student-and-postdoc lounge for refreshments, networking, and the taking of free professional resume headshots.
- A “wellness zone,” offering aromatherapy, chair massages, and nutritional info.
- And a “zen den” for guided meditation and sound-bath experiences.
Rave reviews also poured in about The Franklin Institute welcome reception, the Rocky Run, and the dance party at The Fillmore.
“We may be the world’s largest Alzheimer’s organization,” says Mendola, “but we never want to take our position for granted. We want the conference to be the best show in the world for attendees, for them to leave with an understanding of the science – and also a great feeling about the city we chose to host us.”
Takeaways
On the last day of the conference, the Alzheimer’s Association presented an event created exclusively for the Greater Philadelphia region: AAIC For All.
A new extension of the conference, it was a no-cost, single-day event for local clinicians and community members to learn about the latest research findings, presented in layman’s language.
Key highlights included advancements in blood-based biomarkers for earlier and more accurate diagnosis, which could revolutionize Alzheimer’s screening and clinical trials. Researchers also discussed how environmental factors, such as exposure to wildfire smoke, may increase dementia risk. Notable findings included the potential benefits of GLP-1 drugs for dementia protection, and evidence linking processed red meat consumption with increased dementia risk, while plant-based alternatives may lower it.
Afterward, attendee Tom Cassidy felt grateful.
“I think what we could all take away from the conference is that we’re not alone,” said attendee Tom Cassidy, community board chair of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Delaware Valley Chapter. “Many, many absolutely brilliant and committed people are working so hard for us. Significant progress is being made. There’s real hope.”
Maria Carrillo was thrilled not just by attendee reaction to AAIC For All but by the stellar way that Philadelphia stepped up to make the entire conference a stellar experience for all.
“The meeting surpassed our expectations,” she said. “Not only did the convention center surpass them, but so did the PHLCVB with everything they were able to do for us around the city. We felt such warmth and hospitality – it fed us with so much energy that we’re still riding high on it.”
About the author: Ronnie Polaneczky is a lifelong Philadelphian and journalist who spent her 23-year career at the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer writing metro columns about the city she loves and the people who are its beating heart. She knows the city’s neighborhoods like the back of her hand, but her favorite – Fairmount, adjacent to the museums on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway – is the one she proudly calls home.
