economy

Dreamforce conference kicks off Tuesday with thousands coming; expected to generate $40 million

ByLena Howland KGO logo

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Dreamforce conference kicks off Tuesday with thousands expected

Dreamforce says they are employing 2,000 local event staff and 85% of their vendors are local.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Starting Tuesday, San Francisco will be home to one of the biggest events to take place since the pandemic began.

Salesforce's 'Dreamforce' event turns 20 this year, and a big crowd is expected as the event runs through Thursday.

The event is being held at the Moscone Center where thousands of people are set to converge, and it is being called the most impactful Dreamforce yet.

Many in San Francisco are confident Dreamforce will bring a much-needed boost to the economy as they are expected to be back as a full-scale event for the first time since 2019.

Last year, it was held on a much smaller scale with just 1,000 people. But this year, the software conference is bringing people from across the world, projected to generate $40 million for the city.

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce says downtown hasn't been this crowded since before the pandemic.

"We expect tens of thousands of people downtown," Daniel Herztein with the Chamber of Commerce said. "We have heard that 20% bookings rate is up in downtown restaurants."

Attendees are excited about the conference being back in full force.

"It is so exciting to be able to travel again," Jayne Howley said. "It is the first time I have traveled in a long time, and you know it takes a little bit to get used to having crowds around you again."

Dreamforce says they are employing 2,000 local event staff and 85% of their vendors are local.

Traffic around Moscone Center is expected to be jammed packed. SFMTA says Howard Street will be closed between Third and Fourth streets through 8 p.m. Sunday for the event. It's encouraging people to walk from their hotels or take public transit.