World Leaders To Arrive In Bay Area For Global Trade Summit

SAN FRANCISCO — World leaders are set to descend on the Bay Area starting this weekend to kick off a major economic conference attended by tens of thousands of dignitaries, delegates and journalists from around the globe.

San Francisco is hosting APEC Economic Leaders' Week from Saturday through Friday, and dozens of events and tours planned will likely impact traffic and other travel around the region. Officials expect 30,000 people will attend the annual trade summit, including President Joe Biden and heads of state from 20 other countries that are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

This year marks the first time the United States has hosted the meeting since 2011. President Biden is scheduled to arrive in San Francisco on Tuesday and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

San Francisco International Airport will serve as the main gateway for attendees to arrive, and officials in San Mateo County caution that residents around the region plan ahead for potential delays.

"We can expect numerous motorcades as well as short-term closures on freeways leading from SFO to San Francisco," said Shruti Dhapodkar, director of the county's Department of Emergency Management. "We urge anyone driving or taking public transportation during APEC, especially in the North County, to expect delays and to check 511.org and other sources for real-time information about delays."

Arrivals and departures at the airport could also be impacted by temporary no-fly zones issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, and residents may also notice an increase in military, law enforcement and helicopter flight activity, officials said.

Beyond travel between the airport and San Francisco, several official and unofficial events and tours are scheduled across the Bay Area.

In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said the city's department leaders have been working with the Secret Service and federal agencies to ensure safety and security while minimizing impacts to the public as possible.

"We know with an event of this magnitude that there will be impacts for our residents," Breed said. "We've been working hard to make sure everyone has the information they need to understand what's planned for next week, and we will continue to communicate about street closures and other impacts that arise."

The meeting will be designated as a "National Special Security Event" from Nov. 15 - 18, which allows the Secret Service and federal partners to lead security plans during that timeframe. The mayor's office said this is the first such event to ever take place in San Francisco.

Areas around the Fairmont Hotel and Moscone Center will have closures and added security in place throughout next week.