The common wisdom says that U.S. presidential election years tend to be beneficial to the economy—draw your own conclusions/conspiracy theories—but 2008 is turning out to be anything but common, both in terms of the economy and the election race itself.
In short, no one seems to know what’s going on, be they supplier, buyer, pundits of various stripes, or voter.
Most everyone believes that the ongoing mortgage crises will have some sort of negative affect on the nation’s economy.
Is suppliers’ grip on high room rates loosening? Will corporations cut back on the number or length of their meetings?
Regardless, the constant is change, so meeting planners need to be armed with the latest strategies to negotiate successfully no matter how the cards fall. Our “Now Negotiating” story, starting on page 41, asked some industry experts how they would approach this sketchy market.
Also, be sure to check out our free “Understanding Hotel Sales Cycles” webinar March 26, available at www.meetingstoday.com/webinars.
