Case Study: Advancing Technical Education Through Collaboration in Gwinnett
Author: Explore Gwinnett
Our recent collaboration with the Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education (GACTE) team to host their annual summer leadership conference in Duluth in June 2024 garnered an impressive conclusion: Our city can easily host large-scale, meaningful, and financially viable tech and educational events that leave a lasting impression on attendees.
The results? The numbers don’t lie.
- GACTE: 1,675 attendees + 100 exhibitors (up from the previous year due to convenience)
- 26 field experiences with eight buses in rotation, only 25 minutes from anywhere in Gwinnett
- High satisfaction rates, with a 10% survey response, indicating a positive overall experience
- Return bookings planned for 2027 and 2030
Our partnership approach helped make this event a success and built lasting trust with the GACTE team.
Explore how this collaboration came to life — and see what’s possible for your next tech, business, or educational gathering.
The Success Trifecta: Location, Value, and Experience
GACTE hosts an annual summer leadership conference, the premier gathering for educators, administrators, and industry professionals advancing career and technical education across the state.
The mission of GACTE is to equip members with leadership opportunities to advance in program excellence and professional learning.
With a growing membership, evolving content needs and a wide geographic footprint to serve, GACTE needed a location that could offer:
- Accessibility for attendees from across Georgia
- Modern, flexible spaces to accommodate sessions, exhibits and networking
- Affordability without sacrificing quality
- Immersive local experiences aligned with technical education themes
Duluth — one of Gwinnett’s meeting-friendly cities — stood out as an event host, not just for its affordability, but for the exceptional value it delivered compared to other metro Atlanta venues and nearby alternatives, such as Athens. For GACTE, success meant more than high attendance and seamless logistics. It required a conference experience that inspired, educated, and strengthened community connections.
It was personal for me, because it’s my home. When I saw people coming to this community that I’ve grown up in and love, I was so happy to see them enjoying all that’s happening in Gwinnett.
Tech-Drive, Seamlessly Executed
Gwinnett delivered — and then some. By partnering with Explore Gwinnett and leveraging the newly renovated Gas South Convention Center and connected Westin Hotel, GACTE’s 2024 conference in Duluth exceeded expectations.
Destination Strategic Advantages:
- Convenient Location: Easy access from across the region and state, and only 35 mi. to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
- Affordable Excellence: More cost-effective than Atlanta, while still offering high-end amenities.
- Dynamic Tech & Business Community: Gwinnett boasts a vibrant tech and business industry, encompassing robotics, surgical technology, and more, with notable highlights including Atlanta Tech Park in Peachtree Corners. Gwinnett is also home to the State of Technology Summit and Gwinnett Technical College.
- On-the-Ground Support: Anne Chen, Director of Convention Sales, and the Explore Gwinnett team played a hands-on role in hotel contracts, tax exemption planning, event logistics, food tours, event marketing, and distributing digital and printed signage.
Venue Strengths:
- The 118-acre Gas South Convention Center impressed attendees and planners alike with its modern upgrades, including:
- 30 flexible breakout rooms
- Digital signage (a major cost saver)
- Seamless integration with the Westin for walkable convenience
- Intuitive networking spaces and a high-end hotel experience that made attendees feel like "true professionals"
Between the labs at the school systems, Gwinnett Technical College and our business partners, we were able to give the students a really good experience about what the business industry looks like in the suburbs of Atlanta.
Attendee Experience:
From the conference app to hands-on learning labs at Maxwell High School, every touchpoint was designed to engage. The standout feature? Field trips that put technical education in context — giving attendees real-world exposure to careers and technologies shaping Georgia's future.
Not Just a Tech Hub — a Partner for Long-Term Success
Gwinnett’s combined convention offerings and hub for technological innovation undoubtedly have an impact on client satisfaction and return rates.
But the magic happens when combined with our personalized partnership.
Our DMO acted as the bridge that connected the Westin and the Gas South Convention Center with GACTE’s team, resulting in ease of communication and building trust that is required for meetings and event planners to return to a destination.
Anne and the team at Explore Gwinnett helped make everything personal, professional and smooth.
Our meeting and convention partners can expect authentic support, convenience, accessibility — and a standout destination for hosting tech, association and education conferences for years to come.
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